PERSONAL NOTES FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12999, 14 June 1904, Page 2

PERSONAL NOTES FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

(Jo|ann»6l)urjr Correspondent of Christ

cliurch Press.)

A quiet wedding was eoleinuscd at St. Mary's Church, Johannesburg;, on April 25, ■when Mr George Cossins, the claim inspector of the Mines Department at Pretoria, was married to Hiss Ethel Annie M'Laren, of Timnni, Now Zealand. The bride was given aivajr by Dr Thomas Howan, and her sister, Miss Lily M'Laren. was the only bridesmaid. .Air Campbell Nash officiated as best man. Mrs Rowan held a small reception at her house at Houghton after the ceremony, and tlio newly-married pair loft by train for the north at 4.40. Mr George Cossins is. a well-known Australian writer, his stories and verses having familiarised his namo to Bujletiii • reailers for years. He is also a novelist, whoso namo is favourably known beyond the borders of the land of the eucalyptus.'

Another marriage of interest to' New Zealanders took place at the. sa'mo church on the last day "of April. The contracting parties wore Miss Daniels, daughter of Mrs Abbot, Wellington, and Mr George Lomas, ft popular official of the- Transvaal Mines Department. Mr and Mrs Lomas are spending their honeymoon at Pretoria. Mrs and Miss Abbot, before setting out for England, iutend to remain in Johannesburg for a' fey months, and have, taken a house at Hospital Hill. Mr Advocate Hutchison is returning to tho Kami from London next month by tho Suez Canal route.'

Mr W. ,T. Mason (Otaki) loft the service o£ tlf) Public Works Department -same littlo time back to join Mr M. B. Elder in trading in Northern Rhodesia. By last advices both thoso gentlemen' , were enjoying themselves in the wilds.

Mr \V. 13, Scott writes mo from Bloemfontein that ho has got fairly, under way with his Government Building.} contract. He had some trouble with his Ka(fir workers, and applied for, and was sanctioned, convict black labour. Tho convicts, ho finds, do better work than tho free "boys," and they are- not so costly. The Govornment. get is a day for each worker supplied, plus warders' wages. Mr Duncan M'Gregor fWangamii), who was well known as an amateur rider in New •Zoaland some years back, is now sporting reporter on tho Bloomfontoin Post. Hβ camo to South Africa with one of tho remount transports. Mrs Hiirold Batger is again restored to perfect health. She- ami her husband are now .house-hunting, and will probably, two a residence at Joppcs. A couplo of young New Zwi'.anders- who are. doing better than the majority of their countrymen in tho Transvaal aro Messrs \V. B. and D. Camming, sons of Mr Ouniming, ffo Ion? roimeoted wth tho Postal Department. Christchurcli, who wore established in rho timber trade at Germiston. Mr George Parsons (son of Mr H. W. Parsons) recently look service with tho Messrs Gumming. Mr James Thorps (Wangamii), assistant engineer in the. C.S.A.H., and who , was a couple of months ago transferred from fcho O.R.C. to Johannesburg; is talking of taking a- holiday trip to tho Far East. Mr Thorpe was lucky enough to make a small rise when tho share market took a spurt tho other week. Another of- the Thorpes is in Johannesburg in the employ <>f Jagg" , and Co.

— This ynar's'issuo of the Medical Directory contains a. total number of names llmt is really surprising. There are considerably more thaii 6000 practitioucra in London alone, whilst the total for Great Britain and Ireland comes to 37,730. Tho doctors increase at tho rate of about 400 a year; but 10 years ago, when the necessary curriAilum was four years instead of live, the average increase was twice tht? number. But ovon this changn had not materially reduced the overcrowding.