PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 22

PERSONAL ITEMS.

.At Waika»a-,last -week Mr, Alex; , Hossockv who intends 'pro^&edinir , to the Old Country, ' was presented with a purse of sovereigns, as a token "of the esteem in which.- he was held by hts felkrw; dredge employees. 3*here died at the Wairau Hospital lato on Saturday night, at the age of 83, an ' old identity in the person of Mr William ' Angier Tatcheli. The deceased had been | connected as a faithful employee with the j Flaxbourne Estate for over 50 years. As ' a single man — and he never married— ho ~ ' came out to New Zealand in 1850 as butler to the late Mr (afterwards Sir Charles) Clifford, being on board the ship from ! which Sir Charles first beheld the undulating Wither Hills from Cook Strait. Colonel Bailey, in speaking at a smoke concert at Timaru on Friday night, eaid that on the 7th ~of ' this month he completed his forty-seventh year as a soldier, and during that .time he had been in every part of the Empire. Dr H. J. Tizard, the recently-appointed assistant medical officer for the mental hospitals of the colony, arrived at Wellington from London on Monday by the Athenic. Our correspondent reports that Cr W. , Waddell has resigned his seat on the Oarnaru Borough Council. The J»te En-en M'Pherson M'Lachlan, of Owaka, whose body was found on the railway, was one of the, first white men to set foot in tho .North Island. He had been about 70 years in the colony. A London message advises that the late Sir Charles Texuiant left property valued at £2.700,000. Dr Richard Coom died suddenly at Auck- j land on Wednesday morniug. ' The Education Board on Wednesday evening decided to giant MrD. C: Hutton (director of the- School of Art) 12 months' leave of absence on full pay. Mr Hutton has been over 35 years in ais present position, and during the whole course of ' that' long service has- hardly ever been absent from his post. It is his intention to take a trip to the Old Country. The holiday is n well-earned one. The death was announced on the 20th of Mr George Bell, one of the Otago gold pioneers. Born at Abernethy, Perthshire, Scotland, in 1813, he left his native country for Victoria in 1849, and th«re took part in many of the goldfield rushes. In 1861 he came to Otago, and took part in the rushes to Gabriel's Gully, Dunsttn, the Arrow, and Cardrona. In 1868 he was manager for the Rough Ridge Quartz Mining Campany, and later on became manager of the Duke of Edinburgh Quartz Mining Company, Macraes. From there he went to the O.P.Q. mine, Waipori, and ultimately became associated with the Shag Valley Quartz Mining Company, Shag Valley. In 1874 he bought the business' of a storekeeper at Inchclutha, and »t the tim« of the big flood in the Clutba, River his was the only store m the district which was high and dry and able to keep open for business. In 1880 he opened a branch store at Kaitangata. He was one of the three original proprietors of the Castle Hill Coal mine at Kaitangati. He retired from business Lv 1892, tund during the past eight years has resided in Dunedin. He was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Mr Bell leaves a wife and a- v iamily of six sons and one daughter, his eldest son, Mr W. B. Bell, holding a responsible position in Messrs Butterworth Bros., while his second son, Mr John F. Bell, is in chaTge of large engineering works in the Malay Peninsula. Mr C. H\ Frayling, who is to take up tho position of principal of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind at Auckland, arrircd at Wellingtoxi by tho Athenic. He is accompanied by Mr-i FrAyb'ag. The Wakatip Mail understands that Sergeant Fleming, of the Police Force, will retire on a pension on the 11th of next month, and that Constable Bonner will take the sergeant's place as senior constable at Queenstown. Another constable will be placed there after Sergeant Fleming's retirement. The Wakatip Mail states that Miss Williams, a very old and esteemed resident of Queenstown, passed away at the residence

of her sister^" Mrs Archer, on Saturday. 16th, . at the age of 83 years. She had been confined to the house for some years past. Miss Williams, who was a native of Falmouth, Cornwall, came to the colony in 1866, -and resided in Queenstown almost continuously from that tim«. She was immediately associated with the launching of tho Jane Williams (now Ben Lomond) on the lake in 1870. The steamer was then christened by her after her a\int's name, and the vessel bore this name for nearly 20 years afterwards. Deceased's brother, a port owner with the late Mr Archer, was the first captain of the Jane, and the late Miss Williams acted as clerk till the steamer was taken over. She was superintendent of the Anglican Sunday School for no less than 22 years. " A Hobart -cablegram announces the death* of the Rev. Dr Alexander, Moderator of tho Presbyterian Assembly. The Tiuiaru Harbour Boa.d on Friday appointed Mr J. H. Knowles, of Wellington, engineer en the dTedg© Timaru, out of 3.3 applicants. Mr B.'Crow, of Lyttelton, was selected from 15 applicants for the position of draughtsman, at a salary of £3 a week. Our Naseby- correspondent reports that, Mr j James M'Cosh Smith, elder -son pf the Rev. James M'Cosh Smith, M.A., 8.D., Naseby,' died at the manse at Naseby on Friday morn-_ ing from rheumatic 'fever, contracted at- Pal-" merston. Deceased was an officer of the Bank of New Zealand at ' PalmeTston,. a very popular young man, and k keen Rugby player; He was in his 24th year, and the sympathy of their very many friends goes out to th« bereaved -parents. . --,->,-• •■ - •- - ▲ Napier " : correspondent' telegraphs '.—.Avery quiet wedding of i som»'' interest to .Bnn,edin folk- took place on 'Thursday ; afternoon in th« Cathedral, ''the ceiem'oiSy being- performed by the Rev. Canon , Mayne, ' when :Mr Robertr'Ernest- Sinclair,' eldest sonrof JiV" J; R. Sinclair, barrister, of~Dunedin, was united in holy matrimony to Miss Kathleen Hond: ley, third daughter of Mr C. B. Hoadley, of thisr city. .The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Nina Hoadley, 'and the * bridegroom was supported by Mr W. H. Trip*, ' of Wellington, as best man* accompanied by : Mr- J. S. Sinclair (brother of the bridegroom) ! as groomsman. 1 Mr James Fen ton M'Laren, an old identity of South Dune/Jin, died on Friday morning at 'his residence, Kensington. Born at -ft-lyth, Perthshire, Scotland, he came out to the colony some 43 years ago. During his many years' residence on the Flat he actively identified himself with public affairs. For several years he was a member of the Caver- | sham Borough Council, and he was 'Mayor '< in tfa&. Exhibition year, 1869-90. His energy and enterprise had a good influence on the progress of the borough during his term of office. He was a member of the Kensington School Committee, and was more than once elected chairman. ,He took a keen interest in politics, and probably exercised more influence on the Liberal side than any man in the district. In many of the parliamentary contests he was the power behind the throne. He was in many respects a typical Scotchman, very proud of the history of his country. He was held in high esteem by those who knew him, and was by them regarded a« a friend whose friendship never failed in the moment of trial, and his memory will long remain green among his numerous friends. The many friends of Mr James M'Laren, of Kirkland Hill, Roslyn, will regret to learn of the death of his wife, who passed- away on Saturday at the age of 83 years. Mr and Mrs M'Laren came" to Otago ef nic 32 years ■ ago, and it was only a' week . ago that they celebrated tii«ir - diamond wedding, on which occasion they spent a rery h*appy time with a number of their descendants. Mt R. M'Nab, M.H.R., is returning to the colony by the Vancouver mail steamer, and is expected to reach Wellington by -the 24tb July. During Dr Ewart's absence on an extended visit to the Old Country, Dr H. G. Robertson, son of the late Wm. Robertson, of this city, and lately assistant medical officer at Wellington, has been appointed acting medical superintendent of the Wellington Hospital. Mr L. W. Douglass, who has for some years been on the Timaru staff of the Bank of New Zealand, has received notice of his transfer to Dunedin. The Bruce Herald states that Mr F. G. Nind, who has been on the staff of the Milton Post Office for the past two years, and who has been transferred to the Dunedin office, was entertained at a farewell gathering by a number of business people on Saturday evening, advantage being taken of the occasion to present him with a silver Rotherham watch. At the conclusion of Sunday morning's service in the church worshipping in the Choral Hall, Mr James H. Todd made the announcement that he had been invited, to accept the position, of general secretary for Australasia of the China Inland Mission at Melbourne, which became vacant by the recent death of Mr C. F. Whitridge, and that he had cabled his 1 acceptance, and would leave Dunedin about the 14th July for his new duties. The intimation was received by the members of the church with regret. Mr Todd at the present time occupies the position of. New Zealand secretary for the China Inland Mission. A Melbourne cablegram announces the death of Mr* Grayson, secretary of the Steamship Owners' Association. He was formerly connected with the initial stages of the mail service io Canada. Oapiain William Jackson Barry, the veteran colonist,, who is now 84 years of tg«, and very feeble, has been a source of some anxiety to the police and others recently. A few nights ago a Wellington citizen .found biw sitting on the kerbstone of one of the main thoroughfares, anS sent "him in a cab to the Police Station. Next day he was sent to the Salvation Army Home, but on Friday morning the veteran had disappeared. On Saturday he arrived at Lyttelton by the Mararoa. ajid -was

taken to the Samaritan Home for safety anj£ shelter. His intention, it is believed, i»-.t# leave for Sydney by the next steamer. . It i« Understood the'veteran-is-in receipfcof an old- - age pension," but in his present mental «oM ■ physical condition it is essential that someone should hare supervision over him.