PERSONAL ITEMS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1533, 18 July 1901, Page 41

PERSONAL ITEMS

The Governor and the Hon C. H. Mills paid a visit to Sir John McKenzie on Monday at Bushy Park. Among the passengers from Lyttelton hy the Tarawera on Sunday were the Hon. G. McLean, Messrs Gilfedder and Barclay, M.H.R.,*s, and Professor McKenzie. The members of the Wellington Polo Club have made a substantial money present to Major Madocks, who. is about to take his departure to the Old Country. Mr James Bennet, M.H.R. for Tuapeka, received news on Friday morning of the death of his wife, who had been ailing for some time past. Mr Bennet Mr John G. Woolley, reported to be an orator, and who was a candidate for the last American Presidency, is coming to New Zealand on a lecturing tour. He is expected here next month. The Rev William Paul Matthew, Presbyterian Church, is gazetted an officiating minister under the Marriage Act. The name of Major Nicholas Turner, of the Salvation Army, has been withdrawn from th e list of ministers. At a meeting of the Wanganni Presbytery at Marton the call to the Rev G. K. Stowell from , the Hunterville congregation was sustained. Mr Stowell having accepted the call, the induction was fixed to take place on the 31st. Mr J. A. Cowles, late second assistant at Te Aro School, and now first assistant at Clyde quay, was on Friday afternoon the 'recipient of a handsome present of books from the staff of Te Aro School. Mr Watson, head master, made the pre_ e«ntation. Mr James Wilson, a well-known racing man, formerly in partnership with Mr W. Proffitt, died at Napier on Friday. The deceased, who was only thirty, eight years of age, was very well known all over the colony. He leaves a widow and young family. The Collector of Customs at Wellington, Mr D. McKellar, is retiring from the Government service. He . is to b.? succeeded by Mr D. Johnston, of Invercargill. Mr E. Patten, Collector of Customs at Christchurch, is to re';ne, and Mr J. Mills, of Westport, is to t e appointed his successor. Mr R. S. Bosher, president of the T\ C. Williams Tobacco Company, of Rich, mond, Virginia, accompanied- by his wife and sons, reached this city on Saturday last. They arrived at Auckland by the mail steamer Sonoma on the 9th instant-, and intend to make an extensive tour of New Zealand and Australia, after which they will return to their horn© in America via Europe. Mr Ashtcn Kay, who has resigned from the “Hansard” reporting staff in order to take up a similar position in New South Wales, was on Friday night presented by his old confreres with a memento of their esteem. Mr Kay was on the New Zealand “Hansard” for about five years, and prior to that was en_ gaged in daily journalism. He was an able and .popular pressman, and leaves the Parliamentary gallery with an enviable reputation as to capacity and the good wishes of a very wide circle of friends. On Friday night a presentation was made to Mr F. E. Eley, late secretary of the Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company of NeW Zealand, Ltd. The presentation took the form of a purse of sovereigns and a framed photograph of the company’s staff. The managing director, in a short speech, made feeling reference to Mr Eley’s retirement from the service, and expressed the hope that the rest would be beneficial to him. Mr Eley, in returning thanks, expressed his appreciation of the manner in which his ten years’ service had been recognised. One of the most familiar figures in Wellington shipping circles, Mr Johu Gannaway, died at his residence, Thorn, don quay, on last Friday night. Mr Gannaway was an old resident of Wellington, and a very highly-respectsd citizen. He was born at Southampton and came out to the colony in 1866 under engagement to the Panama Company as one of fts shore managers. This company had fully twenty-two steamers trading to this port. On its dissolution the vessels were disposed of, and a portion of them served to form the nucleus of the Union Steam Ship Company. After th© company retired from the trade Mr Gannaway, in company with Mr Dransfield, established a line of sailing vessels running round the New Zealand coast and to Australia. The Ladybird (at present a hulk in the harbour) was one of the firm’s first vessels, just after she had been converted into a Later on Mr Gannaway began business in this city as a stevedore. A short time back Mr Thompson joined Mr Gannaway in rh® business, which is principally concerned with the fleet of the Shaw,Savill and Albion Company- For some time past Mr Gannaway had been in indifferent health, his heart being affected. Vhsn he retired to rest on Friday evening he was in excellent spirits, but only an hour afterwards he quietly passed away. A married daughter—Mrs Thompson, of Nelson —and three sons in the Post and Telegraph Department, survive # thcif

A very old resident of Wellington passed away last week in the person of Mrs Asher, wife of Mr D. Asher, the well-known Manners street business man. The late Mrs Asher had resided in Wellington for thirty-eight years, and was in her seventy-sixth year at the time of her death. The death occurred at Glentunnel, Canterbury, last week of Major General Alexander G. Davidson, who entered the service of the Honourable East In" dia Company in Madras in 1841. He attained the rank of Major-General in 1877 and retired the same year. During his military career General David” son was employed politically as DeputyCommissioner at Ajmere. He settled in New Zealand a number of years ago. Private advices state that Lieut. J. G. Rose, formerly of D Battery, who left New Zealand with the Fifth Contingent, has been attached, by special order of Major-General Rretyman, to the 15pounders of the 38th Battery, Royal Artillery, with the Kimberley Flying Column. Lieut. Rose has also been offered a position as staff-officer to Colonel Peakman. Captain Tu.ckey, another Wellington College old boy, holds a staff appointment at Kimberley. The death is announced as having taken place at Edinburgh, of Mr David Dunlop, twenty-three years of age, who gave great promise of high proficiency in the engineering profession. The son of Mr Hugh Dunlop, of Kereru, he entered the locomotive department of the Manawatu Railway Company and after two years’ service there he joined Messrs Cable and Co., of Wellington, where he was for three years in the marine engineering department. Mr Dunlop went to Great Britain fifteen months ago to study electrical engineering in Edinburgh, where he died. The following paragraph appears in the “ British Australasian ” of May 23rd : —Mr Phil Myers, of the firm of J. Myers and Co., Wellington, New Zealand, who has been in this country on a visit since February, is returning to the colony next month, via America. He will leave on June 29th by the Campania, for New York, and after spending a month in the States will set sail from San Francisco for his colonial home. Prior to his departure from England, he will b e married to Miss Canter, daugh, ter of Mr Cantor, of Myers and Cantor, who act as agents for the Wellington hous Q . Mr Glaude M. Banks, of this city, who has been on a business trip to Europe, extending over thirteen months, and who is now on his way back to New Zealand, has had an unfortunate experience on his way across in the s.s. Cuzco. Just before reaching Ceylon some very heavy weather., was experienced, and a fellow passenger, imagining that he was about to disappear overboard, wildly clutched at Mr Banks and dragged him with considerable impetus into the lee scuppers. The Wellingtonian had his left shoulder dislocated severely bruised about the body. The other man got off with a few scratches. On the 9th instant the staff of the Traffic Superintendent’s Department of the Government Railways presented one of their number, who is about to be married, Mr H. Kirk, with several handsome pieces of silverware. The presentation was made by Mr A. Grant, on behalf of the staff. Advantage was taken of the occasion to say farewell to Mr A. Grant, the local traffic superintendent, who has been appointed to the control of the South Island railways. Mr W. Bowles expressed the regret of th© staff in parting with Mr Grant, who, although but a short time at their head, had won their admiration and loyalty. On behalf of the Wellington staff he wished Mr Grant success in his more responsible position. Mr T. Arthur, who is to succeed Mr Grant in Wellington, has been connected with the railways of the South Island for the past tweniy-four years, and has the reputation of being a highly efficient officer.