PERSONAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11734, 16 August 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

PERSONAL.

.On■retiring from the position of Collector of Customs at Gisborne, Mr. Pasley, who has seen 37£ years' service, was presented with some valuable articles by the Civil servants of Poverty Bay. The ex-Mayor, Mr. D. Goldie, has been placed on the list of vice-presidents of the [-Auckland Scenery Conservation Society in place of Mr. Jas Russell, who is absent in England. Mr. Goldie was last year president of the society. Mr. D. McKellar, Collector of Customs at Wellington, who is severing his connection with the Department after 59 years' service was on August 1 made the recipient of and golden chain and locket. ! On the Ist of August the Rev. Canon Nelson presented to Sister Frances Elizabeth, on behalf of the women of the Auckland Anglican parishes, a handsome bureau, in recognition of her services to the poor of this city. A pleasant function took place at the warehouse of Messrs. P. Hayman and Co. on August 1. The employees met and presented Mr. S. C. Priestley, head of the drug department, with a massive marble clock, upon the occasion of his marriage. A very pleasing ceremony took place on Monday "evening in the local telephone exchange, Mr. Wylie, on behalf of the telephone staff, presenting Mr. Alex. Carlaw with a handsome marble clock, in view of his approaching marriage. Mr. Carlaw suitably responded. Afternoon tea was provided by the young ladies. Captain Worsley, of the Cook Islands Government schooner Countess of Ranfurly, has received from the Governor, for presentation to Tongia, the native King of Niue (Savage Island), a souvenir gold medal from His Roval Highness the Duke of Cornwall and York. The medal is a duplicate of those recently presented to some of the principal native chiefs at the Rotorua gathering by the Duke. -. Among the passengers by the s.s. JAinemoa from the Kaipara on July 30 was Lady Brown, who was with the Royal party at Rotorua. She has been writing aperies of articles for the South Australian Register, on the Royal visit to New Zealand, under the heading, "Kia Ora o Te Tuke" ("The Luck of the Duke"), of a chatty and inte- ; resting character. A very pleasing ceremony took place at the Star" Hotel on Aug. 5, when Mr. Hicks Ross, late manager of the Kawau Island, was presented with a handsome shield of photographs by Mr. H. Winkelmann (agent) and Captain Moir and the crew of the s.s. Kawau, as a slight memento of the good feeling which had existed between them for the past few years. A publio breakfast was given by temperance friends in honour of Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Woolley, of the United States, the former of whom has been lecturing in Auckland in the interest of temperance reform. The Rev. Hugh Kelly (president of the Prohibition League), occupied the chair. The guests (Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Woolley) were on either sid.> of the chairman. After the breakfast a number of speeches were delivered. Mrs. Wilson, the esteemed wife of the Rev. W. H. Wilson, who has just left Paeron, for Mount Albert, was not allowed to take her departure from Paeroa without her numerous friends giving her some practical token of their sincere regard. This took the form of a purse of sovereigns, and was presented to her at the residence of Mr. J. Coote, by Mrs. Cock, on behalf of the ladies of St. Paul's, Paeroa.

The counting of the votes of members of school committees for the election of three members of the Board of Education to succeed the three retiring members (Messrs. L. J. Bagnall, R. Farrell, and S. Luke) took place on Aug. 6 at the Board's offices. There were 10 candidates for the three vacancies, and the result placed Messrs. L. J. Bagnall, R. Hobbs, and J. G. Rutherford at the head of the poll, and these gentlemen therefore become members of the Board for the ensuing term. Sixty minute guns were fired in the Albert Park at a-quarter past four on August 13 as a ark of respect to the memory of the late Dowager-Empress Frederick. H.M.s. Mildura also fired a similar salute. The German flag was half-mast high at the German Consulate, and the Union Jack at the Municipal Buildings and at the municipal flagstaff, Albert Park, as also at various public buildings and mercantile establishments in the city. A reunion of the employees of the firm of Hunter and Nolan (lately amalgamated with the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company) was held on August 2 at the Durham-street office, the occasion being a presentation to Mr. Charles Dell, of a handsome watch, suitably inscribed. Several speeches were made, and regret was expressed in losing so old a comrade. Mr. Dell, who has been with the firm for upwards of 30 years, is severing his connection and starting business on his own behalf.

Mr. Frederick Henry Haselden, the -elected member for Patea, was born in London, and came out to this country with his parents in 1860. He is a son of the late Mr. Charles Haselden, who was for some time Commissioner of Crown Lands at Auckland in the old Provincial Council days. The Stipendiary Magistrate at Wellington is his brother. As a young man Mr. Haselden spent some time on the goldfields, both in New Zealand and in West Australia, and he also fought in the Maori war, for which he holds a medal. He abandoned his wandering life some 25 years ago for pastoral pursuits, and first took up land at Otomoa, some 17 miles north of Wanganui, afterwards farming at Shannon for about four years. At the present time he occupies a considerable area of wellgrassed country near Hunterville, and is engaged in dairy and sheep farming. He has taken an active interest in the affairs of the particular locality in which he has resided, and has seen service as a member of various local bodies. He is an active worker, is in the prime of life, and has a wife and family of two sons and a daughter. Owing to the serious accident which occurred to Mr. Harry Whitaker on the Capetown mail train recently a number of the members of the Auckland Club on July 26 sent him a cablegram expressive of their sympathy and good wishes. The president of the Auckland Club on the 30*;h of July received the following cablegram through .Reuter's agency:—"l regret to inform you that I have received advice from Capetown to the effect that the cable from you to Trooper Harry Whitaker cannot be delivered, owing to the disease of the addressee." Deceased was a son of the late Sir Frederick Whitaker, and was well known in this city. At one time he was secretary of the Now Zealand Stud Company, and was for a time in the service of the Bank of New Zealand. The accident which eventuated in Mr. Whitaker's death occurred on June 14, to the mail train from Capetown to Norval's Pont, which collided with a coal train on a curve, the result being that several carriages were damaged and smashed. Among the casualties were five soldiers, and one conductor injured. Four were seriously injured, and two I slightly. Trooper Whitaker had both legs fractured, but exhibited great courage and fortitude. Although pinned among the broken wood, and suffering severely, he told ! the relieving party to give their attention to the other sufferers first, remarking that they were in a worse plight than he was, and that he would yet come out all right. Mr. Harry Whitaker was very popular in Auckland. . ' - A complimentary banquet, tendered to Sir Joseph Ward, Minister for Railways and Postmaster-General, by the Liberal and Labour party of Wellington, upon the conferment of his knighthood, took place. in Wellington on July 29. The attendance, which numbered over 300, was thoroughly representative of all classes of the community. Mr. Allan Ward occupied the chair, on his right being the guest of the evening, and on his left the Speaker (Sir G. M. O'Rorke). The Hons. Walker, Hall-Jones, Carroll, McGowan, Duncan, and Mills, and a large number of members of both branches of the Legislature were also present. Several apologies for absence were real, among the number being one from Mr. Seddon, who explained that his non-appearance was due to a very ' severe cold. The chairman, in proposing the toast of " Our Guest," said they had met to do honour to one whose honesty and integrity had won his way into the hearts of the people. He paid a high tribute to Sir Joseph Ward's utility and popularity, and spoke of bis marvellous achievement in surmounting his tremendous difficulties of some years ago. Sir Joseph Ward had earned the esteem and goodwill of the great majority of the people of the colony, and he had always been in the forefront of the fight for the progressive legislation which had been so beneficial to the masses of the colony. In conclusion, he presented Sir Joseph Ward with a congratulatory address from prominent unionists in the city. The address was handsomely illuminated and neatly, framed. The toast was enthusiasti-

cally received with cheers for Sir Joseph and Lady Ward. Sir Joseph Ward on rising to respond, received a great ovation. He said from his heart he felt more than proud at the great gathering that had met to do honour to him, and also at the receit of the magnificent address. He was not going to talk a lot of balderdash about the honour that had recently been conferred on him. It was a matter of supreme indifference to him that a small section in the colony objected to his acceptance of that honour. He accepted it as an honour to his colleagues as well as to himself. If there were any who thought that having received a title he contemplated retiring from politics they made a very huge mistake. Sir Joseph then proceeded to make a brief comparison to show the state of things now, as compared with the time when the present Administration took office. THE BADEN-POWELL TESTIMONIAL. A meeting of the Baden-Powell Testimonial Committee was held on the 29th of July, when the casket to be presented to Major-General Baden-Powell, manufactured by Mr. J. Prince, jeweller, Queen-street, was on view. The members of the committee expressed themselves highly satisfied with the workmanship, and resolved to take ever the casket, and insure it till the escritoire of New Zealand woods is delivered, when the complete gift will be forwarded to Major-General Baden-Powell, The casket is on a slab of New Zealand greenstone, llin by Bin. It is made of sterling silver, 18 carat gold, and specimen quartz. The feet are in co;d, in the form of ferns, and a gold band, also with, a fern engraving, runs along the foot. The side of the casket is a silver slab, with nikau palms in gold, running all round, which gives the whole an exceedingly artistic appearance. On the silver slab, front view, there is engraved a portion of Auckland Harbour, with Rangitoto in the background, while on the back slab are small Maori views, taken from the back of a Bank of New Zealand note. MajorGeneral Baden-Powell's monogram, in gold, occupies a prominent position in the front view of the casket, while at the Lack is a crown, also in gold, and on the sides of the casket the Baden-Powell family crest, and the City of Auckland arms, in gold, on silver ground, both gold and silver being tastefully engraved. At each corner is a soldier in silver, the four being representative of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. The inscription is on silver, on the top of the casket, as follows : —"Presented to Major-General R. S. S. Baden-Powell by admirers in the province of Auckland, New Zealand, in recognition of distinguished services rendered to the Empire during the siege of Mafeking, from October 13, 1899, to May 17, 1900." Surmounting the whole casket is a small slab of greenstone, with a scout on horseback in gold, standing on top. The casket was designed by Mr. E. B. Vaughan, and the four troopers occupying the corners by Mr. Allan Hutchison, Mount Roskill. The casket is a credit to Mr. Prince and all connected with it. .