PERSONAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9490, 20 April 1894, Page 3 (Supplement)

PERSONAL.

At the annual meeting of members of the Auckland Club, which was held on the 13th April, Captain Colbeck was unanimously elected president. Professor Brown was on April 5 declared elected to the Board of Governors of the Auckland College and Grammar School. There was no other nomination. Mr. John Harding, of Mounts Vernon, Hawke's Bay, landed in Port Nicholson on Ist March, 1842, which makes him a colonist of over half a century's standing. Mr. Tibbs, M.A., headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School, has consented to bo nominated aa graduate's member on the Auckland University College Council. At a meeting of a social nature held at Palmerston, Mr. Scobie Mackenzie, who contested Waihemo at last election, was presented with a dinner-set for Mrs. Mackenzie, and a new Yost type-writer for himself. The Rev. Mr. Davison, before leaving for the Home country, was presented with a testimonial largely signed by Dunedin citizens. The Hon. Mr. Fergus made the presentation. 1 It has been decided to appoint Mr. G B. Davey, Registrar-General of Lands, to the position of Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court, vacated by the resignation of Mr. Seth Smith. Among the passengers by the Union S.S. Company's steamer Mararoa for Sydney on Tuesday was Mr. Seegner, the Imperial German Consul, who is bound to Germany on a business trip. Air. J. H. Clayton, who is leaving Danevirko for Blenheim, where he assumes the proprietorship of tho Marlborough Times, has been made the recipient of a handsome silver chronograph stopwatch. The intallation of Brother W. H. Burch asW.M. of Lodge Corinthian, 1655, E.C., took place at tho Thames on Tuesday night, the 10th April. During tho evening the retiring W. M., Brother Ross, was presented with a Past Master's jewel. Now that the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon has been formally installed in tho pastorate of the London Metropolitan Tabernacle, Mrs. Spurgoon, who has been residing iu Auckland, proceeds home by one of the direct steamers, to rejoin her husband. The Rev. A. P. Davidson, who has resigned his position as assistant minister of the Knox Church, Dunedin, and returns to Scotland, was on April 11 presented with a silver salvor, and a purse of 50 sovereigns by the ladies of the congregation. Three new additions to the members of the legal profession were made in the Chamber sittings of tho Supreme Court on Monday, by the admission to practice as solicitors of air. Albert Goldwater, Mr. Noel Leslie Holmes Biss, and Mr. Peter Gilchrist. Mr. W. Griffith, brewer, on the occasion of his approaching marriage, was the recipient of a very nice wedding gift from the employees of the firm of Messrs. Ehrenfried Brothers, consisting of a handsome marble clock as well as a beautiful full dinner set. The Rev. J. E. Blackburno, the Anglican clergyman at Hokitika, who has been removed to Canterbury, was entertained by his parishioners and presented with a purse of sovereigns, and presentations were also made to Airs. Ll.ickburno. Eulogistic references to both were made by the speakers. .The residents Devonport took a very neat way of bidding farewell to Mr. Alfred Benge (late headmaster of the public school there) and Mrs. Benge, on the occasion of their leaving tho district. It took the form of a musical social with an interval for refreshments and a presentation of a purse of sovereigns. One of the prettiest and most fashionable weddings ever seen in Auckland took place at St. Mark's Church, Reinuera, on the 17th April. The bride was Miss Christina Campbell Hardie, eldest daughter of Mr. James Hardie (Messrs. Porter and Co.), Linton, Remuera, and the bridegroom Mr. Ernest Henry Clayton, formerly of Auckland, but now of Sydney, brother of Mrs. Alfred Nathan, of this city. Miss Mawe, late matron of the Dunedin Hospital, has just gone to Cairo to re-orga-nise on her own system the large hospital in that city. The Egyptian Government give her full control and every requisite help. The engagement was to commence in October next, but an urgent telegram requested Miss Mawe to go out immediately. Miss Mawe was also asked to go out to India, but had to decline that offer. A gathering of more than usual interest took place on April 12 at the Mount Hobson Hall, tho occasion being the presentation to Mr. Edwin Hesketh of a silver salver by the parishioners of St. Mark's and other friends, who were anxious to show their appreciation of his work in connection with the church. The name of Mr. Edwin Hesketh has been identified with St. Mark's Church for a very long time, ho having for the last 30 years held the honorary position of organist and choirmaster A social was arranged for and held on April 12, to which Mr. Hesketh was invited to attend. There was a very large attendance, fully 150 being present. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Young, of Camside, near.Kaiapoi, a day or two ago, celebrated their golden wedding with an ingleside gathering, including relations, with their grand children and a number of friends, at their farm. Mr, and Mrs. Young were married at Ballater, on tho Deo side, near Balmoral. They left Aberdeenshire for New Zealand in 1851. In August of that year they arrived at Lyttelton by the ship Bangalore. Although the head of the house has reached his seventy-seventh year, he still maintains a hearty constitution, and his good wife bears her years with a degree of activity which would excito tho envy of many a younger dame. Having at his own request been relieved from the command of the Union S.S. Company's steamer Mararoa, Captain H. W. H. Chatfield has been appointed to the Rotoinahana. Captain Chatfield's home is in Melbourne, and this change will enable him to visit that city more frequently than if ho retained command of tho Mararoa. At VVellingson on Saturday last a pleasant gathering took place in the captain's room ofs the Mararoa, when Captain Chatfield was presented by his brother officers with a massive handsome silver afternoon tea and dessert service, suitably inscribed. A presentation was also made to Captain Chatfield from tho stewards and stewardesses. Mr. Albert Bayly, of Omata, was married a few days ago to Miss Blackey, matron to the New Plymouth Hospital. A novel departure was made on the occasion in the dress of the bride. Instead of the usual elaborate toilette, Miss Blackey wore the Hospital uniform, and the bridesmaids were also dressed in a similar manner—and very pleasing and neat they looked. The bridesmaids were the nurses. Tho newly-married couple were driven to the Hospital, where a most sumptuous breakfast was awaiting them. The institution had been very prettily decorated for the occasion with evergreens and flowers, and the presents, which were numerous and costly, were on view. About 80 guests sat down to breakfast, and the usual felicitous speeches were made. Mr. Orchiston, who has jusb been promoted to the position of Inspector of Telegraphs, Dunedin, in charge of the Otago Telegraph district, left by the Takapuna, on April 16, for Dunedin, being accompanied by Mrs. Orchiston. During the time that Mr. Orchiston has been in charge of the Auckland district, now over 13 years, there has been considerable advance in electrical matters. When he took charge, there were only 645 miles of telegraph and 38 telegraph stations, the telephone being unrepresented, whereas at the present date there are 1170 miles of lines, 150 telegraph and telephone stations, as well as tho telephone exchanges at Auckland and at the Thames, with over 800 subscribers. Prior to leaving Auckland, _ Mr. Orchiston was presented by the officers of tho Auckland Telegraph District with a silver tea and coffee service and a handsome marble clock, as a mark of esteom. The presentation was made by Mr. Furby (officer in charge of tho Auckland Telegraph Office), in an appropriate speech, and the gift was suitably acknowledged by Mr. Orchiston.