PERSONAL

Northern Advocate, 20 February 1926, Page 4

PERSONAL

It is proposed to make a suitable presentation from the bands of the Dominion to Mr. Charles Holland, of Christclmreli, who, it is claimed, is the veteran drum-major of the British Empire. Mr. Holland began his connection with bands as a member of the schoolboys' band in the Isle of Jersey in 1872.

It is | stated in a Wellington message today that Mr. J. Creeke, of Sydney, has been appointed superintendent of the Wellington Fire Brigade, vice ■Supt. Tait, retired. Supt. Creeke is a New Zealander. He has had considerable experience in the Sydney fire service and was lately in charge of the Circular Quay division of the Metropolitan Brigades.

Mr. F. M. Keesing, 8.A., of Auckland, has been appointed general secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association. Mr. Keesing has been connected with the Y.M.C.A. movement since the age of 12 years. In 1921 he went to the United States for further secretarial training He accepted the post of assistant in • boys' work and director of the West Side Y.M.C.A. in Chicago. He returned from the United States three years ago and graduated at the Auckland University.

j 1 1 A very •enjoyable evening' was spent j at the residence of Mr T. W. Sparks,: Cross Street, on Friday evening, when » party'of friends paid a surprise visit for the purpose of wishing Mr and Mrs Sparks farewell upon the occasion of their leaving the district. At the close of the frivolities of the evening Mr Wright, on behalf of those present, asked Mr. and Mrs. Sparks to accept a framed enlargement as a reminder of the many pleasant hours spent in their company during their residence in Whangarci, and wished them health, wealth and prosperity in their new. ' home. Mr. Sparks suitably responded, •expressing thanks for the many kind- - nesses received from those present in ' : particular, and from the people of ] Whangarei generally. . The singing of [ "Auld Lang Syne" terminated a very ' pleasant evening. The sporting circles of the Poverty . Bay district have lost one of their keenest supporters in Mr Thomas Hughes Jackson, who died on February 11. He was a son of Mr Thomas Hughes Jackson, of Manor House, Birkenhead, > England, and was born in Birkenhead 55 years ago. His father was one of the originators of tTie now . world-famed White Star shipping line, i and evon now, although a nonogenarian, Mr Jackson's father attends to his ex- , tensive business as shipping and coal mine owner in Great Britain. The late Mr Jackson, of Puha, is the fourth, of his sons to die during the last few years. He is survived by three brothers, who reside in England, one being Major-General Jackson,, who served with the British forces in Egypt during j the war. A brother who died recently, Sir Frederick Jackson, was a Privy Councillor and/ a director of the Bank of England.