PERSONAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 10

PERSONAL.

Mr and Mrs -R. Mitchell (Wairarapa), after spending a holiday in Dunedin, returned north yesterday. Mr G, A. Kain went to Christchurch by the second express yesterday.

About 40 officers and non-commissioned officers of the Second Battalion, Otago Regiment, under Captain R. H. Cleland, went north yesterday to attend a musketry course at Burnham. Mr A. Moritzson, at one time wellknown in this city in the fruit business, arrived in Dunedin last night from the north for a short stay. Mr Moritzson is now a resident of Sydney. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. B. Taverner), who is spending a brief holiday in North Otago, will return to Dunedin in a few days. Mr J. F. Menzies, who has resigned his position of borough manager at Eastbourne to become town clerk of Sumner, was tendered a farewell By the staff of the Eastbourne Ferry and Motor Bus Service recently (writes our Mataura correspondent). The traffic manager, Mr A. T. R. Duncan, on behalf of the staff, presented Mr Menzies with a set of stainless cutlery, a tea set, and an oak cake stand, and in doing so expressed the regret of the staff at his departure. Mr Menzies, who is to take up his new duties on February 1, was some years ago town clerk of Mataura Mr T. R. Bavin, Premier of New South Wales, and his daughter, Miss Shirley Bavin, will leave Auckland to-day (says our special correspondent) by cai for where they will spend several days. From Rotorua, Mr Bavin will proceed to Taupo, where he intends to do soma trout fishing. He will arrive in Wellington towards the end of the month, and will later visit the South Island.

Prior to his departure for the Malay States, Mr T. M'Carroll was met by the members of the Southland Rugby Union and presented with a shaving outfit in recognition of the work he had done while connected with that body. Mr A. H. Courtis referred to Mr _M‘Carroll’s long association with football in Southland and to the conscientious and willing _ manner in which he had carried out his duties while in office. According to a letter received from Syd-' ncy Miss Eva Webb Jones, of Wanganui, who has been studying at the Conserva torium of Music, sang before Dame Nellie Melba in a test for voices for grand opera, her selected piece being Puccini’s “ One Fine Day.” Dame Nellie Melba said that Miss Webb Jones had a beautiful voice. This complimentary statement coincides with that of Mr Joseph Hislop, the great tenor, who tested the voices (between 200 and 500) just prior to Miss Webb Jones leaving Sydney for New Zealand with the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. Miss Webb Jones was informed that she had a very fin© voice, and that her name was included in the first eight, come a member of the Grand Opera Compnny entails the work of learning over 20 operas. _ . Although Major-general J. A. Douglas, C.M.G. C.1.E., is almost a stranger to New Zealand, he was born at Dunedin in 1862. He left the Dominion when he was a boy, and is now making his first return visit, arriving at Auckland by the Niagara on Monday. General Douglas has had a distinguished military career, and has served in many dangerous expeditions on the Indian frontier. During the Great War he served in Mesopotamia, Persia and Afghanistan. A long list of distinctions, including being mentioned m despatches four times, telfs of brave military service. General Douglas was educated at Haileybury and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst He was given his commission with the Dorset Regiment m 1883, ahdsoon gained promotion after being transferred to India, where he has spent many years From 1903 to 1907 he was unlitapi attache at Teheran. He was at the relief of Pekin in 1900. From 1911 to 1913 he commanded the 39th (K.G.0.) Central Horse in Persia. These are but a tew of the expeditions and positions with which General Douglas has been associated. In addition to h British distinctions he hold Persian and Serbian orders.