PERSONAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21688, 5 July 1932, Page 8

PERSONAL

A Wellington Press Association telegram announces that Mr E. J. Gumming, commissioner of taxes, will retire on superannuation at the end of August. The members of the Wellington Association football team, accompanied by the manager, Mr W. Fraser, left on their return to the north yesterday morning. Messrs E. H. Murney (Tapanui), C. R. Sheat (Milton). J. Preston (Waikouaiti), I. D. Revie (Crookston), and A. C. Cameron (Dunedin) will leave by the mid-day express for the north this morning, en route to Wellington, where they will represent the Otago Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at the Dominion Conference. The membei's of the football, hockey, lawn tennis, boxing, basket ball, and swimming teams of the Christchurch Training College, which will take part in the annual Training College tournament to be commenced here this morning, arrived in Dunedin by the express from the north yesterday evening. They were later entertained at a social at Allen Hall. Mr F. Castle has been re-elected chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board. Tributes to the valuable work done by Mr Castle during his previous term as chairman were paid by members of the board. In returning thanks for his re-election, Mr Castle said the past few years had been somewhat contentious and the worn had been difficult. New conditions had arisen and had to be met. Mr E. F. Duthie, who recently retired from the position of secretary of the Otago A. and P. Society, was the guest, yesterday afternoon, of the members of the Executive Committee of the Otago Motor Club, who met to express appreciation of Mr Duthic’s services to the club, more particularly in respect of his assistance during the formation of a motor camp at Tahuna Park. In handing Mr Duthie a pipe and a tobacco pouch, the president (Mr J. L. Passmore) said that the club was deeply indebted to Mr Duthie, as when the motor camp was established in 1926 it was largely due. to his advice and assistance that the project proved such an outstanding success. The club would miss him, and he thought he could say, without casting any reflection on the society’s past or future secretaries that his retirement would be an irreparable loss to that body. On behalf of the club he wished Mr Duthie many years of happy retirement. Mr P. W. Curtis, chairman of the Camp Committee, supported Mr Passmore’s remarks, and Mr Duthie briefly replied. Mr John Knox, who has held the position of accountant in the Dunedin establishment of Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., during the period of 17 years since this firm took over the business previously carried on by Messrs Ferguson and Mitchell, retired from this office last week. As a mark of appreciation of his services the directors of the firm handed Mr Knox a substantial cheque, and Thursday evening last was the occasion of a presentation by members of the staff, on whose behalf Mr Whitcombe asked the acceptance by Mr Knox of a handsome piece of furniture. Mr Whiteombe’s remarks with regard to the value of Mr Knox’s services were warmly supported by Mr F. W. Mitchell, formerly one of the principals of the firm’ of. Ferguson and Mitchell, who was associated with Mr Knox for nearly 30 years prior ,-to the acquisition of the business by' Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs. Over 60 clients of the Bank of Australasia and pei’sonal friends assembled at Gisborne last week to bid farewell to Mr H. I, Thodey, who has been promoted to the highest position .in the service of the bank in New Zealand—that of senior inspector—and who leaves Gisborne in a few days to make his home in Wellington. Under the chairmanship of the Deputy Mayor, .Mr H. B. Maude, the. gathering wag of a very congenial nature, and many warm tributes were paid to the business abilities and sportsmanship of the departing Gisborne manager of the bank . who was presented by the clients of the institution with a handsome canteen of cutlery, bearing a suitable inscription. • Giving to health reasons, Mr R. Gy Scott, manager of the Gore branch of the Bank of New Zealand, has been granted sick leave, and has left for the north. It is possible that Mr Scott may retire from the service, with which he has been connected for nearly 33 years. He joined the bank at Dunedin in 1899, and after five years was transferred to the North Island, where he spent 11 years in the service at New Plymouth, Bulls, Raetihi, and Wellington. He was then appointed to Timaru, and was subsequently assistant accountant at Dunedin for six years. From there he was appointed manager at Waimate, afterwards going to Gore as manager. Mr Scott has been a prominent golfer. In 1908 he won the New Plymouth championship and the open championship of Taranaki.* In 1922 he won the Otago Golf Club’s championship. Mr Jamea Hunter, of Invercargill is temporarily in charge at Gore.