PERSONAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 26 December 1928, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Mr W. Johnston, formerly district land registrar at Nelson, but now of Auckland, spent Christmas in Nelson. The grand old man of the Anglican Church in Auckland, the Venerable Archdeacon George Mac Murray on Saturday completed his 50th year as a priest, and a faithful servant of the Church. His jubilee was marked that evening by an assembly of Church people who made a presentation to the archdeacon in. St. Mary's Hall, Parnell. Archbishop Averill presided. During the 36 years Archdeacon Mac Murray has laboured in Auckland—he arrived here from Ararat, Victoria, in 1892 to become vicar at St. Mary's—his kindly nature, lofty ideals and wisdom founded on scholarship and experience gained by sympathetic contact with the people have endeared him to the city (says the "Sun"). "As an old man looking bacTv j>n life I am deliberately of opinion that the world is a better place to live in than it was 60 years ago, even though we have had the terrible war," said the archdeacon today. There was at the present time a better feeling between man and man and a desire to help the under-dog. The archdeacon could find no reason for pessimism about the future of the Church, the Empire or the human race. Early in the new year it is the Archdeacon's intention to visit Great Britain and Ireland. He is 74 years of age.

The following are guests at the Masonic Hotel—Messrs Lewis, Horrigon, Court, Shaw, 'Nicholson, Dymock, Newman, Watson, Johnston, Scott, Horton, Renwick, Burden, Wilson, Steele, James, Ross, Thompson (2). Johnson (2). McDonald, Cameron, Wiseman; Mr and Mrs Frost, Mr and Mrs Gage, Mr and Mrs Milroy, Mr and Mrs Cameron, Mr and Mrs Baynes, Mr and .Mrs McDonald, Mr and -Mrs Goultcm, Mr and Mrs Richardson, Mr and Mrs Dollamore, Mr and Mrs McCormack.