PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14003, 8 March 1909, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Captain Matthews left for the South by the Rarawa yesterday.

Captain Gordon Bell, of the Union Company, is visiting Auckland at present.

Colonel. Hume was a passenger from Wellington by the Rotoiti yesterday.

Captain Plunket, underwriting surveyor at Auckland, leaves lor the South to-day.

Mr. J. B. Murray has been re-elected chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Board.

Mr. H. S. Parke, of Christchurch, is at present in town, and is staying at the Central Hotel.

Mr. and Mrs. D. McNaughton, of Sydney, and Miss Crow, of Brisbane, are at present visiting I Auckland. S >■<

The^H6n,[-Ty vN'gata, who -is -at..present on a visit to .Auckland,, goes., north this evening, in. company with his secretary, Mr. McAllister.

Mr. Albert MaJlinson, the well-known composer, is paying a return visit to Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. Mallinson are staying at the Grand Hotel.

Colonel and Mrs.* Reynolds and party, who are on a tour round the world, have been staying at > tho Grand Hotel since Thursday last. They leave for Rotorua to-day.

* Mr. T. E. Donne, superintendent of the Government Tourist Department, left last night by the Main 5 Trunk line for Wellington. Mr. Donne-has < much improved in health.

>'w •*'V T T —'/''■/</. f - Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Read, of Fencourt, and also Mr. Andrew Jameson, of Hautapu, leave Cambridge at the end of the present month (writes'our correspondent) on a trip to the Old Country.

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Smith, who have been absent from Auckland for about two years, returned on Saturday afternoon by the s.s. Drayton Grange from Liverpool. During their absence from this city Mr. and Mrs. Smith visited England ' and the Continent, the -tour- proving a most enjoyable one. "

Mr. H. O. Searle, who has been secretary of the Paeroa Public Library for some years past, was presented by the subscribers vith a pair of binoculars, on the eve *of his departure on an extended tour of the world (telegraphs our correspondent). ••• The presentation was made by Mr. D. T. Inghs (chairman of the committee). • v ;

Mr.; G. S. Titheradge, the veteran actor, who made an enforced exit from the stage recently,: owing to an attack of appendicitis, is stall an inmate of the Mater Misericordiaj Hospital. His medical attendant (Dr./ de dive Lowe) stated last night that ths patient has been improving so far as the appendicitis is concerned, but on Thursday last was taken bad with gastritis. The attack has ■'• proved severe, but Mr. Titheradge's friends will be pleased to learn that a change for the better has taken place.

A social meeting of the members of the ; - chair of St. : Peter's Presbyterian Church, Great North Road, was held on Friday - evening for the purpose of welcoming the tew organist and choirmaster, Mr. Shaw, .and bidding farewell to Mr. D. A. Sommervillc, who had resigned the .: position. The Rev. R. Ferguson presided and presented * Mr. Sommerville with a silver inkstand, suitably r inscribed. Afterwards supper was V served by members of the young mens and young women's Bible classes? social comy: mittees. '.-."■ '" -•■ ■'

Steps are being taken by the, legal profession ■ in; Wellington - (telegraphs our correspondent) :■ to petition against the retire- / ment under the Civil Service age limit of Mr. -J. M. Batham, Registrar-General of Land and Deeds. Mr. E.Bamford, district land } registrar and registrar of deeds at Auck- " land, has' been mentioned as the probable successor"'.of Mr. i Batham, and it is sug- .':: gested that eventually . the positions „■ of 'Registrar-General and; Secretary for Stamps «will ;i be ■; combined ft in one ?/ person. Mr. '- it,'"; 'A; 'St.. G.- Hickson, Secretary for Stamps, Hfill ; reach. the age limit in August.-' * H At' the conclusion of High Mass at the /' Church of ; the' Sacred * Heart / yesterday /morning an interesting ceremony took place in the adjoining schoolroom, .when, on behalf of ; the parishioners, the Hon. J. A. _ Tole presented to the Rev.; Father Edge a handsome gold watch suitably inscribed. In handing over the watch Mr. Tole made ■ reference;to, the high esteem in which the ■recipient was held by his flock, and also to /his splendid : efforts in': freeing the parish from-the debt under which it laboured when he took charge. '■-":. The congregation also, ■•';.: said ;| Mr. Tole, had: materially, ; increased ,; tinder the rev. father's care. The recipient made a suitable response.

Mr. E. • W. Seager, who for the past 17 years has occupied the position of usher of th<* Christehurch Supreme Court, is to be 5 retired at the : end of the present month, age exceeding the; limit laid down by I the Civil Service • regulations. ; Mr. Seager haS had -; a long and varied ■•. experience of Government service, "dating: back almost to the ; ! beginning ;of :the Canterbury Province. - He came out to New Zealand when ■ a young, man :of - 20: in . the ; ship Cornwall, arriving ; -in .'■ Lyttelton on December 15, 1851, > a year; after ■ the arrival iof the : historic first four ships. 1 :> Mr. \ Seager immediately .joined ; the -Armed 'Constabulary, ■arid remained in that branch of the public- service for sorrier years, subsequently being appointed chief gaoler for Lyttelton and Timaru. \He then entered into mental hospital work, and •; at / the request ■of ; Sir Grey and Sir/Edward Staf- ' ford furnished ■ reports on the , reorganising ;of f the asylums :at Auckland and Nelson respectively. Later Mr. sSeager made a trip J.to: the Old Country, and gathered much valuable information ■ relating to asylums," more generally in the cities of England, Scotland,' and Ireland. ; , Some • years ago Mr. Seager/ was' appointed the : Canterbury ;; Law ! Society's / librarian, and it is understood he will continue to hold that position, f,}-,^r,>. »c'j „. T . tr> -.