PERSONAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 29 December 1926, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

.Mr and Mrs P. J. o'Regan and Miss O'Regan, of Wellington, passed through Nelson this morning on their .Way to the West, Coast.. " \ ■■■■ ■ •' -

Mr Thomas Austin, who died suddenly at Hira on the 20th inst., at the age of 68, arrived in Nelson 46 years ago; He was born in Whitstable/ Kent, and came out in the sailing ship Kentish Tar, the. journey occupying .three months. Captain Post of "the Tutariekai and "the late Captain Powell were shipmates. Mr Austin took up his residence at Happy Valley, • Wakapuaka, and farmed land there until his death, which was quite unexpected, as he had not been ailing and retired to bed apparently in good.health, passing away in his sleep. The late Mr Austin was well known throughout the district. He was an old member of Court Pride, of the Forest. He leaves a widow and a grown-up family of one daughter and three sons. * ■

Monday was the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G. Owing to the holidays the jubilee reception was not held fill, today. Sir Robert and Lady Stout'-have been receiving congratulatory messages' for days past. Their family were to be with them to-day and most of their grandchildren. The family consists of Mr J. Stout, S.M., Palmerston North, Dr. Robert' Stout, Dr. Duncan Stout and Mr Olaf Stout, of Wellington, and Mrs Trevor Holmden, of Auckland, and they have eight grandchildren. Of those who were present at the wedding of 60 years ago, not many are left, but they include. Lady Williams, Sir 'John Sinclair and Mr John McGregor, of Dunedin; Mrs Copeland, Mrs Murray, Mr- Charles Chapman and Mr Alex". Logan (Lady Stout's brother), and Mrs Logan, who celebrated their golden wedding last year. . •' • ' .-

Wainui House .visitors . include: Mr and Mrs W. Raymond, Misses Raymond, Master Raymond (Timaru); Mrs Phillips, Misses Phillips (Auckland); Mr and Mrs P. Maclean (Blenheim); Mr and Mrs G. A. Fraser, Mr Fraser (Christcliurch); Miss...D. Boddy, Miss 11. Masters (Feilding); Mr and Mrs Brett (Reefton); Mr and Mrs ,H. .C Godden, Misses Cooper, Miss G. Tnkster. Miss Smith, Miss B. Tonge, Mr W. R, : Gore (Wellington). • • r ; TVie appointments are announced .of Mr;J. Callaghan, M.A., as professional officer to the newly-established Depart-, ment of Scientific and Industrial Research, and of Mr Nevill L. Wright as analytical chemist at the .Dominion Laboratory. Mr Callaghan at present Is employed by the Auckland Education Board as an instructor in agriculture. He was a student of Canterbury College, and graduated with honours in economics. Mr Callaghan was chief information officer at the New Zealand pavilion at Wembley. He is to take up his new duties at the end of Januarv. Mr Wright, secretary of the Public Service Superannuation Board, was educated at Wellington College and Victoria- College, and was employed at the Dominion Laboratory prior to his joining the New Zealand'Expeditionary Force. Winning an Expeditionary Force' Scholar ship he continued his studies in England, being retained by, the Imperial College of Science, and he obtained the Fellowship of- the Institute of Chemists in London a- few weeks ago. He is in London at the present time.

It is given to few people to see the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage, and still fewer reach that far milestone unwearied and still full of vigour. An Auckland conpie, .Mr and Mrs George Powley, of 29, Hamilton Road, Ponsonhy, who celebrated their diamond wedding on Christmas Dav, are 'both still wonderfully young. Mr Powlev is 81 and Jus wife only a little less', but a stranger would take a good many years from their ages if he were asked to guess the latter. The couple have no direct descendants to rejoice with them, and with two exceptioiis all their contemporary relations are dead, but- they had a large gathering of nephews and nieces, little grand-nephews and grandnieces, to make the celebration what it should be. Mr Powley ranks as a very earlv colonist, frV he 'has known Auckland sinre the first decade of its existence. Mrs Powley lias lived in Auckland Mmcst the whole of her married life. This fine old couple still fend for themselves in a domestic sense, the husband working every dav in his fine garden and the wife delighting to keep a houseful of heirlooms spick and span. Mrs Powley's hearing has suffered, but, otherwise s he carries her years very well indeed.

Mnsonic Hotel visitors include: Messrs Tolhurst (2). Mr Zohrab, Mr and Mrs '•vavestr.il, Miss Brown. Mr and Mrs fTmiiihon. M>- Hamilton, Mr and Mrs Richardson, Miss Strongman. Messrs T ecri'ove <2\. Mr n nd Mrs Aitl-cn. Mrs Lester, Mr 'McDonald, Misses Jackn '2), Mr and Mrs "Rennett, Mr Cambridge, ¥r and M<'=. White. Mr and Mrs Mr and Mr« Blacken. Mr nnd Mrs Tingey, Mr RoeVime (Wellington)