PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2677, 5 July 1905, Page 61

PERSONAL ITEMS.

At a meeting of the Clutha Presbytery, held at Milton on Tuesday, 27th mst., the Rev. George Budd, of Milburn, accepted a i,nanimous° call to Feilding. Tho members of Presbytery present spoke very appreciafvely of Mr Budd as a friend and minister and 'member of Presbytery. The R-ev. Mr Howes, of Waihola, was appointed Moderator of Milburn during the vacancy. Mr Duncan M'Grcgor has been appointed deputy-registrar of births. deaths, and marriages for tho Heriot district. Mr George Albert Williams has been appointed a Crown lands ranger for the laud district of Otago. Detective Benjamin, who has been stationed at New Plymouth for tlie last 12 mouths, will shortly' retire from the force on a pension of £123 9s lOd per annum, after 28 years' service. Profossor Peterson, whose term of office as Ormond professor of music expires in February. 1906, has been reappointed by tlie Council of the Melbourne University for a further period of five years. At the Amalgamated Society of Railway Sen-ants' social on Saturday evening advantage was taken of the opportunity to present Mr P. B. Nolan (signalman) with a substantial token of the esteem in which he is held by his fellow employees in the second division and friends and in return for the many services he has rendered them at various times. Mr Nolan is very well known by railway servants throughout almost the whole of the colony, and it would be a difficult matter indeed to find one who has done as much to advance the interests of the second division employees as he has done during a period extending over many years. The presentation, a graceful recognition of Mr Nolan's kindness, took the form of a handsome gold aberfc -and medal, suitably inscribed, the recipient being also presented with a silvermounted purse for Mrs Nolan. Mr Harry S. George has been appointed a member of the Berwick Domain Board in succession to Mr Robert Petrie, deceased.

An old Christohurch boy. Captain E. J. C. Stringer, son of Mr J. H. Stringer, who has been for some time past in the pilot service on the Chinese coast, has had some rough experiences in Blockade ranning. In a recent letter received by Mr J. H. Stringer, the captain states that one night, when about to leave Shanghai for Porb Arthur, he was informed by a Japanese agent that a cruiser was waiting for him outside, and that they would be captured to a certainty; but he did not start that night, afterwards successfully eluding the cruiser. On another occasion he was caught on a junk, along with several other juaks, but fortunately for them all the night came on dark and squally, and they managed /to slip away. Captain Stringer has had a large experience of the Chinese, Japanese, and Russian coasts, having served the C.S.A. Company for many years, afterwards piloting several ships of the American navy to different ports, Admiral Sterling sending him a very flatt&ring letter of thanks. It is understood bhat Captain Stringer has made up his mind to take a run over to Ncjv Zealand and see his relatives. Lieutenant, the Hon. A. M. Pv. Bingham, A D.C. to his Excellency the Governor, has received advice of his promotion to a captaincy. Captain Bingham's regiment is the Fifth Lanoers. The Rev. D. M'Kee- Wright was tendered a farewell social at Nelson on Tuesday night prior to his departure for Wellington to enter the ranks of journalism. Mr Harry Smith, of Smith and Smith, Dunedin and Wellington, who returned from an extended visit to the Old Country a few days ago, says that Mr Arthur Clutsain, at one time of Dunedin, is the foremost oi baliad composers in London, and publishers are anxious to receive his work. Mr James M. Peebles, of Glenavy, an esteemed Witness contributor, has had "A Tale of Maoriland"' accepted by the Sydney Mail for its Christinas Annual of 1905. We congratulate Mr Peebles on this recognition of his abilities as a writer of fiction. An Ashburton telegram states that Mr William Fitzgerald Watters, 8.A., first assistant at the Mornington School, Dunedin, has been appointed head master of the Ashburton High School. There were 33 applicants. Mr Leslie Irwin, of Mataura, has been appointed by tho New Zealand Alliance to under-ta-ke organising work in tlie Hawke's Bay district lor four months. A New. Plymouth message states that Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.R., is now pronounced out of immediate danger. The Dunstan Times states that at a meeting of the Ophir Medical Club on Saturday Dt Bau chop, of Port Chalmers, was appointed resident suigeon for that district, and will relieve Dv Mirarns, who has temporarily filled the position since Dr M'llroy's depaiture, at an early date Constable Quick hao been transferred from Dunedin to Invercargill. The Southland News states that Mr W. Paget Grale, who recently accepted the position of organist at Knox Church, has been appointed adjudicator at the musical competitions to be held m.der the auspices of the Invercargill Competitions Society. The following changes have been made in lha Police Force — Sergeant Lyoiis. of Dunedin, transferred to Wellington, and Sergeant Pardy, of Chriptchurch (son of a former inspector of pclice), transferred to Dunedin. Plain-clothes Constable M'Leod, of Wellington, transferred to Dunedin to do duty as an acting detective, and Detective Bodham, formerly of Dunedin end latterly of Wellington, transferred to Now Plymouth in place oi Detective Benjamin, who retires on a pension.

Mr Hariison, at present fourth assistant in the Caversham Sciioo., has been appointed first assistant st ihe Palnicrston High School, vice Mr Grant, who goes to Feildirtg. At a special meeting of the Oxitram School Committee held on Friday it was decided to recommend Mr W. J. Strong, at present second assistant in the High Street Scqool, for appointment as head master at th« Outram School, in success-ion to Mr White. The Rev. G. G. Howes, who recently accepted a call from the congregation oi the North Chatton Presbyterian Chinch, was oi darned on Wednesday last, when the induction ceremony also took place. The Bnice Herald stales that Mr R. Peattio MA., will be a candidate for the Otego Education Board at the forthcoming ©lection.

News of the death of Mrs T. W. Whitson, wife of the secretary of the Union Steam Ship Com|»any, will be received with regret by a wide circle oi friends. On Sunday, 4th inst., when the streets were slippery with ice and snow, Mrs Whitson slipped and fell, sustaining a sev«r-e strain. Nothing serious was at first anticitiatod. but th* tJa™\ broueht about

complications, and she died on Thursday-night at her residence in George stieet. The deceased lady will be greatly missed amongst the poor, as she was not on!y an indefatigable but unostentatious worker, but her warm sympathy and cheerful disposition made her a welcome visitor. To Mr Whitson and the family general sjmpathy will be extended at their irreparable loss>.

The New Zealand Herald says- — '"A church meeting at Waipu unanimously decided to present a call to the Rev. Mr Fraser, of Edendale, at the next Presbytery meeting. "

The Rev. R. A. Woodthcrne, who has accepted the popitiot. of warden of Selwyn College, Dunedin, takes up his new duties ai tho beginning of September. An Auckland message leports .<he death of Captain Fisher, signalman at Auckland*, and formerly master of the barques Looiigana and Bella Mary.

Miss Amy Murphy has been engaged to sing at the opening of Ihe new Opera House in Palmerston North. Miss Murphy leaves this week for Wellington, where she is to take the name pa.rt in " Dorothy," given by the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. The Rev. Mr Fairmaid has a Bible class in the Outram Societies' Hall every Wednesday night for grown-up lads and girls, whichi is 'well attended, and as the Misses White (2), of Outram, who are members of the Bible class, w*ll be leaving Outram shortly for Duaedm, the class gave them a social on Wednesday night last, and presented each with a. valuable Bible, well-bound and nicely got up and suitably inscribed. The ladies provided tea and cake. There were about 40 members of the Bible class present, and a-s each had the pleasure of inviting a friend there was a very nice and sociable gathering in honour of the Misses White, and all spent a veiy pleasant evening. An Otago Central correspondent writes: — A very pleasant gathering was held in Mr M'Rae'i Hall, Ophir, on Thursday evening, 2Dth ult., to entertain Mr Bmley, who has been for some time a resident of the place, being cad-et in the local post office. The chiir was occupied by Mr W. B. Hawson, supported on his right by the guest of the evening, and on his left by Mr J. Holt, the postmaster. Although the notice had been short, Host and Hostess M'Eae had an excellent spread, and the gathering was a most enjoyable one. Speeches were made by Messrs W. B. Hawson, J. Pitches, J. M'Knight, E. Taggart, W. J. Williams, J. J. Ramsay, and J. Holt, all of whom bore testimony to Mr Binley's uniform courtesy and strict attention to duty. Mr Holt contributed a song and Mr Ramsay a recitation. Quite a long toast list was gone through. A new toast was introduced — namely, "The Rabbi) Industry. '