PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 58

PERSONAL ITEMS.

The appointment of Mr John Bushell as deputy-regjistrar of births, deaths, and marriages in the Mount Benger district is gazetted.

Mr ' John Davica, formerly general manager of tho Government railways of Western Australia, has been appointed general manager of the Midland and South-Western Junction railway. The moderates have nominated Messrs J. M'Gregor, W. Milne, G. Miller, A. Carter, and J. Sinclair for seats on the Waitaki Licensing Committee. The first four are present members. >■ Mr Arnold, M.H.R., was guilty in Christ- | church" at the mission meeting on Friday .•evening of a fearful "bull." He spoke of ja" man' "standing alone with twelve other j men around him."

Mr .James Thompson, lately stationmaster at Oamaru, -was presented on th© occasion of his promotion to Port Chalmers upper station with a token of esteem in the snap© of a handsome dressing case. Amongst the " visitors in the colony at present is Mr Seymour Wilson, of San Francisco, whose mission is to buy gold. Madame Melba is said to have netted about £3000 by her visit to New Zealand. She received a fee of £500 for each of her concerts in the four chief centres, and £300 for each of the concerts in Wanganui and New Plymouth. Two concerts wore given in Auckland.

Mr S. C. Phillips, ex-gaoler at Dunedin, left on the 3rd inst. for a trip to the Home Country. Mr Phillips, who is accompanied by Mrs Phillips, will return to Dunedin before the end jf the year. It is understood that Milton'c old and respected stationmaster. Mr Gibb, who has been connected with the New Zealand Railway Department for many years, has applied to the Government for permission to retire from the railway service on his pension.

Mr E. M. Moss, lat-i owner and master of the ferry steamer Tarewai, whose funeral took place at the Southern Oemeterj on the 3rd (Tuesday), was the son of a Congregational minister in the neighbourhood of London. After serving an apprenticeship to tho engineering he came out to Australia in the early sixties, thence on to this colony, taking part in the Maori War under the redoubtable Yon Tcmpsky, and afterwards under Colonel Whitmore. For some years he was engineer of one of the Harbour Board dredges here. About 12 or 14 years ago he started the Portobello-Port Chalmers ferry, ' and for the past few .years kept it going under very adverse circumstances. Portobello residents will always remember his indomitable pluck and energy, hia ever readiness to cross the harbour at all hours, night or day, for medical attendance. With school picnics, church socials, etc., he was ever generous and obliging. For the last 12 -months or ..so illhealth kept him at home, his son taking his place on the steamer. 'He leaves a widow and two young children, his family by his first wife being all grown up and settled. The friends of -Mr Andrew Blair, Abbotsford, Green Island, will be glad to learn that he .has successfully passed his examination for master's certificate'' at Glasgow.

A Wellington telegram states that the Misses Rawson, daughters of Sir Henry Rawson, Governor of New South Wales, arrived there yesterday by the Moeraki on a visit to New Zealand.

There were two omissions- in the telegraphed list of Otago candidates who passed the junior civil service examination— namely, No. 108 William James Craig, and No. 270 Robert Robertson. Both are of Palmerstcn, and this fact no doubt misled the compiler of the telegram in Wellington, who doubtless concluded that Palmerston North was meant.

Miss Honora Kelly, of Dunedin, passed the junior civil service examination. Her name was omitted from the telegraphed list. The friends of Mr E. G. Allen, M.H.R., will regret to hear that he has been confined to his house for the last few days by a sharp attack of influenza. He is now, howe- er, slightly better, and hopes to be about again in the courst of the next few days.

The death is announced by cable of Mr John H. Shorthouse, the -well-known author of " John Inglesant," " Sir Percival," etc. He was 69 years of age.

*^The borough valuation roll for Timaru is now complete. Since the last valuation the capital value has increased from £189,821 to £866.812, the unimoroved value from £80,075 to £324,393, and the value of improvements from £101,749 to £542,219. According to calculatioas by the Timaru Herald the actual cost of running the harbour last year, and providing interest, works out at an average of about 3s 9£d per ton on the quantity of goods landed and shipped. The railways cannot comrjeto with