PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 30

PERSONAL ITEMS.

i ♦ — L ' The Clutha Leader understands that Mr Bannerman, headmaster of the Ratanui 1 School, contemplates retiring on superan1 nuation and going in for poultry-farming in the district. ! Mr William Adams, an old settler of the Wairarapa, died at his residence, Master- > ton, last week, at the age of 81 years. ; Deceased was a native of Belfast, Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand about 60 veare 1 ago, being then a soldier in the 56th Regiment;. Mr Alex. S. Malcolm, M.H.R. for Clutha, will be a' -candidate for a seat on the Education Board. He will stand for one of the three seats allotted to the Southern Ward. f He has had many years experience as a teacher in country fichools, and should therefore be well acquainted with the needs and requirements of country schools. An Auckland telegram states that the Rev. H. H. Lawry. a well-known 2kfetKodist minister, died on the Bth inst., aged 85 years. A Gisborne telegram states that Mr Herries, M.H.R., and Mr W. Lissant Clayton, who was Opposition candidate for Waiapu at the recent elections, were entertained at a very successful social gathering. The death is announced on the Bth inst. of Mts T. Dick, widow of the late Hon. Thomas Dick. The deceased lady, who was widely known and esteemed, was'for many years one of the leading members of the W.C.T.U. Mr Robert B. Wilson, well known a few years ago as an extensive wool-buyer in North Otago,' died on the 7th inst.. in his sixty-sixth' year. He came to Otago in 1879 with his family. j and was for some years engaged as manager of the fellmongery at Kakanui, established in connection with the boiling down -works, which, in those days, was the only mode of disposing of surplus sheep. He afterwards ■ commenced business on his own account in Oamaru as a wool buyeif. Some nine years ago he removed to Dunedin, and has since been connected with the wool and grain business of Messrs D. Reid and Co. His wife predeceased him by about 20 years. He loaves a large family "now scattered throughout the wcrld. One of the sons, Mr Andrew Wilson, is manager of one of the departments in Timaru of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-opera-tive Association. ; " Mr Wm. Lindsay, farmer, of West Taieri, left on the Bth by the s.s. Manuka to join the Rimutaka at Wellington, en route for the Old Country. , Miss F. Bonnin, who has been in charge of the infant department of the Heriot school for the last three years, was on Friday, 4th inst., entertained at a farewell social, and presented with a handsome gold watch by the lesidents of the district. Complimentary references were made to Miss Bonnin's work both in and out of the school, and the large gathering all joined in wishing her every success in her new sphere at Tahaiika school. Mr T M'Cracken, who for several years owned and edited the Cromwell Argus, and who was also a well-known sharebroker in Dunedin, has .purchased the Wairarapa Standard, published at Greytown. The new proprietor entered into possession of the Standard on Monday, 17tK inst. Michael Kennelly, who, after six or seven years' service, is leaving the employ of' Messrs A. Moritzon and Co., was on the 7th presented with a handsome travelling bag and a pair of gold sleeve links on the occasion of his de- J parture for Sydney, where ho is taking up a responsible position in connection with the wool and skin business. Mr Moritzson made ' the presentation in felecitous terms, and Mr Kennelly briefly responded. Mr J. O'Neil, who at one time held tlie position of senior traffic inspector of the Dun- ' edin Corporation tramways, and who was sent over to Fremantle in October of last year by Messrs Noyes Bros., contractors for the in- ; stalling of an electric tram system there, to take up the position of traffic superintendent on their behalf, has just returned to Dunedin. • The Fremantle tram system is one of 14 cars, < and seven pnd a-half miles of single track. ; The cars used are all of the combination type, ' and the service is far ahead of any others of the kind in Western Australia. Mr O'Neil had an opportunity of inspecting the different c ectric systems throughout Australia, but hi 3 opinion is pronounced on the point that none of them | can in any respect approach the Dunedin service. The climate in Western Australia is extremely trying, and during Mr O'Neil's sir months' residence there he never experienced even a drop of raiu. The unemployed element in Fremantle, which has a population of 22,000, is greater than in any two towns in New Zealand. Shipping accommodation there is splendid, and the wharves are supplied with electric cranes and with electric lighti supplied from the Tramway Board's power house. On leaving Fremantle Mr O'Neil was presented by thcse»connected with the tramway system with a gold locket and illuminated address, and at a farewell was highly spoken of as regards his qualifications by the mayor and other public men. Mr O'Neil is now taking a rest after a somewhat fatiguing period of work in a climate that is anything but conducive to the best of health. Mr Hewitson, the Moderator of the NorthEast Valley Presbyterian Church, has received a telegram from the Rev. H. B. Gray, M.A., of St. Andrews. Auckland, saying that he has accepted the call of the pastorate to the NorthEast Valley Church, and that he expects to ' leave Auckland on the 25th of next month. Mr J. J. Woods, who has occupied the position" of organist at St. Patrick's Church, Lawrence, has resigned that position. The Timaru Herald states that Mr M'Gregor, who was "recently in charge of the Dunedin Pipe Band, has undertaken to devote his attention to the formation of a band of pipers in ' Timaru. Major Keddell, S.M., was the victim of an unpleasant accident at Oamaru on Monday, ; 7th inst. As he was approaching his home his dog tripped him up in the dark, and he sustained some nasty cuts on the face, necessitat- } ing several stitches. He hopes to be about ' • again in a few days. j < Captain Trask, of Nelson, who has been ' - promoted to the position of adjutant in the '. Otago Volunteer district, was entertained by < the Wakatu Mounted Rifles last week, and i was presented with, a silver card-case for Mrs i Trask in recognition of her many services to I s the corps. ', Mr J. D.- Perrett, a well-known artist of ( Auckland, arrived in Wellington on Tuesday on his way south, where he will devote atten- i tion to the cold lakes and glaciers. It is ] understood that he has a commission to paint , i some pictures fot the New Zealand Exhibi- j 1 tion. > i By the mail of last week news was received s of the death in Scotland of Mrs Todd, relict ] of the late Rev. Alexander Todd, of Hampden. i Mr S. Crawshaw, engineer to the Oamaru 1 Borough Council, hss resigned his position, i Mr Crawshaw entered the service of the coun- i cil in iB6O as waterworks inspector, and ] he becams 'engineer in 1890. j An election to fill art extraordinary vacancy j in the Hawksbury Borough Council took place " on Thursday. The candidates were Messrs F. j H. Ward and T. Smith, and the former was 1 elected by a majority of 26 votes, the fieur<*9 ' being;— Ward, 94 votes; Smith, 6^ J[

The "Waitaliuna Horticultural Society has passed a resolution placing on record its high ; appreciation of the services rendered to the society by Constable West, and regretting hia departure from the district. Constable West is now sta-tioned in Eoslyn. ; Mr Cyril P- Brown, M.A.. v.ho recently attained his LL.B. degree, intends to practise ' as a barrister and solicitor at Port Chalmers. Mr Brown was educated at the Southland High School, whence he proceeded to the Otago 1 University. He obtained his legal training iri the office of Messrs Watson and Haggitt, of this city. — Southland News. i The MosgicT Baptist Chnrci 'cas unanimously invited the Rev. Robert Ings, a son ■ of Mr Win. Ings, of the Forbury, to tupp'y , J the pulpit for six months upon the Rev. F. • W. Boreham's departure next month. Mr i Boreham commences his ministry at Hobart Tabernacle on Sunday, July 1. We are informed that Mr James Beadle, jun., has decided to withdraw from the busi- '. ness of Mr Keith Ramsay, with which he las b2en associated for a period of nearly 39 years. , M' Beadle entered the service of the late , Mr Ramsay m A.igust, 1807, as a boy ay.cl 1 lias successive 2 ? occupied the positions cf clerk, accountant, and manager, and for the 1 past 16 years or so has had an interest in the piofits of the business- During this long period there was mutual respect and confidence bstween Mr Ramsay and Mr Beadle, and this was manifested up to the day of Mr Ramsay's death. Mr and Mrs A. C. Broad left on Thursday /or Sydney, where they join an Orient liner and proceed to the Old Country on a short visit. . The death occurred at TaraaVe, Hawke's Bay, on Monday, at the age of 73 years, of Mr John D. Busby. He was the eldest son of the late Mr James Busby, who was British Resident at the Bay of Islands until the arrival of Captain Hobion, the first Governor of New Zealand. Mr Harold Hercus, on the occasion of his leaving the service of Mr John Wilkinson, solicitor, for tlie purpose of taking up evan-g-elistk 1 work, was on Friday evening presnted by Mr Wilkinson and hja-offire employees with a handsome- Gladstone bag and Bruce rug as a token of the 'esteem in which he is he'd. Reiererue was made {o the eight years of service which Mr Hercus had rendered and of the best wishes 'for his future his fellow- , v.orkers had for him. Mr Hercus suitably ' responded. -He left for the south on Saturday. The Mount Tda Chronicle states that the Rev. Mr Neild does not intend to leave for his new charge in Mornington for about three ' months, in order to give the church auihoiities at Kaseby an opportunity to arrange for a suitable successor. Mr Jas. B. Scanlan, an old. resident of Milton, where he was a prominent figure in business, died rathei suddenly on Sunday while attending mass at the local Catholic Church. Mr Scanlan, who was 63 years of age, had been ailing for some weeks, having suffered fiom an affection of the heart. The deceased was born in the county of Limerick, Ireland, and after _ leaving school worked on his father's farm until 1861, when he emigrated to Melbourne in the ship Red Jacket. He was mining at the Jordan diggings, and at Walahalla, in Gippsland, and was very successful at first, but his luck afterwards do- j serted him. About 1866 he came over to Hoki- j tika, and was interested in the Auckland I^sad claim/which proved very rich. Mr Scanian took part in the " rush" to Orepuki, but did not meet with great success in that venture. ' He settled in Milton in 1869, and after working on Miller's Flat started business as a woolscourer and fellmonger with Mr John ' Tobia. Ere long Mr Scantau became Pole pioprietor, and continued to fo'low the occupation. The deceased was a. large shipper of wool to London, and for many j r ears he also carried on farming pursuits, having acquired the Louisville Grange and Heiensbrook farms. Mr Scanlan took an active interest in muni- \ . cipal matters, aiid was Mayor of Milton for '. 1 two years in succession. He also identified > himself with the wooilen and pottery in- ( J dustries in Milton, and was a director of the ( j Woollen Company from its inception. In 1878 I the deceased married a daughter of Mr Kcogh, \ i County Ki'kcjmy. Ireland, and he is survived j iby his widow, four sons, and one daughter, i Though Mr Scan'an's death was sudden, there was time to administer the last rites of the church before he passed away. x Mr Jas. Christie, who took oveT the Bruce i Herald on the Bth inst., was presented with a i travelling bag on Thursday night as a token t of the esteem and good wishes of his friends ' in Balclutha. On behalf of the Clutha Leader < staff he was presented with a gold-mounted i fountain pen. ! The boys of the Waitaki High School on Thursday presented Mr W. G. Don with a handsome marble clock as a token of the esteem which ho had won while teaching in the school during the indisposition of Dr Don. Mr W. G. Grave, the senior assistant, testified to the good relations that had existed between the members of the staff and Mr Don, and the presentation was conveyed to the recipient by two of the boys. Mr Don replied, testifying his appreciation of the presentation and to the pleasant time he had spent at the Waitaki School. Satisfaction was generally expressed that Dr Don would probably take up his work again next term. Professor Sale was on Monday re-elected by the Council of the Otago University to represent that body on the Senate of the University of New Zealand. A London message advises the death of Lord Currie, at the age of 72. The deceased nobleman was Permanent Under-secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1889, Ambassador at Constantinople 1893-98, and Ambassador at Rome 1898-1902. Provisional consular appointments at Dunedin are announced as follows in the Gazette: Mr J. Roberts, C.M.G., to be Acting-Consular Agent for Italy during the absence of the Consular Agent (Mir James Mills), and Mr Willi Fels to be Consul for Germany. Miss Agnes Dawson, daughter of Mr David Dstwson, of George street, Dunedin, gained 139 marks for pianoforte playing at the re-cently-held practical examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music, suid Dr Ogston (the honorary local representative) has received advices from Wellington that these marks are the highest gained by any candidate at the 1905 postponed examinations in New Zealand for any subject. Miss Dawson is one of Mr A. Vallis's pupils. The Oamaru Mail states that on© of the oldest residents of Oamaru, in the person of Mrs S. S. Smith, passed away on Sunday morning at -the age of 90. The deceased lady was born in Kildare, Ireland, in 1816. Those were Btirring times, indeed, when the celebrated and dreaded " Whitefeet " gang were abroad. Five days before Mrs Smith was born her father's mill was broken into by the gang for the fifth time and burned. Mrs Smith was first married, when. 23 years of age, to Mr ■ Oharleton Leonard, -who died in 1800. The following year she proceeded to Capetown^ • South Africa, and while there married Mr S. S,. Smith. They came to New Zeal Sin d in 1866, and first settled, ia. Duneclin. By profession Mr Smith was a veterinary surgeon, but in the colony he began as a contractor, and built thf» meat preserving works at Gree-n IpJaiii and ojber, buildi&sa, Mr svgd J&{» •

Smith arrived in Oamaru in 1874, end the I former died three years ago, also in his ninety- • fiTst year Mrs Smith was pretty active until lately, though she lost the sens-e of sight and hearing about two years ago She leaves two children and 10 grand-children.