PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 58

PERSONAL ITEMS.

I The parish of Winton is moderating in a call to the Rev. Mr Fairmaid, of South Taieri. Dr J. B. Sale is relieving Dr Hall, senior house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, while the latter is away on vacation. Mr J. Allen. S.M. and Warden for Marlboroughj who is retiring on a pension, ha* been in -he service of the colony for 40 years. Mr Walter Raymond, the well-known English novelist, has passed through Melbourne on hia way to New Zealand. Mr Raymond intends spending some months in Otago with relatives, and will probably write a work on New Zealand life as the result of his visit. A pleasant ceremony took place m connection with the breaking-up proceedings at the Normal School. Mr W Gray, who for some years past has filled! the position of vice-principal, being about to sever his connection with the school, having received the appointment of rector of the Palmerston North District High School, was presented by the staff with a. handsomelybound set of Ruskin's works. The presentation was made by the principal cf the school (Mr D. R. White), who referred in sympathetic terms to the happy associations which had existed between himself and Mr Gray, and the good fellowship prevailing amongst Mr Gray and the other members of the staff. Mr White paid a glowing tribute to Mr Gray's abilities as a teacher and his qualities as a man. Mr Gray appropriatelythanked the staff for their kind and unexpected gift, and gave some wholesome advice to the pupils of the school. At a luter stag© in the proceedings Messrs Fraser ard Arnold testified to the general regret felfc at Mr Gray's approaching departure fiom their midst, and added their meed of praise to his high capabilities as a teacher. Colonel Chalmers, whose death occurred in London «\ the Bth inst., was the son of Mr J. J. Chalmers, of Aldbar Castle, Breohin, and was for many yeare proprietor of Mount Lin* on estate in the Western district of Southland. He joined the army in 1864, being then attached to the 42« d Highlanders (Black Watoli), but shortly afterwards he exchanged into the 79th (Cameron) Highlandtrs, with which regiment he wenfc through the Egyptian campaign of 1882, and was present; at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, for which he received the medal witk clasp and bronze star. Subsequently he went through, the Soudan campaign of 18S4-85, for which he received the Nile clasp. He w*a wounded at Koshek, and wae mentioned in despatches for his bravery there. Colcnel Chalmers retired on his pension in 18£6. He leaves a widow but no family. — Southland Times. Mr.s Griffin, proprietress of the Railway Hotel, Nightcaps, was a few days ago the recipient of a splendid coffee service, of oak and silver, suitably inscribed. The gift was from tlve creditors of her lafe husband, who received payment in full from Mrs Griffin for debts contracted by the latfc Michael Griffin when in business many year 3 ago. — Southland News. Prior to Cadet Curry's transfer from Balclutha to Dunedin on Wednesday last, he iec«hed a fine leather handbag from the local railway staff. Cadet J. Henderson, from Dimedin, succeed* Cadet Curry. The Education Board's senior relieving teacher, Mr Walter Eudey, lias been appointed first ma^tor of the Tapanui j~ngh School. The school will open with a staff of four teachers, of which one has yet to be appointed. Mr Harry M'Yey. who has foi some time been connected with the machinery »ection of Messrs Tothill, Watson, and Co.'s business, Invercargill, has been promoted to the charge of that firm's Dunedin businpss. At Nelson the other day Mr Robert Kaye. who recently retired from the Post and Telegraph Department, was the recipient of a handsome gold watch chain, with Masonic pendant, and a sterling silver matchbox from his fellow employees and pobtraasters throughout the district. Mr Kayc is a native of Glasgow, and arrived in Otago in the shin Palmyra in February, 1858. He joined the Post Office at Dunedin in 1860. and lias held high positions in the Post Offices at Dunedin. Invercargill, Christchurch. New Plymouth, Auckland, Westport, Timaru, aud Nelson, besides being for over four years mail agent on the opening of the San Francisco service. His Honor Mr Justice Williams on Friday admitted Mr Colin Campbell Hutton, M A., LL.B.^ as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court Mr W. S. Park, of Queen street, has received notice from the regiMrai* of the Uuiversity of New Zealand that he has passed both sections of the solicitor*, final examination. Mr C. P. M'Glashan, bandmaster of tl»e Mosgiel Brass Band, was presented by the members with a traveller's companion as a recognition of his abilities as a .conductor. Much of the band's success at the recent contest is attributed to Mr M'Glashan's tuition. Mr J. S. Fleming has been elected (unopposed) a trustee for the Otakia Drainage Board. Victoria College (say« the Wellington Post) is to be congratulated on having secured a gentleman of high qualifications for the position of Professor of Modern Langur.ges. The selected candidate is Mr G. W. yon Zedlitz, M.A., who is at present formmaster of the Lower Fifth at Loretto School, m Musselbm-gh, Scotland. The salary is £500 per annum. ■ — Iron is said to have been melted inf. five seconds in a recent experiment carried out by Mr Louis Dreyfus at Mi T. A. Edison's laboratoiy, at Oiange, NJ. Mr Dreyfus represented the GokUchmidt ChemicalThermo Industrie, of Essen, Germany. He covered an iron wrench in a crucible with a secret composition and idded a small quantity of powdered aluminium. The wrench, which was 6in long jnd gin thick, was melted in five seconds aftei the mixture was set on fire, the temperature being estimated at 3000deg Cent. The process is suggested at> being applicable t« the melting