PERSONAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 231, 30 August 1937, Page 6

PERSONAL.

A London cable announces the' death of Sir William Lawson, Bt., who was Liberal member of the House of Commons for the Cockermouth Division of Cumberland from 1910 to 1916.

The death has occurred in Sydney of Mr Philip Wirth, of the circus family. He was 73 years of age. Mr Wirth visited Palmerston North on several occasions at the head of his organisation.

Mr Arthur Henderson, M.P. for Kingswinford in the British House of Parliament, who addressed a meeting in Palmerston North yesterday afternoon, spent the week-end as the guest of Mr Ormond Wilson, M.P., at Bulls, and later proceeded to AVanganui, where he addressed a further meeting in the evening. A Sydney cablegram states that passengers on the AVanganella, which left on Saturday afternoon for Wellington, include the New Zealand Minister of Public AVorks, Mr It. Semple; the Chairman of' Committees Of the House of Representatives, Mr E. J. Howard; Mr F. AV. Schramm, M.P. ; the New Zealand farmers, who have been touring the eastern States, and some members of the New Zealand hockey team. The death is announced by cable from Melbourne of Hon. George Michael Prendergast, “father” of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, aged 83. He was elected in 1900. Born in Adelaide, educated at State schools in Victoria, and a printer by trade, Mr Prendergast was leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party from 1904 to 1913, and from 1918 to 1926. He was Chief Secretary in 1913. Premier and Treasurer in 1924. and Chief Secretary in 1927 and 1928.

A former assistant Public Service Commissioner, Mr A. D. Thomson, is reported to be seriously ill in Wellington. Mr Thomson, who is now 73 years of age, served as a Magistrate at Palmerston North for 10 years and in 1913 was appointed assistant Public Service Commissioner, an office which he retained until his retirement in 1921. After the resignation of Mr P. D. Verschaffelt Mr Thomson was recalled, and acted ns Public Service Commissioner until the appointment last year of Messrs T. Marks and J. H. Boyes.