PERSONALIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6823, 20 May 1909, Page 5

PERSONALIA

Tils Excellency tho Governor, who has been spending a low days at Tokaanu, arrived in Auckland yesterday. Lord Piunket opened the Auckland Society o£ Arts Ex-hi hi lion last nil-lit. This afternoon lie will lay the foundatinn-stono ot tho Pattcson wins or St. .John's College, ami he will be present lids evening at the Selwvn centenary celebration meeting at tho Choral Hall. To-morrow afternoon Lord I'lunket will open tho new building of the Jubilco institute for tho IHind, at I’arnoll.

All- Donald McLean returned by the Warrimoo yesterday afternoon after a short trip to Sydney. .

Sir Joseph AVard has intimated his intention of being present at the farewell dinner to bo tendered to Air 1. E. Donne at the Grand Hotel next Tuesday.

The Hon. R. McKenzie (Minister of Mines and Public Works) returned to W ol-linj-ton Irani Ids northern trip yesterday afternoon, and will remain in the capital until the session commences'.

With the retirement of Mr P. Sheridan, native land purchase officer, from the Civil Service, it lias been decided by the Government not to refill the position, but that future purchases should bo made by the Native Minister, acting with tho (Jmler-Secrctary for Lands. 'ldle Hon. James Carroll is at Gisborne to-dnv. the Hon. J. A. Millar at At estpoid. Hon. G. Row his at Picton, Hon Dr Findlay at Auckland, Hon. A. M . Hoge at Masterton, Hon. T. Mackenzie at Thames, and Hem. A. T. Ngata at liiparoa. Other members of the Ministry are in 'Wellington.

Mr R. McNab loaves for England in tho course of a. few weeks, and, while abroad will visit Switzerland and Norway, where systems on tho linos of "universal training are now in operation. Ho will also got into touch with the territorial forces in England, and sec how they are iu bo regarded as supplying material for defence of the country.

Mr \V. Pryor, secretary of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, returned to Wellington last night after an absence of about ten days. ile appeared before tho Arbitration Court at Gisborne on behalf of the employers in tho painters' dispute, and on the wav back spent some time in the Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa districts on organising work.

A loiter was received at last night’s meeting of the Victoria College Council from Mr P. W. Robertson, the second New Zealand Rhodes scholar, stating that ho could not represent the college at the Darwin Centenary celebrations’ recently held at Cambridge, as ho was to havc'snt for his doctor's degree at Loipsic immediately afterwards. The Hon. D. Buddo, Minister of Internal. Affairs and Public Health, leaves on his northern trip this morning. He will return on Wednesday afternoon next, and on Thursday will go on to Christchurch. Ho is due to attend the annual A. and P. Association's banquet at Eangiora on tho Friday night, when he will present tho Mclntoszh Memorial Cup to the winner. Probably he will come back to Wellington by the Saturday night's boat. Word has been received of the death of Captain J. W. Cruncher, widely known in New Zealand, who expired at Liverpool on April 13th. Captain Croucher served his apprenticeship in the New Zealand Shinning Company's service. He quickly rose to the position of master, his last commands being the steamers Wakanui and Tapanui. In 1892 he applied to tiie British Board of Trade for the post of marine surveyorship, and at the time .of his death occupied that position at Liverpool. Tho late Captain Croucher was in his fiftieth year. He was of a genial disposition, and was highly popular. Lieutenant Shackleton hard at his book, portion of which is completed already. He expects to eee it published about tho end of October. In the course of a brief interview shortly before leaving Adelaide for London, Lieutenant Shackleton said: “You have asked me for a farewell message. I am afraid in tho* few hurried moments left to mo I cannot express just all the thoughts that suggest themselves. When I think of the kindness, l>oth, public and private, that has been, shown towards my colleagues and myself by the people of Australia, I can assure you that I deeply appreciate all that has been said and done for us, I hope before long to bo in Australia again to prepare for more exploratory work. You know, there are other parts of the world besides the Antarctic Circle where the map can stand a little filling in.'-’

The Rev. W. Powell, founder and superintendent of the Baptala Leper Home, Madras, has arrived in Sydney, He tells of tho great difficulty of providing for the lepers in India, where there are nearly 1 one million so afflicted. The Brahmin priests teach that leprosy is a curse sent by tho gods. No kindness or considerat tion is shown the leper, who is often i driven from home and deprived of his ; rights. The best doctors in India admit , themselves baffled, and say there is no cure for leprosy. The Government of Madras subsidised the Baptala Home to the extent of «£75 and twenty-six acres of land. There are at present 127 lepers in the home. About 10,000 of tho most needy 171*0 attended to by other missions, but there is no enforced segregation, and the disease spreads. Mr Powell leaves for New Zealand on Saturday, and returns to India in August. Tho Xiev. W, S. Woollcomhe relinquished his position as Head of Oxford House, Bethna.ll Green, about a month ago, for the purpose of becoming Overseas Missioner for three years of the Church of England Men’s Society. In the course of an interview with a representative of the "Standard,” Mr Woollconibo explained the object of his . work. “For tho next three years,” he said, “I shall be visiting the different groat colonies in turn, to strengthen find advise tho branches of the Church of England Mon’s Society already in existence, and to assist in the foundation of new branches. My object will be to inculcate the idea of service for the sake of tho Church, that the men of the Anglican communion may realise that they are responsible for the work of the Church, although in a different degree, yet quite as truly as are the clergy. It is hoped that the society may serve as an immense Empire brotherhood of the men of the Anglican communion, and I hope to be, in, a humble way, the connecting link to join .the hands of the different Churches of tho communion. Many of the colonial bishops and clergy were much struck, .when they were over hero Inst year for the Pan-Anglican Congress and " tho Lambeth Conference, at the work accomplished by the society, and the desire was expressed that* its aims and methods might be propagated in their dioceses. It is in response to their wishes that t am undertaking this mission. My destination in the first instance is Australia, where I shall remain till about December. AH arrangements for my work in Australia are being made by the Archbishop of Brisbane. If possible, I .should like to hold a men’s mission, say, for ten days, in the larger places.” Mr Woollcombe, after leaving Australia, will proceed to New Zealand, and then to South Africa.