PERSONAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4824, 29 November 1902, Page 5

PERSONAL.

Mr John Green has been appointed manager of tho Coalbrookdalo ouajmino. Tho Hon. O. H. Mills and family returned to Wellington by tho Penguin last night. Mr Justice Conolly’a retirement from tho Supremo Court Bench will probably bo announced at tho end of the year. Mr and Mrs Judah Myers and Miss Myers havo returned to Wellington, after a nino-menths’ visit to England and tho Continent. It is expected that most of tho members ■of tho Ministry who havo been in their own districts for tho election campaign will return to Wellington tomorrow. It is stated that District Judge Kettle, of Wanganui, is to bo relieved of Magisterial and licensing work, and his duties confined to tho District Court with jurisdiction in Napier and Pahiatua, as well as on tho west coast cf tho North Island. Itocent visitors to tho Department of Tourist and Health Resorts. Brandon street, wore—Messrs O. S. Mac Calla, Now York; James Mackenzie, New Plymouth; Charles M. Lake, Auckland; W. M. Ballantyne, Sydney; Mrs W. H. Janes, Dunedin; Mrs Goorgo Stephenson, Hunterville. Tho death is announced from Grey Lynn. Auckland, of a very old colonist named Mrs Ann Watson,rolidb of the lute Mr James Watson,at tho ago of eightyfour years. Mrs Watson arrived at the Bay of Islands from Sydney m .1810 in tho same vossoj that brought Governor Hobson to tho colony, and had over since boon a resident of tho Auckland province. Hfir father, Mr Woods, occupied a position under Captain Hobson. Mrs Watson saw many stirring scenes in these early days, and was present at Bussell (then Kororarcka) when Hone Hoke started the war ui 18-15 by cutting down the (lagsta J on Marti Hill and attacking and burning tho town. They lost all their properly, and Mr Woods and his family took shelter on board a man-of-war in Bussell harbour. Mrs Watson leaves several sons and daughters, among whom aro Mrs E. O. Nicholson, of Nino, Savage Island; Mr G. B. Watson, Government. Survey Office. Sandhurst: Mrs Richard Jcssop, Wellington.; and Mr Charles Watson, Auckland,

Miss Tcndall. principal of the Nelson Girls' College, luu> resigned,and imoucb visiting England. It :.■> bemved that her resignation ‘was due to demy in ■. btabling; six months’ leave of absence from the governors of the college.

Mr Donald Alcßcath, owner of the Pleasant Point .station, near Timar.i, died .a few days ago. lie was a .pitiye of Dumfries, Scotland, and arrived m t,he colony in tho sixties. After cugaging in business in Dunedin, lie joined "* tho rushes to the goldfields, aim found ills way to Grcymouth, where ho again went into bu.sim.vss for io:ne ytaca.

Mrs David J. Nathan returned to Wellington last night after a holiday vi.-.i:; to England, Franco and Italy. Mis Nathan went to London by tho I*. and O. steamer via Suez, and returned, via America. Her trip was an extremely pleasant and interesting one. Witnessing tho Coronation procession from a coign, of exceptional advantage, Mrs Nathan was very muck impressed with tJio Intense solemnity of the proceedings, and tho hushed reverence wir.U which tho onlookers regarded their Sovereign as lie passed before them, after haying token part in tho ceremony at Westminster Abbey. TJio only participant in tho whoso presence evoked enthusiasm was Lord Kitchener, who was greeted with ringing cheers right along tho line, bub who the demonstration with studious disdain. Mrs Nathan says that tlm New Zealanders in London received special treatment at tho hands of those who wore concerned in tho dispensation of hospitality, and sho herself was overwhelmed with invitations to functions of all hinds. Speaking enthusiastically as to tho part played by Mr Soddou in tho Old Country, Airs Nathan snjys that Nov/ Zealand’s Premier wins veritably ouo of the lions cf tho hour, and towered above all other colonials in popular favour ; in fact, it was hard to realise, so groat was tho attention ho attracted, and tho consideration bestowed upon him by those in high places, that# ho was tho representative of a community comparatively insignificant from tho world’s standpoint, and, Indeed, entirely unknown to a very large number of people. V hat appealed very strongly to Mrs Nathan in her American experiences was tho intensely practical character cf the people sho met, and the positive genius which ouo and all exhibited for “booming" themselves and thoir country, and everything concerning it; bub what struck her most of all were tho sharp incongruities characterising American life. These wore exemplified more especially in tho cities, whore, for instance, dreadful eobble-stono thoroughfares, over which it was an ordeal to drive, led to shops comparable with anything to bo scon in London and Paris, and where palatial hotels and public buildings, instead of being illuminated with electricity, woro provided with gas—dimlighting and evil-smelling gas. Xu America, as in England, tho people with whom Airs Nathan conversed exhibited a keen and friendly interest in all that pertained to Now Zealand, its people, and its affairs.