MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1250, 13 February 1896, Page 20

MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE.

Mr Thomas Muir Grant, for many years engaged in Wellington and in Dunedin in the Survey Department, has been appointed by the Surveyor-General to the office of secretary to the Board of Examiners for New Zealand.

A very pleasant little gathering took place at the Gear Company’s office, Lambton quay, last week, the occasion being the presentation to Mr W. E. Woods of a token of respect by his fellow - employees. The general manager, Mr W. H. Millward, in a short speech eulogising Mr Woods’ many good qualities, presented him with a gold watch inscribed as follows “ Presented to W. E. Woods by the employees of the Gear Company on his retirement after 12 years’ service. Ist February, 1896.” Mr Millward then proposed the health ot Mr and Mrs Woods and family, a toast which was enthusiastically received by all present. Mr Woods, in reply, heartily expressed his thanks for the valuable present, and for the goodwill that prompted it. In the course of his remarks he spoke of some of the funny experiences of the early days of the freezing industry. Mr Eley proSosed “ Success to the Company ” and the ealth of the general manager. Several speeches of goodwill and kindly feeling were made by different members of the staff, and a very pleasant evening .was brought to a close with “ Auld Lang Syne.”

A sum of over .£BOO has been collected for the proposed memorial to the late Bishop Moran, of Dunedin. Mr C. O’Hara Smith has been appointed a Justice of the Peace. Mr John Stevens, M.H.R., is gazetted a member of the Wellington Land Board. The personalty of the late Sir R. W. Duff, Governor of New South Wales, has been sworn at under <£23,1-10. The Prince of Wales has advised Lord Dunraven to conciliate the American yachtsmen. Constable Abbott, of Christchurch, arrived in Wellington last week to replace Mounted Constable Wilson, who has been transferred to Patea. Before leaving Ghristchurch, Constables Abbott, Christie (transferred to Ma - terton), Ramsay (transferred to Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay) and Sinclair were entertained at a “social” by the other members of the force. In Chambers on Friday morning Mr Justice Buckley admitted Mr A. R. Meek, M.A., LL.B., as a barrister and solicitor of the Supremo Court, on the motion of Mr T. F. Martin. The Hon R. H. J. Reeves, M.L.C., and Mr R. McKenzie, M.H.R. for the BuUer, were in town last week.

At the meeting of the Commercial Travellers’ and Warehousemen’s Association last week, a presentation was made to the secretary (Mr J. J. Reich) for the zeal and energy he has displayed in the labours involved in the establishment of the Club Company which va3 formed for the purposes of securing the erection of the new club-house. The President (Mr J. Ross), in making the presentation, said the work of the building committee had been considerably lessened by the energy and tact displayed by Mr Reich, and tboy could not allow the present occasion to pass over Avithout making him some tangible recognition of their appreciation of his labours and their personal esteem for him. He therefore had much pleasure, on behalf of the Club, in presenting Mr Reich with a gold watch, with their best thanks and wishes for his future welfare and prosperity. (Applause.) Mr Reich, in returning thanks, spoke of the assistance he had received from the committee, Avithout Avhose energy all his efforts, he said, Avould have been fruitless.

Captain Babot has received a letter from the London office of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company granting him six months’ leave of absence in order to allow him to visit the Old Country. Captain Babot will leave by the lonic in April, and during his absence his duties will be carried out by Captain Anderson, general supervisor of the Company’s affairs in the South Island. Among the passengers ,by the s.s. ManaJouri on Friday was Miss Laura Fisher, aughtei of His Worship the Mayor, who, having completed her studies, has accepted an engagement for the New Zealand tour of the Court Singers. The Premier returned from the South on Sunday by the Penguin. .

The Intercolonial Medical Congress at Dunedin was concluded on r-aturd ty. ihe Hou Dr Grace and Dr Pollen, who have been present at the Conference, returned to Wellington by the II an rot o mi Saturday, and Drs F. ' W. Mackenzie (Wellington), Mason (Otaki), Monokton (Fciidiug), Olegliorn (Blenheim), Krson (Auckland), Lewis (Auckland), Purehas (Auckland), and Barnet (Dunedin), wore passengers by the Penguin on Sunday. Dr Chappie lias gone on a holiday trip to Stewart’s Island. DiBarnet, who came by the Penguin, is on a visit to his relatives in Wellington. Herr Balling left by the Gothic on Saturday for Europe. He proceeds to Bayreuth for the great Wagner Festival, in which he will take the position of leading viola player, and it is probable he wili then take up his abode in Stockholm. Be!ore leaving Wellington Herr Balling received an appropriate memento from tho Nelson Harmonic Society. The new Professor at Canterbury College. Mr Mathew, is M. A. and LL.B. of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was lecturer on History aiid Literature to the Cambridge Syndicate for University Extension Lectures. He holds hmh testimonials from the tutors ol' his college. In IS9I he obtained the much coveted distinction of the University Members’ Prize for English Essay, also the College Cressmgharn Prize and the Latham Prize for English Literature. Ho was elected by the governing toody of his college ns nn Kxhibitipncr after he had taken his degree, this being done as “a mark of appreciation of his good work and thoroughness.” He is a pleasant-lookmg man of 36, and unmarried.

When the pupils of the Otago Girls’ High School assembled after the holidays, Mr Jgraser introduced Miss Marchant (formerly Wellington), the now principal, and said he

Avas sure that under her guidance the ' school would maintain and eA r en surpass its previous record. Miss Marchant replied that she Avas beginning with good hopes, and Avas looking forAvard to a year of happy Avork with her pupils ana staff. Herr Handke ha 3 been appointed principal of the Nelson School of Music, to succeed Herr Balling. Herr Handke is a graduate of the Leipzig Conservatorium. Mrs W. H. Levin is a passenger by the Gothic, Avhioh left for England on Saturday. Among tho passengers by the Anglian for Auckland are Sir Henry Halford, the great rifle expert, and Lady Halford. Sir H. Halford remains in Auckland, and returns to Sydney by the Anglian en route for England. He is travelling solely for his health. It is reported that Lord Dunraven has apologised to the New York Yacht Club in connection with his accusations regarding the America Cup. Despite his repeated intention to retire from political life, Sir Henry Parkes has definitely decided to contest the vacancy in the Legislative Assembly for Waver ley, cairsed by the death of Mr A. Cameron from apoplexy, Count de Jouffray d’Abbans, French Consul at Wellington, and M. de Montalk, lecturer on French in the Auckland University College, have been elected Fellows ct L’AUiance Fran<;aise. A cablegram received on Monday from Perth from Mr Arthur Bell, formerly Engineer for the Defence Department in this Colony, announces the death of Mr James It. Messenger, late inspector of Avorks at the Forts in Wellington. Mr Messenger Avas an old and widely-esteemed resident of this city. After leaving the defence works, he was employed at the new Royal Hotel, then in course of construction, and about t;vo months ago left for Western Australia, where li9 has succumbed to an attack of sunstroke. He leaves a widoAv and tAvo children, Avho are in Wellington. The deceased was a native of Chelsea, and 39 years of age.

The NeAv Zealand Herald says: “We are glad to see that Mr Thomas Hall, well and favourably known in Auckland, has received deserved promotion, having been appointed District Land Registrar, Registrar of Deeds, and Examiner of Titles for the Hawke’s Bay district ; the senior Registrar (Mr J. M. Batham) being transferred to Wellington. Mr Hall for many years held the position of Examiner of Titles at Auckland, and for the last nine months has been Acting-District Land Registrar for the Wellington district.

Mr Black, bead teacher of the State school at Makino, is dangerously ill, apparently from having eaten tinned meat after the tin had been open for some time.

Mr Sexton at first refused to accept the leadership of the Irish Nationalist Party, but afterwards agreed. He has formally thanked Mr McCarthy for his services to tho cause.

Dr J. Leahy, Superintendent of tho Sydney Children’s Hospital, has been appointed Resident Medical Officer of the Napier Hospital, vice Dr Sweet, resigned.

Our London correspondent writes on January 3rd: Mr J. A. Gilrutli, the Government veterinary, who came Home by the French liner Armand Behic, arrived in London last night, having travelled straight from Marseilles. The steamer had a rough passage, and arrived at her destination two days later than was anticipated by her passengers on the strength of information supplied in Sydney. Mr Gilruth leaves town for Scotland to-night, and after spending a few days with his relatives, crosses the Channel to Paris, where he intends to spend three months in studying the methods of the late M. Pasteur in connection with bacterium, Ac. Mr W. J. Crawford, late third engineer of the s.s. Tarawera, lias beeu promoted and transferred to the s.s. Flora sis second officer. Prior to leaving the Tarawora, Mr Crawford was pivwnt.-d by the dock obbrors and his brother engineers with a. bands line escritoire. Mr Craw lord was also tin* recipient of a solid silver salvor, the gift of the oliicei s and engineers of the Flora in honour of his marriage to Miss Scoulur, daughter of the late Mr W. Secular. Mr J. W. Paulin, the well-known Dunedin weather observer, lias been elected a member of tho Koval Meteorological Society. Miss Emily H. Seideberg, who has passed her examination as the first New Zealand woman doctor, goes to Dublin to study gynaecology. Mrs R. S. Thompson, of Normanby, has offered to the Ilawera Borough Council 40 acres of land, part of the Whareora Reserve, for a public park for Ilawera.

Mr J. Drake, at one time editor of the Reefton Guardian, aud who ran Mr E. Reeves to within one vote for the Inangahua seat, has made a fortune in the Western Australian goldfields.

Mr Martin F. Luckie, son of Mr D. M. Luckie, was on Tuesday admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court by His Honor the Chief Justice. Mr Treadwell made the motion.