PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3006, 18 December 1896, Page 2

PERSONAL ITEMS.

The Mayor leaves for Nelson to-day. Ho will bo absent until after Christmas. Mr Jaraea A. Hi Marcoil is gazetted as Examiner of Masters and Mates in the Colony of Now Zealand.

The appointments of Colonel Arthur Polo Ponton as Commander of the Now Zealand Forces, and of Lieutenant W. R. Napier Maddocks as Major in tho Now' Zealand Militia, and also as staff-officer to tho Commander of tho Forces, are gazetted. On the occasion of his leaving Wellington Mr A. M. Burns, of the Press Association, was yesterday made the recipient of a number of volumes of standard works by a number of his fellow-pressmen, who assembled at the Press Association rooms for. that puppose. The presentation was made by Mr Grosley Lukin, tholeditor of the Evening Post, and, after several others of the gentlemen present had added their quota in praise of Mr Burns, and ho had replied, tho pleas- , ing little ceremony terminated, Ju tho evening Mr Burns was entertained by tho members of tho Wellington Rowing Club, of which he has acted as secretary, and presented with a pair of binoculars, a gold pendant (both of which were suitably inscribed), a gold scarf pin and a beautiful bouquet from the lady friends of the Club. ■ At tho conclusion of the Festival Choral Society’s concert last evening a very pleasant little social function was observed by the members of tho chorus to recognise tho regret felt by the Society through tho rosig’ nation of their Jato secretary, Mr T. H. Ritchey, who leaves for Sydney to*day. Bishop Wallis, one of tho vice-presidents, acted as spokesman for the chorus, and in a few well-chosen and pithy remarks briefly sketched tho Iqng and arduous labour of Mr Ritchey on the Society’s behalf, wished him long life and every prosperityin his new home, and presented him on behalf of the chorus with a handsome travelling-bag as a soqvenir of his long connection with the Society. Mr Ritchey having suitably and feelingly replied, the meeting terminated with many regrets on both sides at severing links of friendship and acquaintance whioh have grown through years of musical intercourse.