PERSONAL

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 6485, 17 December 1927, Page 8

PERSONAL

Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Fraser returned from Wellington by the Limited Express last evening. A London cable reports the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Granville Chas. Hastings Wheeler, aged 55 years, Conservative M.P. for the Faversham Division since 1910.

Sympathetic reference to the death of Mr. A. J, Kingsbeer and the illness of Mr. F. Amos, secretary, was made by the chairman at last night's meeting of the Hokowhitu Ratepayers ’ Association. A London cable states that the King has approved of Mr, James M'Neill, High Commissioner of the Free State in London, succeeding Mr. Timothy Healy as Governor-General of the Free State.

At -the breaking up ceremony yester day at West End School, Mr. F. Tf. Moore, the headmaster, expressed appreciation of the work done for. the school by Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Lovelock and family, and regretted that they , were leaving the district. j Tho Secretary of State for the Do-; minions, tho Right Honorable L. S. Amery, will arrive in Auckland on Monday, from Rotorua. On Tuesday ho will sail for Canada by tho Aorangi on his way to England. Mr. Amery will spend a day at Suva in order to see something of tho Crown Colony. The Aorangi will spend a whole day at Suva instead of the customary six hours. In the course of his report at last night’s prize-giving ceremony of the Boys’ High School, the Rector, Mr. J. Murry, M.A., expressed the regret of tho school and the Parents’ Association at the news of the approaching departure of Mr. L. F. do Berry from the district. Miss Hodges, tho Lady Principal of tho Girls’ High School, and tho chairman of the E-aard of Governors, Mr. j. A. Nash, M.P., also mado reference to the good work done by Mr. do Berry ,who is chairman of the Girls’ High School Parents’ Association. Tho death occurred with rather tragic suddenness on Thursday of a. well known and esteemed resident of Palmerston North in tho person of Mr. Frances Green, of 20, Eanfuriy street. Deceased, who was 53 years of age, was (ho eldest son of Mrs. and the late Mr. S. Green, of Palmerston North, and spent practically the whole of his life in the district, for many years carrying on very successfully as a farmer at Tiritea. Up till a few days ago ho had enjoyed good,health and as late as Saturday last, was able to play tennis. Besides his wife, four sons and one daughter mourn their loss.

At last night's prize-giving ceremony of the Boys’ and Girls' High Schools, feeling reference was made by both j the Hector, Mr. John Murray, and the chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., to the approach-, ing departure of Messrs. H. J, Thomp-j sou and Mr. G. H. Elliott from the! school. The following is an extract from the Doctor's report; “To-night Mr. G. H. Elliott, art master for 21 years, and Mr. H. J. Thompson, assistant for eight years, officially sever their connection with the school, and I wish to place on record my appreciation of their faith-j ful and efficient service, the school’s] genuine regret at their nurture and,l our good wishes for tlul.- future welfare. I

Before a pr I ;d Town Hall in Auckland on Thursday evening Miss Noami Whaliey sang the soprano solos in the ‘'Messiah. ” The New Zealand Herald makes the following comment: “There was unalloyed freshness and brightness about Miss Naomi Whaliey’s exposition ol the soprano part, yet, when occasion demanded, the sympathetic note was not wanting. Sho had a fine conception of the vocal requirements of her opening chain of recitatives beginning ‘There Were Shepherds.’ Here there was a certain variety of treatment, and, while the general outline of the tempo was sufficiently preserved yet nothing was stilted or mechanical. Few oratorio arias are ns difficult to interpret successfully as that florid tour di force ‘Rejoice Greatly,’ and Miss Whaliey is to be congratulated upon her uniformly sound rendering. It was a florid song of jubilation, superbly done. Sincerity and expression marked the soprano’s voicing of ‘Como Unto Him,’ while the difficulties of phrasing associated with the touching air, ‘I Know That My Redeemer Liveth,’ were creditably over come.’’