PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1685, 15 June 1904, Page 54

PERSONAL ITEMS.

The Minister of Lands will attend the winter show at Palmerston North on the 21st inst.

Mr Henry Mafers, a well-known resident of Otaki, died last week, aged seventy-five years.

Dr Pigeon, of the cable steamer Iris, has been appointed resident medical officer at the Chathams.

Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R. for Masterton, returned from a short trip to Australia by the Victoria on Wednesday.

Mr W. T. Wood, M.H.R., Palmerston North, is confined to his room owing to a severe attack of influenza. Tt is stated that Mr George Fisher, M.H.R.7 is at present in Dunedin, and that his health is far from satisfactory.

Mr Crowe, head of the Victorian Dairying Division, is on a tour of inspection of the daiiying industry in this colony. Mr Arthur St. Clair, of the staff of the Bank of New South Wales, has been transferred from Napier to Wellington. Mr Michael Tracey, formerly of the 65th Regiment, died at the Jubilee Home, "Wanganui, on the 3rd instant, aged eighty-three years.

Mrs Newman, wife of Dr Newman, of Wellington, and her son, Mr Frank Newman, leave on a trip to England by the Corinthic on the 23rd inst.

Captain Carey, master of the Moana, the commodore of the Union Steam Ship Company’s fleet is. says a Dunedin Press Association telegram, about to retire from the company’s service. A London cablegram states that Madame Melba sang at Buckingham Palace. The King and Queen presented her with a gold medal for art and music.

It is reported by the Press Association from Gisborne that Mr William Cooper, accompanied by Miss Cooper, left there on Saturday on an extensive tour of the American oil fields. Dr L. S. Hughes, of Gisborne, second son of the late Mr Henry Hughes, lias obtained a fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, for which object he proceeded to England. He intends to return to New Zealand and resume practice. The death is announced of Dr Samuel Dougan Bird, who was for thirty years the chief medical officer of the A.M.P. Society in Victoria. He was the possessor of the Crimean medal and Sebastopol clasp, as well as of the Turkish war medal of the Order of the Medjidie. all gained while acting as divisional sungeon in the Crimea.

Mr S. F. Sherwood, a recently-ap-pointed drapery expert in the Customs Department, was entertained at Nelson last week by his late fellow employees in the firms of Sclanders and Co. and Levin and Co. Mr Sherwood was presented with a travelling rug and a congratulatory letter.

Mr Thompson, of the Grey town school, has been appointed assistant at Tiiorndon; Mr Dallastun, of Ponatahi, assumes charge of the Rangitumau school; Miss Prendeville, of Makara, has been appointed sole teacher of the Mangaone school, and Miss Manning sole teacher of Te Wliiti school.

Mr Fraser. Stock Inspector in charge of tlio Otago has been transferred to the charge of the Nelson, Marlborough and "Westland districts, to succeed Mr Campbell, who has retired. Mr Bruce, in charge at Balclutha. is to take Mr Fraser’s place in Otago, and will bo succeeded by Mr Gilmo-ur, of Riverton. Mr Baxter, of Riverton, has been promoted to the charge of that district. Mr G. G. Fitzgerald, of Timaru, died in the hospital there last week, aged seventy years. The deceased, who was well known in journalistic Circles, had been editor of the “Timaru Herald” since 1885. Prior to that lie was for a time editor of the “New Zealand Times.” He was a\ one time M.H.R. for "Westland, and in the early days occupied the position of warden and magistrate at Hokitika. Mr Fitzgerald was brother to' the late Controller-General. The deceased gentleman’s wife was drowned in the wreck of the Tairoa at Clarence river.

Captain G. A. Sparks, late assistant wharfinger at Wellington for the Union Steam Ship Company, died last week at the Wellington Hospital, after a brief illness. The deceased resigned from the Union Company’s service last March and went to Australia. He returned to Wellington by the Moeraki last Wednesday in a bad state of health. Captain Sparks, who was about fortyone years of age, was for fifteen years in the Union Company’s employ. He was for some time chief officer of the Jo Anau in the Dunedin-Auckland service, and was at one time temporarily in command of that vessel. He was at one time chief officer of the Dmgadee, then commanded by Captain Anderson, now marine superintendent at Wellington for the Union Company. About three years ago deceased left the Union Comivinvh service to take command of the W r est Coast steamer Nautilus. Six months later lie joined the Union Company’s Wellington staff as assistant wWfine:er. Deceased leaves a widow Ind three children, who are nowin Wellington,

Wanganui newspapers record the death of MrS'EC M. Bigheli; aged eightytwo. a colonist of many years’ standing. -A Press Association message from London announces the death of: Mr Levi Leiter, the American capitalist. One of Mr* Letter's daughters is Lady Curzon, wife of the Viceroy of India.

Mr G. Witty, M.H.R. for Riccarton, informed an audience which he addressed the other evening at Addington that he had come out to the colony in an emigrant ship with two shillings in his pocket. A private cablegram was received in Wellington on Friday stating that Mrs Gough, wife of Mr Alex. J. Gough, dentist, Pretoria, and formerly of Wellington. died at Pretoria on the stli inst. Mrs Gough met with an accident on the White Star liner Runic while on her way to South. Africa, and never recovered from the shock.

t a smoke concert tendered by the non-commissioned, officers and men of the New Zealand Royal Artillery to Major Moore (whose term of service as staff-officer of artillery has expired) and Captain Pilkington (transferred to Auckland), both officers, who have been very popular, were the recipients of presentations —Major Moore a Maoricarved spear and axe, and Captain Pilkington a valuable spirit-stand, suitably inscribed. The healths of the departing officers were enthusiastically honoured. Mr. H. C. Waterfield, private secretary to Lord Plunked., arrived in Wellington, on Saturday morning hy the Paparoa. This is the first time Mr Waterfield has been in the colony, though, he has relatives in New Zealand. Several members of Lord Plunket’s household staff also arrived by the Paparoa. The new Governor and Lady Plunket, who are to arrive by the Gothic on the 20th inst., will be accompanied by their six children, the Hon. Kathleen Plunket (sister of Lord Plunket) and the Governor’s first aide-de-camp, Captain Braithwaite, of the Fifth Fusiliers, at one time Garrison Adjutant at Dublin. ir J. A. Thomson, the Rhodes scholar, left Wellington on Friday for his home in Dunedin, to make arrangements to leave for Oxford University. The date of his departure from the colony is uncertain, but lie will be due at the University in October. As tho Rhodes scholar is invited to give a list ot colleges in the order in which he prefers them, Mr Thomson has placed St. John’s first, New second.. Keble third. Trinity fourth and Magdalen fifth. Professor Maclaurin, or the Victoria University College, has just received a communication from the authorities of Cambridge University, England, offering to confer on him the degree of Doctor or Laws. “in recognition of original contributions to- the study of law.” This is the highest honour in the gift of the University, and its significance is all the greater when it is borne in mind that Mr Maclaurin is the first graduate ol the New Zealand University to gain such a distinction. It must be gratifying to all New Zealanders to find one of tire great Universities of Europe giving such handsome recognition to work done bv one who is a product of the education system of this country* Professor Maclaurin’s various legal works have been highly eulogised by leading men in Europe. For example, Sir Frederick Pollock, writing in the “ Law Quarterly,” said —“ Mr Maclaurin’s work makes us regret that he is teaching mathematics and not law ”; while the editor of the ‘‘Scottish Law Review” expressed a hope that someone might he found to do for Scotland what ML Maclaurin had done for England. Mons. L. -Guerin, writing in the “Comptes Rendus,” gaye expression to equally flattering opinions,* and the London “Times” confessed to being astonished that such “ erudite work ” should come from New Zealand. We heartily congratulate Professor Maclaurin upon receiving an honour to which his ability and industry have entitled him.

A well-known Hgure in the public service of the colony was removed by the death in Christchurch yesterday of Mr •J. W. Mason, the officer in charge of the Telegraph Department in that city. Mr Mason saw. the telegraph service of New Zealand grow from very small beginnings. He came to the colony in 1864 from Victoria, under engagement to the Southland Provincial Government,' and opened the Bluff office, working the line between Invercargill and the Bluff. There was then no line between Invercargill and Dunedin or between Dunedin and Christchurch. In the year 1865, Mr Mason was transferred to Wellington, where he worked the shore end of the first cable across Cook Strait. He joined _the Christchurch office on July Ist, 1868. At that time there were very few lines in operation, and the staff at Christchurch—operators, linemen and messengers—numbered ten, who looked upon themselves as overworked if they had as many as fifty messages a day. Mr Mason was a champion sprint runner during his first few years in Christchurch, and in one race competed against Mr George Fisher, who made a dead heat of the event. While stationed in Wellington, Mr Mason met the Tichborne claimant, at the' end of 1866 or the beginning of 1867. The claimant, who was a passenger by a steamer from Sydney, was then on his way to England to claim the estates. In September, 1900, Mr Mason was: promoted to the charge of the Wellfogton office but declined the appointment on account of ill-health.