PERSONAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23222, 21 June 1937, Page 10

PERSONAL

Ministerial

Cabled advice was received by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) that the Prime Minister (Mr M. J. Savage) will leave Southampton by the Rangitata on June 24, and expects to arrive in New Zealand on July 28. The Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) will probably leave a few days earlier in order to visit New York and? Washington to discuss with members of the United States Government various matters of importance to the Dominion. He intends to catch the Mataroa at Panama, arriving at Auckland about August 12. > The Postmaster-general (Mr F. Jones) will leave Wellington on Wednesday, and will, perform the ceremonv of laying , the foundation stone of the new, post office at Thames on Thursday. He will travel to Auckland on Friday, and will take part in the inauguration of the Auckland-Wellington air service on the following day, when he will fly back to Wellington.

Mr O. L. Ferens, secretary of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association, left for Wellington on Saturday to attend the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association.

Dr D. G. Macpherson. of London, is visiting Invercargill. Dr Macpherson is well known as one of a great Rugby trio of 30 years ago, as he, with Mr Colin Gilray and Mr Alan Adams, constituted the brilliant three-quarter line fielded by the Otago University and Otago teams of the day. The Macpher-son-Adams-Gilray line was known throughout New Zealand and also in Sydney. Later Dr Macpherson and Mr Gilray both represented Scotland on the Rugby field, and Mr Adams, who is one of the present-day New Zealand selectors, represented Otago and the South Island. In 1905 Dr Macpherson was a member of the first Otago University team to visit Sydney. The Union Airways liner Karoro left the Taieri airport at 8.15 a.m. on Saturday for Christchurch, Blenheim, and Palrnerston North with Messrs T. Richards, L. Bolton Moss, and J. Evans for Wellington and Mr J. W. Dove for Palrnerston North. The Kotuku arrived from the north at 1 p.m. on Saturday with Messrs E. J. Rishworth, H. L. Longbottom, and L. Dykes from Christchurch. The Kotuku left the Taieri airport again at 8.15 a.m. yesterday for Christchurch, Blenheim, and Palrnerston North with Mr J. F. Spellman for Blenheim and Mr B. Whittingham for Palrnerston North. The Korimako arrived from the north at 1.25 p.m. with Mr A. Turner from Palrnerston North; Mr P. A. Watt from Blenheim, and Mr R. C. Kean from Christchurch.

Mr Andrew Liddell, who journeyed from Wanganui to spend his ninety-fifth birthday in Temuka with his son and daughter-in-law. Mr and Mrs J. Liddell. was one of the earliest settlers in Otago, having arrived at Port Chalmers in the Palmyra in February, 1858. He was born in Paisley, Scotland, where he served his apprenticeship as a saddler and harness-maker, but as there were only a few horses in either Port Chalmers or Dunedin when he arrived, he went to Gabriel's Gully, where he was employed at bullockdriving. He was in that locality at the time of the gold rush in 1861. and he still has the souvenir of the jubilee which was presented to him at the Gabriel's Gully celebrations. He was. initiated into the 1.0.0. F. Lodge in 1866, and has been a member of the Order ever since, having 71 years of active service to his credit. At one time he was Provincial Grand Master of the Loyal Nelson Lodge, and is the oldest member of the lodge who has held that office in the Dominion. After spending some time on the Otago goldfields he followed his trade as a saddler in Auckland, Westland, Nelson, Christchurch and Winton, making his home at the last-named place. Despite his great age, Mr Liddell is still hale and hearty. He was married in 1872. and his wife pre-deceased him in 1918. He has four sons, three daughters. 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchil-dren.