PERSONAL.

Northern Advocate, 10 September 1918, Page 2

PERSONAL.

Mr S. C. Jounneaux left for Auckland thisj morning. Mr Venter, of the Farmers' Co-op., left to-day for Auckland. Mr Frank Wakelin, of Messrs F. and W. Wakelin, left for Auckland to-day on a brief business visit. The promotion is announced of Lieut. E. J. Browning to the positionoosf s Assistant-Adjutant-General for the Auckland Military District. Lieutenant Charles N. Boult, son of Mr E. N. Boult, and Lance-Corpl. Archibald W. Storey, son of Mrs A. F. Storey, of Whangarei, are amongst the next draft to return shortly. Lance-Corpl. Storey was wounded in three places in the March offensive, but was able to get about on crutches before leaving England.

On Sunday last the death occurred in Dargaville of Mrs John Wilson, aged 95. The deceased lady arrived in the Dominon by the ship Hannah Watson in 1840, and proceeded to the Tangiteroria Wesleyan Mission station. Two years later she married, establishing with her husband a home noted for half a century for its unstinted hospitality. The deceased lady had sixteen children, and is survived by nine, of whom Mrs Edwin Mitchelson is the surviving daughter.

The death of Mrs Elizabeth Yates at the age of 78 took place at Onehunga on 'the 6th inst. Mrs Yates was born in Scotland in 1840 and came to New Zealand as a young girl with her father, Mr Oman. She was married to the late Captain Michael Yates, who was Mayor of Onehunga from 1888 to 1892. In November, 1893, Mrs Yates was elected to the Mayoral chair by a majority of 120 votes to 107, being the first lady to occupy this position. From that time the meetings of the Onehunga Borough Council were very lively and became of especial interest, even visitors, from Australia being anxious to see a lady mayor conduct business. On one occasion the constable was sent for and the room cleared of visitors. During her year of office a municipal debt of £800 was liquidated and a sinkingfund established, the fire brigade was reorganised, and more money was spent on roads and footpaths than in any previous year. By virtue of her office Mrs Yates held the commission of the peace, the only woman J.P. in the British Empire, and received a letter from Queen Victoria of which she Was very proud. It is also to her credit that she was a first-class buttermaker and made all her own and her husband's clothes.