PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2645, 14 May 1923, Page 4

PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS.

Brigadier-General A. W. Andrew Chief Commissioner of the Dominion Boy Scouts, departed on Saturday for Wanganui. Mr Allan Gardiner, secretary of the Palmerston North Y.M.C.A., is at present at Gisborne. He is expected to return to-day.

Mr William Howard Palmer, chairman of Messrs Huntley and Palmer, biscuit manufacturers, left half a million sterling. Death duties will amount to about £144 000.

Mr. W. F. Durward, president, and Mr. F; D. Opie, secretary of the Technical Education Association of New Zealand, will attend a conference to be held in Wellington on Thursday and Friday.

Dame Nellie Melba, after an opera, tion in a nursing home in London, has made a good recovery, and the doctors are satisfied there is no further cause for anxiety. She is now at Brighton undergoing tho vest cure, states a cablegram, but it is stated she appears at Covent Garden, as arranged.

Sir Maui Pomarc, Minister in charge of the Cook Islands Department, and Mr. J. D. Gray, secretary for the Department, •will sail for Rarotonga on official business by the steamer Maunganui on May 22. Owing to the limited time at. his disposal, the Minister will spend only six days at Rarotonga, returning to Wellington by the mail steamer Tahiti, which is due on June 9. If is now some years since the Minister paid his last visit to the group and there arc many matters requiring his personal attention there.

The funeral of the late Mrs. Hannay, which took place on Saturday morning, was a striking tribute to the deceased lady and her family. Many business men and representatives of the organisations with which Mr, and the late Mrs. Hannay were identified were present ■ in large numbers, the cortege comprising about 100 cars. The beautiful floral tributes were very numerous indeed. The Revs. H. G. Blhckburne and G. B. Stephenson conducted the services at the residence and the graveside, where the hymn “On the Resurrection Morn ” was sung by All Saints’ choir. Appropriate reference to the late Mrs. Hannay was made at yesterday’s services.

A gentleman who has travelled far and seen much is at present in Palmerston North where he has been engaged to sing a song of his own composing, “ One Week of Love.” Skipper Francis, who is a permanent cripple, is famous for his prowess as a longdistance swimmer. About 11 years ago, his great performance in swimming the Bristol Channel, a distance of 15 miles, and which took him only four hours to swim, was cabled all vhe world over, and was considered a wonderful feat of pluck and endurance. On this occasion he put up a record that stands to this day. The

“Skipper” holds the Royal Life-Sav-ing Society’s medal and certificate, and has athletic feat’s to his credit that any man might be proud of. He is a Welshman, and has composed several songs, which have proved very popular. One song “ Australia Will Be There,” ran into nearly a million copies, and was sung in action several times by the Anzacs. and on the occasions when the, transports “ Southland,” “Ballarat" and “Barunga” were torpedoed and sinking, the gallant fellows lined up on the. .docks and sang “ Australia Will Bo There.” During his short stay in Palmerston North “ Skipper ” Francis proposes to sing at the Public Hospital if the authorities permit. His latest composition is a catchy waltz song, which has captivated the hearts of New Zealand, and fits in most appropriately with the picture now showing in one of the local theatres.

Boys’ school boots just in from Home. Winter weight, strongly soled with sings; .Derby shape. Sizes 11 to 1, for IC/0; 2 to G, for 19/G; sizes 6 and 7, are same as men’s fitting. Collinson and Cunninghanie, Ltd.*