PERSONAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20501, 31 August 1928, Page 10

PERSONAL.

Mr W. F. Sligo was a passenger by the express yesterday morning, en route for Sydney and Melbourne, where he intends to spend a considerable time before returning to New Zealand. Mr W. F. White, assistant district traffic manager of railways, was a passenger for the north yesterday morning, en route to Australia, where he will spend his annual vacation.

Mr J. H. Hall, editor of the Christchurch Sun, was a through passenger to Christchurch by the express yesterday. Professor E. R. Arthur, of Toronto University, who has been spending the vacation with his family in Dunedin, sailed this week by the Niagara for Canada. Mr F. W. Penlington, who has been stationed at Dunedin as chief postmaster for the past three years and a-half, will retire on superannuation on September 8, after having completed 40 years’ service.

A Wellington Press Association' telegram announces the death of Mr Thomas Humphries, formerly surveyor-general. In the recent State examination for midwives, Nurse G. A. Clarkson, of Batchelor Home, Dunedin, was successful in passing with over 75 per cent, of the total marks. Nurse N. Beaufort (St. Helen’s Hospital) and Nurse C. Scanlan (Batchelor Hospital) were also successful. Mr West, the principal of the firm of Glover-West, which has just completed the installation of the vertical carbonising plant at the City Gas Works, will be in Dunedin next week to participate in the formal taking over of the plant by the corporation. Mr West is an exLord Mayor of the city of Manchester. The' Rev. Father Howard, of Milton, and the Rev. Father Scanlan, of Lawrence, were passengers by yesterday morning’s express on their way to attend the Eucharistic Congress at Sydney. Other passengers also bound for the congress wert* Mt D. Cronan, Mr M’Mahon, Mr O’Neill, Mr J. Rankin (Cromwell), Mr J. M'Lintock and Mr R. M’Lintock.

The Rev, j. Featherston, of the Methodist Church, Gore, lias adyised his officials that he has accepted an invitation to the Greendale circuit, North Canterbury. The change will not take place until April of next year..

After 32 years’ service with the Bank of New Zealand. Mr J. A. Kallender, officer in charge of the letter of credit department in Auckland, will retire at the end of the month. For the whole period Air Kallender has been with the Auckland branch, and it is believed that his experience in this connection is unque in New Zealand. The business community of Dunedin has lost an old and respected member by the death of Mr James Armstrong, which occurred at his residence, Roalyn, on Thursday. Mr Armstrong was born in Galashiels, Scotland, in 1867, and at an early age he came with his parents to Dunedin He was educated at the Kaikorai School, and on leaving he joined the office staff of Alcssrs Scoular and Chisholm, in whose employment he remained for 20 years In 1003, he assumed the secretaryship of Messrs G. and T. Young’s Dunedin branch, and later acquired an interest in the him, eventually becoming managing director. Air Armstrong was one of the on ginal members of the Dunedin Leidertafeh and when that body became renamed the Aiale Choir (afterwards the Royal Male Choir) he retained an active interest in it and sang with it until prevented by illness from doing so. He was also a prominent churchman, and for 36 years he was an office-bearer of First Church. He is survived by his widow, two sons (Messrs Elliott and James Armstrong, both of Dunedin), and two daughters. Scores of officers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force will learn with deep regret (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) of the death in London on June 6 last of Air C. A. Knight, who gave up his magnificent home. No. 13 Lewis crescent, Brighton, and ran it at his own expense for several years as a convalescent home for officers of the Expeditionary Force. Air Knight afterwards bought No. 5 Lewis crescent and put it to the same purpose, and many officers have reason to remember his kindness. Both Air and Airs Knight gave liberally of their time and money to help to restore our officers to health, and Airs Knight and her family will have the sincere sympathy of officers in their bereave ment. The foregoing statement was made by the Prime Almister last night when his attention was drawn to the death of Air Knight. At the Wellington branch office of th« New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agcnij Company, a presentation of a silver tea service was made to Air F. F. Shalders on his retirement from the company on superannuation after 44 years of service Air Shalders joined the company at Oamaru in 1884, and in 1889 was transferred to Dunedin, and shortly afterwards to Wellington. For about 25 years Air Shalders has had charge of the wool de partmeut of the Wellington branch of the company, and has also acted as wool auctioneer.

A rapid tour of the North Island is at present being made by an octogenarian cattle breeder from the United States, Mr T. S. Cooper, who arrived at Wellington from San Francisco by the Makura. and who will return to the Un.ted States by that ship, sailing from Wellington on September 11. Mr Cooper, who is regarded as one of the leading breeders of Jersey cattle in the world, has been in business at “Linden Grove.” Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, for 54 years, and is carrying on the work started by his grandfather, who emigrated from Holland to the United States a century ago. The town of Coopersville was named in honour of the family. The progenitors of the famous stock bred by the Cooper family were imported from Jersey, and they have continued to import from that island and from Guernsey ever since.

A life full of interesting experiences was closed by the death on Monday of Mr George Ellis, of Mount Eden. He was in his ninety-first year. Mr Ellis was born in Flintshire, Wales, on November 21, 1837. In 1860 he went to Australia, and when the rush to the Otago goldfields started he was attracted to Dunedin. Later he was engineer on a steamer which brought him to the Mannkau, and he was there when H.M.S. Orpheus was wrecked ou the bar. His vessel (the Avon) was one of the earliest to arrive on the scene, and took a prominent part in the rescue of those of the crew of the Orpheus who survived. When the war was in progress the Avon was plying on the Waikato. Mr Ellis made the first compound steam engine in New Zealand, by the conversion of a single cylinder engine. His next venture was connected with a schooner named the Southern Cross, which he employed in the Ray of Plenty trade Soon after this Mr Ellis gave up the seafaring life, and established a brewery in Tauranga. Selling out at an early stage, he joined Mr Robjohns >n a brewery in Napier. There he entered into municipal life, and was a member of Napier’s first borough council. Parting with his Napier interests, he built a brewery in Hastings. Hero be was the prime mover in the formation ot the borough of Hastings, and war. for six rears its Mayor. At this stage of his career he became an owner of racehorses. and for some years owned a number of prominent horses. Finally, Mr Fllis disposed of his Hawke's Bar interests. and settled in Auckland, where he spent his later years. He was one of

the first to engage in the game of bowls in Now Zealand, and he was one of the eldest playing members on Auckland greens-