PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10752, 13 May 1898, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr. v J. H. 'Pope, who is inspecting the native schools in North Auckland, returns to Wellington in about two months. Mr. T. C. P. Whiteley has been elected chairman of the Otahuhn Road Beard, and Mr. W. L. Lockhart clerk and treasurer. Mrs. Condon, licensee of the Pier Hotel, Wellington, a. native of Auckland, died yesterday morning. She leaves four children. Mr. D. D. Hyde, the well-known Wellington fancier, has been appointed to the vacancy of Government Poultry Expert, caused by the death of Mr. Henderson. The Very Rev. Father Cummings, VicarGeneral of Christchurch, has left for Sydney and Europe. Owing to ill-health he has been obliged to resign his charge. Mr. Robt. Fenwick, managing director of T. and S. Morrill (Limited), leaves on a business trip to England by the s.s. Moana, tomorrow, and expects to be away about six months.

The manager of the New Zealand and Australian Laud Company (Mr. Thomas Brydone) will be a passenger by the s.s. Moana. Before leaving Dunedin he was entertained at dinner by the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society. The Premier was waited upon yesterday morning and asked to allow himself to be nominated as president of the Wellington branch of the Lancashire Society. The Premier said he would be delighted to accept .the position. , Captain R. Caiicheson has been appointed master of the barquenline Neptune, vice Captain George Davies, who proceeds to England on Monday next to bring out the barque recently purchased by Mr. George Niccol, of this city. Mir. G. W. Owen, of this city, has received information, stating that his son, Allan Cameron Owen, who left Auckland in March of last year, has been successful in passing tho first professional examination in physics, zoology, botany, and chemistry at the Edinburgh University.

The Hon. A. M. Duncan, a member of the Legislative Council of Fiji, was a passenger from Suva by the Miowera. He is on his way to Dunedin to confer with Mr. J. Mills, managing director of the Union Steamship Company, on business matters connected with the Union Company's interests in Fiji, at which place Mr. Duncan acts as agent. A very pleasing ceremony took place in the Phoenix Assurance Company's office, at Wellington, recently, when Mr. W. E. A. Gill was presented with a beautiful toilet case, suitably engraved, on the occasion of severing his connection with the Phoenix Company to take up a more responsible position in the Northern Assurance Company. One' of the oldest residents in Palmers- . ton, Mrs. Harry Urqulmrt, sister of the Hon. J. McKenzie, passed away a few days ago. Her decease was not unexpected, as she had been'an invalid for five years, and for the last month her sufferings were very severe. The deceased lady arrived in Palmerston in May, 1864, and had, therefore, been a resident for 34 years. Many of the early settlers of the Shag Valley and Palmerston district will have much reason to regret her death, . for in those days she was always the first to bo at the sick bedside, and to assist those in trouble and distress, which endeared her very much to all who met her. She leaves a hus- , band and an only son, Mr. John Urquhart, of Wellington. The funeral took place at ' Palmerston, and was one of the largest ever seen in the district. A large number of wreaths were sent, including one from the Hon. Mr. McKenzie's colleagues in the Ministry. • Numerous telegrams of sympathy and condolence were received from friends all . over the colony, including one from Mr.' Sed- '■'. don, who telegraphed as follows: —"Heartily sympathise,with you in the sad and irreparable loss that you have just suffered. r I ' deeply Regret being unable to be with you ; to-day to pay my respects to the memory- of ifvbur.'de'iir wife and - sister of niy old friend ■ and colleague. ; We must all look forward ..with hope to meeting again in a brighter and . happier world."-.. ~. - '"., .'..-■ --";