PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 63

PERSONAL ITEMS.

A London cablegram states that Admiral Lambton has married the Viscountess Chelsea.

The Cromwell Argus records the rather sudden death of Mrs T. Waddell at Moonlight at the age of 60 years, from an apoplectic fit. The deceased (mother of Mrs W. D. Jolly) was a very old resident of Cromwell, leaving a few years ago to reside at Moonlight. Mr George Livingstone was on the 19th (says our Oamaru correspondent) by his friends prior to his departure on a holiday trip *to the Old Country. Mr W. Gardiner presided, and as a parting gift from his friends handed over to Mr Livingstone a travelling rug and a case of pipes, and for Mrs Livingstone a handsome dressing case. Mr Duncan Sutherland, chairman of the County Council, referred to Mr Livingstone's good work as a county councillor, and all wished Mr and Mrs Livingstone bon voyage. At Maheno on the l'Sth inst. a number of the neighbours and friends of Mr and Mrs Thcs. Mee gathered together to say good-bye to them before they set out on their trip to the Old Country. Mr Gemmell, on behalf of the residents, made a presentation of a Kaiapoi rug for Mrs Mee and a silver-mounted walking stick for Mr Mee. At the same time (says our correspondent) he wished 1 Mr and Mi's Mee a very pleasant voyage. Mr and Mrs Mee leave Maheno to-day, and are travelling by the Warrimoo to Sydney, thence by the Orient steamer Omrah Home. The Wyndham Farmer reports that the golden wedding of Mr Alexander Beange and Mrs Beange was celebrated on the 15th inst. The pair were married in the parish church. Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, by the Rev. J. Peters, and three days later sailed in the Pladda for Otago, where they arrived on August 12, 1860. They went to Wyndham in 1866, and have resided there ever since, having retired from active pursuits about two years ago. Mr Jas. Garland Woon, a very old resident of Wanganui, died in the hospital there on Saturday, aged 71 years. Deceased was a son of the late Rev. W. Woon, one of the early Wesleyan . missionaries to xonga. He was at one time a teacher of music, but subsequently entered the Cust^ department, and rose to the position of Collector at Greymouth. "Some years ago he retired from the public service, and ne has lived at Wanganui ever since. i Wellington message states that the vf on - TT P r Findlay has resigned his seat on tne Victoria College Council. The death is reported of Mrs Perkins, ; wdow of Mr Edward Perkins, who died a few years ago.* Mrs Perkins died at Waiu \ X* 7 ' -where she had resided for about 30 years, and was therefore one of the first settlers there. 7w! J 6 t\ re ? orted the Tuapeka limes of Mr John Lomas, of Waipori. Mr Lomas arrived in New Zealand in 1851 and TOS at thie Gahrie j s rmh » jgg. .hence going to the Shotover. In 1866 he Sere hi } he Wai^ri «3riX he combined storekeeping with after \ with P Lm7n?j About 20 years ago he retired from busl- ' ness. having earned a name for probity i Mi S b Elizabeth, Atkinson, sister of Mrs yeara n a*o ft™*? 1 ' *»* *he died eight vTvp , P' ™ a famil -7 of ei 2 ht four surnnJ, i •• Th ? mas an d William (who are engaged in mining in Victoria), Mrs John (feed™" ' and MrS J ° hn S - Gare rv£ Sydney telegram states that Mr E W U bullivan, member of the New South' Wales Assembly, is dangerously ill. Dr and Mrs C Morice arrived, at Greymouth on the 18th after a 12 months' tour abroad. A cahlo message stated that Madame Dolores had set out for Australia, via America. She will open a concert season ! in Sydney in June. The Burns Club Committee has appointed ; Mr James Paterson choirmasteir for the en- j suing year. Cabled information was received last ! week that Mr Arthur, Isaacs, son of Mr A. L. Isaacs, of St. Clair, has gained the I coveted Sterndale Bennett Scholarship of j £35 per annum, tenable for two years, at the Royal Academy of Music, London, for practical work in music. Two years ago. j when Mr Arthur .Isaacs, then a lad of 17, had studied for six months only at the I Royal Academy, he was irunner-up for this same scholarship. His success at the present time is necessarily gratifying to his relatives in the Dominion. It jnay also ! be reasonably said to redound to the credit ' of his teachers in New Zealand. Advice has been received from London that the Master of the Faculties lias admitted to the Faculty of Notaries Mr James Robert Kirk, of Gisborne. New Zealand, and created him a Notary Public. At a oonsrrcgational meeting of the Mount Ida Presbyterian Church, Naseby, it was resolved to arive a. call to the Rev. W. T. Currie. of Kaitangata, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the Rev. A. C. W. Standage. The death is reported of Mr -Roderick M'Leod, of Otama, at the age of 47 years. He had lived at Otama for 32 l

i years, and was a well-known farmer and threshing mill owner, being highly respected in the district. A London cablegram announces the death of Sir John Schroder, head of J. H. Schroder and Sons, bankers, of Leadenhall street. The "Southland News remarks that no fewer than five of the family of the Rev. J. Baird, of Invercargill, have gained medical honours —viz. : Dr W. S. Baird, M. 8., CM. (Otautau); Dr Helen S. Baird, (Mrs Cowie), 8.A., M. 8., Ch.B. (Masterton); Dr J. Henderson Baird, 8.A., M. 8., Ch.B. (Wyndham); Dr A. Agnes Baird, M.A., M. 8., Ch.B. (Invercargill); and Dr J. Bruce Baird, B.Sc, M. 8., Ch.B. (Glasgow) . \ Mr G. P- Keddell, who has been for | several years in the office of Messrs Fraser, | Wccdhouse, and Maoassey, is about to comj mence practice in the Otautau and Winton ! districts. Mr Keddell is well known in : - amateur athletio circles, and holds the runI ning Long Jump record (23ft 3in) of New I Zealand. He also won the 120 Yards 1 Hurdles and 44-0 Yards Hurdles at the ' intercolonial championship meeting in Aus- ; tralia last year. Mrs Dickie, of Tayburn, Kaihiku, who has recently removed to Gore, was on Wednesday last made the recipient of a nice present from her old friends and neighbours. She has been a worthy resident of Kaihiku for nearly half a century, and during the early days had her share of pioneer hardships and discomforts. The Kaihiku people feel very much the loss of a friend so old and respected, and expressed their appreciation by presenting her with a handsome eiderdown quilt, accompanied by the heartiest good wishes for many years of good headth in ease and comfort. By last English mail news was received of the death of Mr A. F. Soward, at. one ! time a prominent figure in both the wholeI sale and retail softgoods trade in Dunedin. Mr Soward, who arrived from London by the May Queen on November 9, 1870, was for 12 years connected with the firm of ButteVworth Brothers, but when the D.I.C. I was started by the late Mr Bendix Hallen- | stein 26 years ago he was appointed first j manager. After filling that, position for j one year, Mr Soward left Dunedin to take charge of the company's office in London, and this position he occupied up to within a short time of his death. The late Mr Soward was of a kindly and genial disposition, and was highly respected by all who came into contact with him. He was married in March, 1874, to the eldest daughter of the> late Mr Frederick Coxhead. A large number of residents of Paerau, L ; nnburn, Puketoi, and Patearoa met in the hall the ether evening (says the Mount Ida Chroniole) to bid good-bye to Mr and Mrs Murdoch Maekay, who have been for the last seven years at Linnburn Station, Mr Maekay having been manager for that time. An enjoyable evening was spent in | musi's and dancing. During the proeeed--1 ings Mr M'Skimming handed to Mr Maekay a purse of sovereigns which, ho ' said, Mr Mackav's friends had subscribed I with the wish that the recipient would purl chase therewith some suitable memento; j and to Mrs Maokay, from the same source, a case of solid silver teaspoons. Mr ' M'Skimming's remarks met with approval I from the audience. Miss Aimee Champion, of St. Clair, has been notified that, as a result of the practical examination held by Mr Frederic S Cliffe on the occasion, of his recent visit to j Dunedin, she has been awarded an exbibi- | tion tenable for two years at least at the | Royal Academy of Music, London. Three i only of these exhibitions are annually awarded in Australasia to candidates who show exceptional musical promise, and it is therefore a distinct honour for a, candidate to be selected for the award. Miss j. Champion has been a pupil of Mrs Blanche Levi for three years, and during that period she has made continuous and rapid progress. In 1908 she passed the intermediate_ harmony examination with honours, and in the same year she also passed the advanced pianoforte examination with honours; Last year she grained the performer's certificate (concert standard), and successfully competed in the non-profes-sional class at the Dunedin and Christchurch competitions. She was 19 years of age in July last. Her teacher describes her as a conscientious worker, and a large number of Dunedin lovers of music were afforded some months ago a practical proof of her unquestionable capacitv when she gave a pianoforte recital in this city. At a meeting of the Mataura Presbytery, held at Gore on Wednesday, calls to , two clergymen 'were sustained—viz.. to ! the Rev. R. Waugh (Tapanui) from Have- j j lock North, Hawke's Bay, and 'to the 1 j Rev. G. G. Howes (Waikaka) from Cust, I | Canterbury. An Auckland telegram announces the ' death of the Rev. F. Larkins, a Church of j i England clergyman. He was at one time in the employ of Maearthur and Co. Mr R. A. Farnuhaieon, the third New I Zealand Rhodes Scholar, who came over in the Mceraki from Sydeny, arrived in Dunedin on Saturday night. Dr H. A. H. Gilmer has been annointed surgeon of H.M. Prisons at Wellington, vice Dr Henry. A cablegram from Sydnev announces the death of Mr Larke, Canadian Trade Commissioner. The Retr. J. Dickie, M.A. (Presbyterian) j is gazetted a.n officiating minister under I the Marriage Act. Mr George H. Hicks, who, having pu,r- | chased a North Island newspaper, will j shortly leave Dunedin, entertained his comrades on the literary staffs of the Otaao Daily Times and Otago Witness at his residence on Saturday. Mr C. W. Hav was also present. In bidding farewell to his friends and colleagues. Mr Hicks spoke feelingly of the old kindly associations, of the lovalty and good comradeship that had existed for so long. He knew what Saturday evening- meant to journalists in general and reporters in particular, and therefore he esteemed it a very great compliment to himself and his family to find so manv of them under his roof, where he was elad to welcome them. Mr J. Hutchison (editor of the Otnjro Daily Times) thanked Mr and j Mrs Hicks for their warm welcome, and said the sentiments expressed by Mr Hicks were heartily reciprocated. After so many years of pleasant association, all felt that they could not permit Mr Hicks to depart without giving him some small token of the esteem in which thev held him. Mr Hutchison then presented Mr Hicks with a dreeing case, and the health of the recipient}, of Mrs Hicks, and of the family was drunk With musical honours. Mr Hay, on behalf ot Dunedin friends, made a happy little speech, and presented Mr Hicks with a fountain pen with which to write his squelchers. ' During the evening the guests visited the laboratory, and Mr Stan- [

ton Hicks gave interesting exhibitions in th«* higher branches oi scientific electricity. Th«{ Marconi installation, tiic wireless telephone apparatus, and tne Kontgei? ray woro also ; seen at work. vv itn uie •ueatn ot Mr J. T. J ohnson iq snapped anotrier link which connected us witii tlie i' r amain relict expeditions, tho lvaliir war, ana the Kussian war—all of} tne •" fitties," tne ■deceased genueman, as a British biuejacKet, tailing part in those, events. .being a man. 01 more than aver-* age education tor tnose days, Mr Johnson delighted to keep a log, and ail the events in which he- toou part were duly chronicled and preserved. His naval career com-, menced on the gunboat Barracouta ir*; 1852. On May 20, 1853, H.M.S. Barra< couta left the Cove of Cork with tha; barques Breadalbanc and Diligence in tow; with stores and provisions for the Arcticr the Phoenix following in tow of H.M.S? Desperate. This was the start of on© ol the unlucky relief expeditions in search o{ Sir John Franklin. This expedition, so many others, proved lutile. The ships were scattered by storms, and straggled back to civilisation singly, the Barracoutac; last of all, arriving at Plymouth months' after being given up for lost. They were then despa-tched to the Cape, taking part in the Kaffir war then in progress. They,, worked (here chiefly as a transport) con-<! veying troops from coinf to point on the coast line as operations required. Front there they were despatched to the China station, being employed in active operations against the colonies of piratical settlers rooted in the islands on the Chinese coast, and protecting Euiropean life ami property along the great rivers of China 1 during the rebellion then in progress. On l , the outbreak of the Russian War the Bar-1 racouta was one of the fleet employed*! against the Russian Pacific fleet, and was, continually on active service against ship- j ping and the shore forts of the Russians on the Siberian coast, mostly in the Sea' of Okhotsk and in'the Ameer expedition.) From there they were transferred to the Black Sea during the close of the Crimean campaign, which closed the active servics' record of the Barracouta during Mr John< son's connection with her. On receiving his discharge he proceeded to the' Vkv torian Goldfields, and later to New Zea< land, where he was amongst the pioneef miners of Gabriel's Gullv. Wetherstones f Waipori. Dunstan, Hokitika, and aftert a successful career ho returned -to his native Shetland and married. Retnirrpm? to New Zea'aud, he found goldfields' lifa uncertain for the requirements of his Trowing family, and settled in .Dunedin as foreman of works under, first, the Provincial Government, and. afterwards, the Otasro Ha.rbou.r Board, from whose serviced ho retired s>i old acre ad'vaipnrl. was a religions man. and Church wjvk and life wee always his first care, n.rsd he was never than when eomfor+ir'w: the <w>Jr and •■vfflWr.d and attending to tV><nir sniri+'ial need>«. He was ir\ honoured elde* of St. Andrew'*" P i, e=hvteriar> .nlvn o c;t ?'nfe its f oiinflntion. ar>d vwts f h« nVlest nW,«ov nf fch-a* eono-recatiop ».t *V<' ti'v>«) of Ms de-ifn. He i« survi'-od hv Vi"* wide o " jV ><to daughters, four sons, and 14 jrranrlf hil<"l'*f"l. There died at Kinlock, Lake | recently, at the age of 87 years, Captain B. C. Bryant, one of the band oI early, gold seekers and pioneers. Born at St.' I Ives, Cornwall, he was educated in the besti I schools of the town, and learnt navigation. | He went to eea in one of his father's shios, ■ j iand, passing through all grades, rose to be I a master mariner, trading to the Mediter* I ranean. . On the news of the gold dis-i' i coveries reaching England he decided, much' against the wishes of his family and riende, | to seek his fortune in a new land, despite an offer made by one of the foremost shipowners of tho town to build a new ship and give him the ommand. Leaving his wife and twe children in the Home Country he took passasro with 750 others in 1852 ir»' the ship Saldanah. Arrived at Hobson'a' Bay he was tempted by an offer of £SO per month to enter the water police at Williamstown. But tht gold fever was in the blood, and, after serving some time, he decided to try his luck. Like many, others fortune frowned on him, though ha,tried Gastlemaine. Clunes, Ararat. Bai( larat, and >eswick. He war joined in' 1869 by his wife and two children. Some} time afterwards he received an offer from* St. John Brana.gan to ioin the water police' at Port Chalmers, and this he accepted-J His wife died in Victoria, and the daughter",.' was sent back to England, while the sonf' came to New Zealand. When gold was discovered at Shotover ho was sent as ser-| gea.nt in charge of the water police oar 1 Lake Wakatipu. Part of his duty was to. convey the gold from Queenstown to KingJ ston in the police boat, and hand it over, to the escort at Kingston. The police boat? had been taken up by waggon from Portr Chalmers. Sergeant Bryan's crew com*' prised two constables and two prisoners.? It was not long before the gold was taken; to Frankton, to be escorted thence to Dunedin. While in Queenstown he was married a second time. Finding that the indoor police work which ho had to undertake'. when the duties of the water police became nominal did not agree with his health, ha resigned and took up a claim at Big Beach' on the Shotover. Later on he settled at' Kinlceb, at the head of the lake. He was a man of sterling worth and integrity, generous, and Erood-heartcd to a degree. He I——., a , widow and a family of four sons three daughters. 32 grand-child-: ren, L ivo great grand-children. Feeling reference was made bv the Rev. Mr Paulra. in the Kelso Presbyterian Church, last Sunday evening, to the death of Mr Charles Dunnett. In the course of his sermon the reverend gentleman said that during the whole of his ministerial experience ho had not felt so moved as when officiating at the burial of their late friend. He referred to the large gathering of friends and acquaintances at the graveside, some of whom had driven 40 and 50 t> ilea :ri order- to pay their last respects to one who was honoured by all who came into contact with him. Mr H. C. Jacobson. one of the best known country journalists in Canterbury died on Sunday, at the age of 67. He to New Zealand in 1859, and for some time (says a Chnstchurch message) ho was interested in the Ashburfon Mail, the Akaroa Mail and Otaki Mail., fie subsequently settled in Akaroa, and was instrumental in saving mirth of the Maori history and early European stories relating to Banks Peninsula. He piblished one'collection of these stories, but the manuscript of another volume was destroyed by fire when ready for tho press. He was an acknowledged authority on ch&s.»>.