PERSONAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24505, 14 January 1941, Page 6

PERSONAL

Ministerial The Minister of Agriculture, Mr W. Lee Martin, whose resignation from the Cabinet was announced to a recent caucus of the Government party, does not intend to contest the Raglan seat at the next general election. His health has been unsatisfactory for over a year, and during about four months of that period he was obliged to give up active Ministerial work. Though his health appears to be improving, Mr Lee Martin acted on medical advice in deciding to withdraw from active politics. The Minister of Finance, Mr W. Nash, and the Minister of Mines,. Mr P. C. Webb, are at present visiting the West Coast. Yesterday they inspected mining, farming and Public Works operations, and were entertained at various small functions by supporters of the Labour Party. Dr Marshall Macdonald, who has. been fishing on the Mataura river, was a passenger for Wellington by the through express from Invercargill yesterday. Brigadier 0. H. Mead, officer commanding the Southern Military District, arrived in Dunedin yesterday morning to inspect the Territorial camps at Forbury and Wingatui. He will leave for the north this morning. Mr Arthur Deans, who has been transferred from the Public Works Department to the Commerce and Industries Department, left by the express yesterday morning for Wellington, where he will- take up his new position. Mr W.i J. Morrell, chancellor of the University of Otago, and Dr R. J. T. Bell left by the through express yesterday for Auckland to attend the annual meeting of the Senate of the University of New Zealand. Passengers by the southbound airliner yesterday were Mrs M. A. Scobie from Auckland, Mr and Mrs H. W. Hoare, Miss F. Scarfe and Mrs E. M. Easter from Wellington, and Mr H. A. Beauchamp, Mrs H. Kirkpatrick, Miss M. Gardner and Miss A. Williamson from Christchurch. The promotion of Squadron Leader Eric William Whitley, D.F.C., to the rank of wing commander has been announced. Wing Commander Whitley, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross at the end of July, is a son of Mr and Mrs C. Whitley, of Remuera, Auckland. He left New Zealand 10 years ago with a short service commission in the Royal Air Force and received his initial flying training in Egypt. After being posted for a time to a squadron in Iraq he served in a number of Air Force stations in England and was selected for training at the Central Flying School with an extended commission, later doing instructional work. Shortly after the outbreak of war he was posted to command a squadron in Scotland and lately has been engaged in Ireland.