PERSONAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 17 July 1926, Page 7

PERSONAL ITEMS

Tlio Rev. Canon Wollslein, of Spring Creek, formerly of All Saints, Nelson, celebrated his 80th birthday this week. Lady Hosking has returned from Sydney to Auckland owing to the serious illness of Sir John Hosking. The death has occurred at the Kaikoura hospital of ope of Kuikoura-’s most respected residents, in the person of Mr William Poulter, at the age of 79 years.' Mr Poulter was one of the earliest settlers in Kaikoura. Many will regret to hear that Mrs Reginald Hennion (nee Flora Mackay) passed away at Palmerston North on the Oth. The greatest sympathy will be extended to her husband in his bereavement. The Bishop of Nelson (Rt. Rev. W. Sadlier) returned by the Tainui. He speaks well of the class of immigrant now coming to the Dominion, says a Wellington Press Association message. Guests at Wainui House include Mr and Mrs Foster (Melbourne), and Mr and Mi's Nicholson (Tapanui). Mrs Keeble, well-known in Nelson many years ago, passed away at Dunedin this morning. Sympathy will go out to her son and to her daughter, Mrs Hayward. Mrs Keeble’s husband was manager of the Union Company in Nelson for many years. Among the guests at the Commercial Hotel are:—Mr Biss (Wellington), Miss Reed ‘(Palmerston North), Miss lletiherington (Wellington), Mr Parr (Wellington), Mr Birney and Mr Cale (Sydney). At the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Political Reform League this week reference was made to the continued ill-health of Mrs W. E. Massey, a motion being unanimously carried instructing the secretary to convey the greetings of the conference, together with its sympathy, and further to congratulate her upon H.M. the King creating her a Dame of the British Empire of the Grand Cross rank. There is no question of non-acceptance of his appointment at Wellington city engineer by Mr G. H. Hart (of Leeds). That gentleman has already intimated by cable that he will leave London for Wellington on September 24, and should reach New Zealand some six weeks later. The question of superannuation in this officer's case will not occasion any concern, as he will not be asked to subscribe to the fund. Arrangements are being made per cable in respect to securing a new town clerk ,Wellington, vice Air J. H. .Howard Roberts, who discovered that he was sacrificing too much in the way of superannuation to come to New Zealand. • ; Included in the recent arrivals at the Masonic Hotel are:—Mr and Mrs Press (Wellington), Mr Lee (Blenheim), Mr Slee (Westport), Mr G. Burt (Auck- - land), Capt. 'Prictor (Wellington), Misses Heineman (2),’ Mr Arnott (West Coast), Mr Watson (West Coast), jMr George (Wellington), Mr J. C. Smith (Wellington), Mr Smith and Mr Russell (U.S.A.), Mr and Mrs Farmer (Wellington). At the. Richmond Institute this week, . Air and Mrs Crouch (late Master and Matron of the Alexandra Home) were the guests of the Waimea Football Club. They were the recipients of handsome present from the Association, in demonstration of the high esteem in which they are held. Mr Frank Lusty, in making the presentations, on behalf of the social committee, spoke, of the great interest Mr arid All's Crouch.’ had always taken in the- club, and in all social ; functions in thfe district, and regretted their temporary departure from Richmond. Messrs -SR” Croucher and C. • Woods also spoke in the. same strain. Mr and Mrs Crouch suitably replied. Mr William Swafford, late of Havelock Suburban and now residing in Blenheim, celebrated his 83rd birthday this week, receiving the congratulations of a very large circle of friends. Mr Swafford has been a resident of Marlborough for the past 60 years. He was born at the Hutt'(Wellington) and when quite a young fellow took the gold fever; and after landing at Nelson tramped overland to the West Coast. After doing indifferently well in the search for gold, Air Swafford returned to-Kaituna, where he was engaged in contract work‘ .in the bush. He afterwards settled at Havelock'Suburban, and three months ago gave up ills farmin gactivities and went to live- in Blenheim.

The death has occurred somewhat unexpectedly of the -Rev.; Robert Francis, Presbyterian minister, of Bluff. He was born in Lanark, Scotland, in 1861, and was educated at the Academy there, and subsequently in Glasgow. He took up a business career, but then decided to join the ministry, and went through the theological course at the Glasgow University. He was appointed to the charge at Methol township, and after 12 years’ service there he decided to bring his wife and family out to New Zealand. He took up the ministry at Gust, Canterbury, for three years, and then accepted a call to Opotiki, in the Bay of Plenty, where he remained 10 years. Seven years ago he removed to Bluff, where he carried on his work with conspicuous success, and was held in the highest esteem. He gained considerable success over a long period of years as a writer of prose and verse, and only recently realised his ambition of having a book of poetms published by a London firm.

The announcement of/ the death yesterday of Mrs Robert Wilson came as a great shock to her many friends in Canterbury, says The Mail’s’ Christchurch correspondent. Mrs Wilson, before her marriage, was Miss Doris Crucroft Wilson, daughter of Mr and Mrs J .Cracroft Wilson, Cashmere, and was very popular in'many circles to which she belonged. While in Christchurch she was provincial secretary for the Girl Peace Scout movement for a number of years, and she also was Scout Mistress of the Cashmere Hills troop. In all charitable work she was well known and loved, her kindly spirit being felt with both old and young with whom she came in contact. The late Mrs Wilson married Mr Robert Adam Wilson, son of Sir James Wilson, of Bulls, in 1923, and moved to the North Island, where her home was at Elmswell, Marlon, where she lived until the time of her death. She leaves a husband and two small children, a daughter of eighteen months, and a son of eleven, davs.