PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2454, 27 March 1901, Page 54

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Constable Latimer, one of the oldest hands stationed in Dunedin, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant, and will shortly take charge of the Mount Cook station. The Rev. Stanley S. Reid, formerly of Melbourne, who was appointed in 1899 to take charge of the Presbyterian Church at Boulder City, West Australia, proffered his services as chaplain to the West Australian Bushmen's contingent the same year, but there being no vacancy he enlisted ac a private and served in the ranks for 12 months, only returning to West Australia in December last. He has now been offered, and has accepted, a commission as lieutenant in the sixth West • Australian contingent, which leaves for South Africa at the end of the present month. The 7 Outlook state 3 that Mr James H. Todd, of the China Inland Mission, who has been residing in Dunedin for some time past, is about to remove to Chicago to take charge of the men's department in Moody' s Bible Institute in that ckyT Mr Todd be- ; came known to Mr Torry, the general superintendent, when studying there some years ago, and his appointment to the above position was wholly unsolicited. Lieutenant-colonel Francis has gone on a health tour in tho North Island, and expecis to fee absent two or three weeks. The Dunstan Times understands that Mr M. J. Staunton, postmaster at Clyde, has received notice of his transfer to Manaia. The Alexandra Herald reports the death of Mr James Swain, a very old resident o_f the district, who died in the Dunedin Hospital on Sunday last, after a short and sudden illness. Mr Swain w&s about 70 years of age, and had been a resident of the Dunstan and Alexandra districts since the early sixties. He was a man of a quiet and amiable disposition, and was well known in the neighbourhood, being highly respected by all with whom he came in contact. On the eve of his departure for the West Coast, Mr G. Cunningham^ late dredgemaster of the Chatto Creek dredge, was entertained by a number of his friends at the Bendigo Hotel, Alexandra. Mr Cunningham's health was toa&led, and he was presented with a case of pipes and a silver matchbox, as a small token of the esteem in which he is held by a large circle of friends in Alexandra. Mr Cunningham takes charge of the Erickson's Reward dredge on the West Coast. — Alexandra Herald. ' \ Mr R. B. Reynolds, who has been appointed letter-carrier at Milton, was, on Thursday morning, -the recipient of a hand,i»ome dressing case, and a case of pipes, sent to him by the members of the Dunedin Telegraph office. The transfer of Mr H. A. Green, late of Milton Post Office, to Tauranga, was cancelled on his arrival in Wellington (says the Bruce- Herald), and he received orders to proceed to Gisborne instead. | The services in First Church on Sunday ■ commemorated the fifty-third anniversary of the congregation and the province. In the morning the Rev. W. Hewitson, of Knox Church, occupied the pulpit. There was a large congregation, who listened attentively to a discourse on John iv, 34: "My meat is to do the will of Him that sen£ me, and to finish His The services in this church yesterday commemorated the fifty-third anniversary of the congregation and the province. In the morning the Rev. W. Hewitson, of Knox Church, occupied the pulpit. There was a large congregation, who listened attentively to a discourse on John iv, 3£: " My meat is to do the j will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work." Making his point of departure the enthusiasm of Christ in His Father's service, the preacher delivered a very practical sermon on the spirit in which Christian people ought to discharge the duties of their calling. In the evening the churcli was crowded. The Rev. James Gibb, minister of the congregation, filled the pulpit. The service throughout wa3 keyed to the anniversary idea. The singing was remarkably hearty, and the anthem, " Blessed be the name of the Lord," was sung by the choir with much tunefulness and expression. The sermon, which occupied 40 minutes in delivery, was listened to with a deep attention that never for an instant flagged. It was a word in season and every way worthy of the occasion. Altogether, the services of the day were a fitting celebration of the anniversary of a church whose beginning was synchronous with that of the provines itself, and many of whose membei-3 in the earlier days bore a conspicuous part in shaping the fortunes of the settlement in respect of its interests both sacred and seculav. Mr J. J. Ramsay has been requested by a number of ratepayers to become a candidate for election to fie City Council. The request is likely to be acceded to.

There i 3 a movenTent on foot to request Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., to allow himself to be nominated for the position of Mayor of Roslyn. Though Mr Mackenzie has nof served in the local Borough Council, some at least of the ratepayers consider that this would be no bar to his election if he consents to come forward.

Mr De Maus, the Mayor of Port Chalmers, has decided to offer himself for election lor a second term.

Mr Catherwood, who had been conducting the services in the Presbyterian Church at Winton for some months owing to the indisposition of the Rev. James Baird, was, on the eve of his departure a few days ago presented by the Christian Endeavour Society with a number of valuable books, and a kindred society at Limehills presented him with £5 for a similar purpose. His evangelistic services thioughout the district were generally appreciated, and it is hoped that much lasting good may be the result.

Constable Peter M'G. Murray, who has been court orderly fnr some time> has been promoted to the position of watchhouse keeper at the contra! station.

The Rev. D. M'Kee Wright has lesigned his pastorate of the Constable street Congregational Church, Wellington. Mr Alexander Wilkie, who was orderly clerk during the time the first contingent was in camp at Korori, and who returned from the front by the Orient, has been appointed to a clerkship in the Defence Office. Mr G. W. Brown, who was promoted to be a cadet in the telegraph office at Waima*e a month ago, has been trarsf erred to Wellington. The Waimate paper refers in commendatory terms to the excellent work clone by Mr Brown while he was in the Waimatc offico, and remarks that he is the yoxuigest operator ia the Government; employ. Mr

Brown belongs to Pitlmerston, and has a brother in the seventh contingent.

A wedding which created considerable interest at Waipawa was celebrated at Kaikora (Hawke's Bay) on Friday last, when the Rev. H. W. Johnson, minister for the laat 12 years of the Presbyterian charge of Waipawa, was married to Miss Lydia Ness, late of the North-East Valley, Dunedin. The Rev. J. Asher, of St. Paul's, Napier, performed the ceremony. •From a private letter received from South Africa, it is learned (says the Taranaki Herald) that Mr Bartrop, who left here as a trooper in the first contingent, and who joined the Orange Colony Military Police after the occupation of Bloemfontein, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant for services in the field, and is now the chief clerk in the Intelligence department at Bloemfontein, at a salary of £300 a year. Mr J. A. Hanan, M.H.R., who has had an effection of the throat which has given him considerable trouble, has returned to Invercargill from Dunedin (says the Southland News), after consulting 'Dr Lindo Ferguson. Dr Ferguson has advised Mr Hanan to undergo a course of treatment and to refrain as far as possible from public speaking for a period of 12 months, in which case he is of opinion the affected organs will be fully restored.