PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 54

PERSONAL ITEMS.

It is understood that Mr T. W. Lewis has declined the offer of a seat on the Native Land Court Bench.

Lord Ranfurly and Major Alexander have booked passages by the CanadianAustralian liner Miowera, which leaves Sydney on July 11th. Lord Plunket has accepted the invitation on behalf of himself and Lady Plunket of the officers of the Wellington Garrison to the ball to be held on Tuesday. July sth. Mr Jackson Palmer (says a Press Association telegram) has been nominated for a seat on the Auckland University College Council by the Hon T. Thompson, M.L.C., and Mr F. Lawry, M.H.lt.

The death is announced in London papers of Mr Hanson Turton, late District Land Registrar at Dunedin. Mr Turton died of heart disease on April 27th, at a private hospital in' Southampton. The Earl of Dundonald, whose appointment as Major-General of the Canadian forces lias just been cancelled, and Lord Plunket. the recently appointed Governor of New Zealand, recently accepted the vice-presidency of the Navy League. Captain M. Slattery, of Northeote, Auckland (says a Press Association telegram) has received notification from the British War Office that his Majesty has been pleased to approve his receiving an allowance of £SO per annum from the grant for distinguished and meritorious services.

The Countess of Ranfurly, writes our London correspondent on May 14th, lias been ill since her return from New Zealand. Her ladyship had an attack of influenza recently, and this has been followed by measles. She will be confined to her town house in Wilton crescent for some time.

The marriage was celebrated at Feeding on Wednesday of Mr W. G. Maxwell, eldest son of Mr W. Maxwell, of Bunnythorpe, to Miss Madeline Maclean, sixth daughter of Mrs S. Mac Lean, cf Bunnythorpe. After the ceremony breakfast was provided for sixty guests at the Bunnythorpe Hall. <*■ When the last Pacific mail left, Miss Agnes Murphy, of London, who lately visited Wellington, was in Southern California, to write descriptive articles of Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and other famous beauty spots, for different English, Australian and New Zealand newspapers.

A notable English musician, Dr William Creser, is to visit the colony this year, nows of his appointment as the examiner for Trinity College, London, in New Zealand and Tasmania in the practice of music (pianoforte, organ, violin and singing) lifting been received yesterday by the local secretary, Mr A. J. Wicks. Dr Creser, who is a Fellow of the’ Royal College of Organists, and a member of the Faculty of Music in the University of London, has identified himself closely with Trinity College as Professor and examiner. He has composed a good deal of chamber and orchestral music, and his dramatic cantata “Freia” was produced at the Leeds Musical Festival.

Amongst the pictures which Mr T. F. Donne, the New Zealand Commissioner to the St. Louis Exhibition, took with him to St. Louis was a portrait of General Yon Temp.sky, and on board the steamer Sierra, on his way to America', lie found that one of liis fellowpassengers was Mrs Hawkins, wife of Lieutenant Hawkins, and granddaughter of General Von Tempsky, whilst, curiously enough. Mrs Yon Tempsky, widow of the late general’s son, came on board at Honolulu, to proceed to America. Mrs Yon Tempsky . has offered to give Mr Donne a copy of the general’s diary, which she has in her possession, and "this should prove extremely valuable and interesting in view of the fact that the Government is compiling a history of Taranaki and the Maori war in that province.

The Rev James Paterson, of Wellington (writes our London correspondent under date May 6th), is spending a week or two on the Continent prior to catching the Orient liner Ormuz at Naples on the 15th inst., en route for New Zealand. Since his arrival in the Old Country last October, the rev gentleman has travelled over a good deal of both England and Scotland, halting at various places to visit old friends, and those of friends in the colony, and to revisit familiar scenes and revive old memories. He visited Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow and parts of Ayrshire, staying some weeks with old friends in each place. Speaking of liis tour before leaving London last week, Mr Paterson remarked: “Of course. I found many changes —changes in places and in circles with which in earlier years I w as familiar. Especially was this so in the big cities, which I found were becoming more crowded and were spreading out m all directions. Many of the old friends with whom I was wont to associate are gone, "“j those who were then the younger generation are now the old. Many new Questions have also now come to the f ron t—questions m science, in politics, in education and in religion—which were then hardly thought of, and many of what were then burning questions hay® cooled down and to a large extent passed from mem’s minds.”

A Press Association telegram from 'Auckland states that Sir G.M. O’Rorke has been re-elected a member of the Auckland University College Council by (lovemor-dn-Councik His Excellency the Governor has received cable advice that Lady Ranfurly (who was reported to be'suffering frbin measles when the last mail left London) has quite recovered her health. Mr J. H. Y. Nis)i, principal sub-editor of the Melbourne “ Argus/’ is at present on a holiday trip to New Zealand,and intends remaining in Wellington for about a, week. Mr Nish is staying at the Koyal Oak Hotel.

News has been received at Auckland of the death in Ceylon of Dr Goldie, son ot Mr David Goldie, formerly M.ll.it. The deceased was quite a young man, and* commenced practice in Auckland about two years ago, but was compelled to go abroad, suffering from consumption, ir» search of health. He was a brothel or Mr Charles Goldie, the well-known artist. Dr Goldie was unmarried. Mr W. D. B. Murray, of the Napier Lands and Survey Office, has been piomoted to the position of Chief Draughtsman at Nelson. Before leaving Napier Mr Murray was presented by the staff tliere with a silver tea service. In handing over the souvenir, Mr E. C. Gold Smith, the Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands, spoke highly of Mr Murray’s ability, and expressed the general regret of the staff at his departure. . Mr B. Bellerby, brother of the Gippsland squatter who mysteriously disappeared in Melbourne a few weeks ago*, and was subsequently found in a semidemented condition by his wife, and Mr Acland Hood, a well-known Poverty Bay farmer, and a personal friend of the unfortunate man, returned from Sydney by the Monowai on Wednesday. They left Gisborne some three weeks ago to assist in the search for Mr Bellerby.

The position of principal of the Roseworthy Agricultural College, New South - Wales, in succession to Professor Towar, has been offered (says the ‘‘Sydney Morning Herald”) to Mr W. J. Colebatch who is at present lecturer at the Lincoln Agricultural College, New Zealand. He was formerly a student at the Rosewcrthy College, hut subsequently proceeded to Edinburgh, where he took the degrees of B.Sc. and M.R.C.V.S.

Mr H. J. Rowe, of Messrs E. W. Mills and Co.’s staff, was married on Wednesday to Miss Randerson, only daughter of Mr and Mrs J. R. Randerson, of Holmeleigh,,/ Laureston street. The ceremony was performed at the residence of .the bride’s parents by the Rev H. L. Blamires* The bride was attended by Miss Flossie Randerson, her Cousin, and Miss Clara Rowe, cousin of the bridegroom, and was given-away by her father. Mr . Ernest Herron was best man, and Mr Reginald Randerson was groomsman. Mr Mephan Ferguson, the contractor for the supply of spiral riveted pipes for the Wanganui waterworks, and inventor of the locking-bar pipe, which was adopted for the Coolgardie water supply scheme, is returning to Melbourne in the Ortona, which will arrive at the end of this month. Mr Ferguson left Melbourne about twelve months ago to establish engineering and pipe works in England, and to carry out~a large contract for the supply of locking-bar pipes for the Mand Gas Company, in Staffordshire. 'lt is probable that the return of Mr J A. Kinsella to New Zealand will bo delayed by reason of his illness. When he arrived in England from the Argentine he'was not in good health, and he therefore consulted two London special- • ists, who informed him that he was still .suffering from the effects of malarial fever in his system. In a letter received in Wellington Mr Kinsella states that at the time or writing (May 9th) he had been in bed for two weeks, and though his health was improving, a visit to the seaside would be necessary to enable him to regain his strength. / ! Miss F. M. Hodgkins, the well-known Wellington artist, sister of Mrs W. H. Field, has received news from London -/ that one of her water-colours has been accepted Tor the Royal Academy this year. This is the second time that Miss Hodgkins has gained a place “on the line.” The fact that this distinction, so coveted by artists the world over, has been secured for a second year by Miss Hodgkins, is in itself the best tribute that could be given to the character of her work, and her success will be regarded with patriotic pride ; by New Zealanders, and especially ty the people of this city, of which she is now a resident. The death occurred at Christchurch on Thursday of Mr J. J. Milner, of the jnusic firm of Milner and Thompson. Mr Milner was for years one of the leading lights in chessland and as a solver of problems he was eminent. He represented Canterbury at the annual ohampionship congresses. As an executive officer of both the Canterbury Chess 'Club and the New Zealand Chess Asgbciation he was noted as a hard worker, and it was only a week or two ago . he was relieved of his duties as acting-sec-retary to the Ghristohurch Club m consequence of his health being so fragile that-it was unequal to maintaining the strain of the office. Mr Milner, Who was for a time vice-president of the New Zealand Association, was known to : /practically every player of note in the colony. . " ■. ; ,•. ■-•