PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 65

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr P. L. Campbell, teller in the Gore branch of the Bank of New South Wales, has received notice of his transfer and promotion to Invercargill. He will be sucoeeded by Mr Hunt, of the Lawrence office. Mr J. A. Raynes, who resigned from the police force while stationed at Balclutha on July 18, 1903, was on December 1 readmitted to the force. During the interval he has been managing a hotel at Dargaville, Northern Wairoa.

Captain Richards, assistant inspector of mines, West Coa&t district, is making a tour of inspection throughout Otago. The Wairarapa Daily Times states that th-..- Rev. A. D. Thomson, Presbyteriai minister, of Martmborougli, will shortly rerign in order to proceed to Canada. Miss Woods, A.T.C.L., who intends to proceed to London to prosecute her musical studies, was met by the choir oi St. Patrick's Church, Lawrence, on Monday evening, ,when she was presented with a ve-ry artistic and handsome greenstone bangle, and a beautiful embossed silver case for cartes de visite. The presentation was made by the Rey. Monsignor O'Leary, and was acknowledged by Mr J. J. Woods. A re-mark that fell from Mr Gilfedder, formerly member for Wallace, at the railway meeting on Tuesday night, indicates that he may be a candidate for political honours at n&xt. elections. When his name was proposed as a member of the executive of. the league Mr Gilfedder said: "Well, I don't know. I think I will be electioneering next y^ar."

Miss Patterson, of Blue Spur, has been recommended by the Pukeuri School Committee for appointment in succession to Miss Walton.

Sir A. J. Cadman, Speaker of the Legislative Council, is seriously ill. Mr W. Gray, M.A., chief inspector to the Wanganui Education Board, le-ft Wellington on Thursday for Auckland to catch the San Francisco mail steamer. Mr Gray has three" months' leave, and is going to America to make a thorough study^of educational methods in the United States and Canada, especially as regards the primary school syitems. He will also visit the chief training colleges and technical schools. • Dr A. Nolan Fell and his brother, Mr C. R. Fell, LL.B., are expected to arrive in Nelson in a few days. Dr Fell will spend a six months' holiday in the colony, and then returns to the Old Country to fulfil an engagement in one of the large city infirmaries in the Old Country.

Mr G. A. Simmers, head master of the Timaru High School, has been granted six months' leave of absence on account of his health. He will leave for England by the Turakina on Thursday next. If his health permits, Mr Simmers will study educational matters in England and America. Mr H. Valentine, clerk at the Balclutha Railway Station, has been transferred to Cattle Yards, and the vacancy at Balclutha will be filled by Mr R. Griffith, of Port Chalmers. Mr A. M-. Pratt, cadet at the Palmerston Railway Station, has been transferred to the Railway Telegraph Office in Jhmediri. ££c will be succeeded by Mr T. v. "'(Cameron. At Waimate on Wednesday evening Miss Wilson, of Dunedin, was presented with a silver-back brush and comb in case by the members of the senior cookery class at the Technical School.

Mr Clement Wragge (formerly meteorologist for the Queensland Government) and Mrs Wra-gge were passengers by ftie Corinthie, which left Wellington for London last week.

District Judge Haselden will commence on Judge "Ward's circuit on January 5, the date of the commencement of Judge Ward's leave. His first sitting will be on January 12, at Westport, where he was formerly a solicitor

Messenger M. Sehaab, of the Timaru Post Office, Timaru, who has been transferred on promotion to Gore, was Ihe recipient of a couple of presentations the other- morning — a travelling bag from the operators, and a set of well-mounted brushes from the messengers.

The appointment of Mr Howell Young Widdowson as a stipendiary magistrate was gazetted last week. The appointment dates from January 1, 1905. The Rev. A. W. H. Compton, M.A., of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, at present vicar of the Wanganui parochial district, has accepted the appointment of chaplain, and mathematical master at Wanganui College.

Miss Lucy Beckingsale, of Herbert, has been appointed from a large number of applicants to the vacancy on the teaching staff of the Wanganui Girls' College.

Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., has accepted the magistracy of the Christeimrch and Lyttelton districts, and his appointment will take effect from January 1. 1905. At the present time Mr Bishop is in the Nelson province for the purpose of holding Native Land Courts, and he does not expect to return to Christchurch until a date well on in January.

Sergeant Hyan, who has been transferred from the Addington district to Dunedin — which will now for the first time for some years have its proper complement of police sergeants, — was entertained at a farewelh gathering on Saturday, when Mrs Ryan was presented with a purse of sovereigns. The si-rgeant's comrades in Christchurch presented ■him with a travelling portmanteaux and an umbrella, and presented Mrs Ryan with a gold brooch.

The death is announced of Mr Spencer Charrington, M.P. ; aged 86 years. Deceased represented Tower Hamlets in the Conservative interest for nearly 20 years.

Our Auckland correspondent wires that Mr Robert Alexander M'Cullough, who has been appointed chief mathematical master at the Boys' High School, Dunedin, is an Auckland boy He took a Rawlings scholarship in 1883, and entered the Auckland Grammar School. These scholarships are given under the will of the late Mr Henry Rawlings to children of Eoor parents only. Having thus started on ts educational career, Mr M'Cullough took a senior district =cholar&hip a college senior scholarship, and a college entrajice scholarship, enabling him to pass on to the Auckland University College, where he graduated B.A. in 1895 and M.A. with second class henours in 1900. After taking his first degree he went on tha teaching staff at King's College, and in 1897 he was appointed a junior master in the Auckland Grammar School, where he is now assistant master.

A Nelson telegram states that Mr Htigh Calders, a veteran post office official, for several years poglmaster at Kelson and m the West Coast service in the ear.y day&, died on Wednesday at the a.ge of 36. Deceased retired about two years ago.

The success of the pupils of the Dominican Convent School in the musical examinations has been very marked. Miss Myra Montsgu xron tie Associated Board's gold medal this

J year for the highest marks for pianoforte ! playing for the whole of the colony, her score ! of 144 out of a possible 150 being the highest yet awarded in New Zealand for the advanced grade. This young lady also won the gold medal two years ago in the intermediate grade with 135 points out of 150. Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs: — Professor Henderson, of Adelaide, who is engaged by a London publishing house in connection with a work on Sir George Grey's life and wcrk, has arrived here, and will spend some weeks in searching New Zealand records bearing on that subject. Major-general Babington, Commandant of, j the New Zealand Forces, arrived in Dmiedm by the express from the north on Friday evening. Mr Adam Scott, who lately received promotion in the railway service, being transferred to Oamaru, was entertained at a pleasant social by the Mosgiel Gymnastic and Athletic Club on Thursday evening. On behalf of the members, Mr Donald Reid, jun., M.H.E., presented Mr Scott with a valuable fish set and a case of four silver-mounted pipes as tokens of esteem and as a slight recognition of the successful work he had accomplished in connection with organising the club. Colonel Bauchop, officer commanding the Canterbury Volunteer District, arrived in Port Chalmers on Saturday evening on a short visit home. Mr R. Heaton Rhodes, M.H.R. for Ellesmere was a passenger by the through express from Christchurch on Saturday evening. Mr""A. L. Herdman, M.H.R.. for Mount Ida district, left Wellington on Monday, with the intention of going through the elector-ate and speaking at some of the places at which he did not speak when he last visited the district. He will speak at Georgetown on the 21st, and will then proceed through the Waitaki portion of the electorate into the Hawea district via Lindis Pass, then into the Maniototo district, speaking at the various centres, and concluding at Naseby on the 4th prox. Mr A. D. Lubecki, of Auckland, is at present on a visit to Dunedin. and is staying at the Grand Hotel. 1 A Melbourne cable announces the death of . the Hon. William Shiels, an ex-Premier. Born in Ireland, the deceased, while a child, reached Victoria with liis parents, ancl was educated at the Scotch College and Melbourne University, where he graduated M.A., LL.B. He was admitted to the Bar in 1873. Three years later he was elected to the Victorian Parliament. He won ponie reputation in connection w..th his change in the divorce law extending the nights of women in the matter of divorce. By tactful conduct, in the face of much opposition, he induced the Salisbury Government, during his mission to London in 1890, to advise Queen Victoria to assent to the* measure. He became Attorney-general and Minister of Railways in the Munro Ministry, and when Mr Munro resigned jn 1892 he reconstructed the Ministry and becatne Premier and Treasurer. He joined the Irvine Ministry, and was for a brief period a member

of the Bent Ministry, but retired on account of his health giving way.