PERSONAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24483, 17 December 1940, Page 8

PERSONAL

Mr C. M. Bruce left for Oamaru yesterday to attend the wool appraisement there.

Lieutenant-colonel A. S. Bruce Smith, commander of the Southern Division of the Home Guard, travelled to Oamaru yesterday. ' Passengers who arrived by southbound airliner yesterday were Miss J. Buchanan, Mrs C. M. Gillies and Miss A. Gillies from Auckland, Mr W. R. Woods and Mrs W. R. Woods from Wellington, and Mr Smillie and Mr W. E. Cadwallader from Christchurch.

At last night’s meeting of the Otago Head Centre of the Royal Life Saving Society, the president (Mr H. H. Henderson) referred to the passing of Mr W. H. Matthews, who. over a long period of years, had been .closely associated with the life saving movement-in Dunedin. Through Mr Matthews’s death, Mr Henderson said. life saving had suffered a great loss. He had been one of the original life savers in Dunedin, and in the early days he had done much towards furthering the movement. On Mr Henderson’s motion fi resolution, of condolence with the relatives was carried in the customary manner. Cr H. L. Gibson, who has been chairman of the Transport Committee of the Dunedin City Council for the past three years, and is shortly to leave Dunedin to live in the North Island, was granted leave of absence until the end of the present council’s term of office at the council meeting last night. The Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) and other member's of the council paid a tribute to the conscientious, loyal and highly efficient manner in which Cr Gibson had presided over what was described as the most difficult task assigned to any committee of the council, and while regretting his departure from the city, they extended best wishes for his future happiness and wellbeing. At a meeting of the Board of Management of the Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland U.A.0.D.. fitting reference was made to the death of Past Grand President Bro. W, B. Ruston. He joined Otago Lodge. Dunedin, over 36 years ago, it was stated, and had been a keen Druid ever since. He transferred to Acorn Lodge. Invercargill, when he resided there, and on his return to Dunedin in 1915 he affiliated with Bay Lodge, of which he eventually became secretary, a post he held until his death. His enthusiasm and service were rewarded when he was elected a Grand Lodge representative, and he gradually rose through the minor offices until 1934, when he was elected Grand President. Immediately after he vacated‘this office in March, 1935, he made a visit to England,_ and was a member of the International Grand Lodge there.

At a meeting of St. David’s Presbyterian congregation, Christchurch, it was decided to extend a call to the Rev. D, D. MacLachlan, of Ashburton South. Mr MacLachlan was born in Scotland and educated at Glasgow. During the Great War he served as s radio operator in the Mercantile Marine at the age of 18, After coming to New Zealand he continued his education, in 1922. at the Otago University, Dunedin, and the Knox Theological Hall. During this period he was in charge of the Opoho Presbyterian Church. For six and a-half years he was stationed at Waikaka Valley, Gore, and in 1935 he was appointed to the Ashburton South Presbyterian charge, which has shown good progress, under his guidance. St. David's Church, to which Mr MacLachlan has been called, is one of the main Presbyterian churches of Christchurch. He succeeds the Rev. G, L. Taylor, who was also formerly stationed in Dunedin.