PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 38

PERSONAL ITEMS.

A Sydnev message advises the death of Dr Carlo Fiaschi. His death was due to an accidental overdose of morphia. Mr Joseph H. Brennan, who has figured prominently, and with a. great deal of success, in a number of amateur theatrical productions staged in Dunedin, and at the Competition Society's festivals, has received notice of an engagement secured by him .with the Fred H. Graham Comedy Company in Australia. Mr Brennan will, in all probability, leave Dunedin for Australia shortly. The death occurred on April 21 at Featherston of Mr William Ross, a dairyfarmer, who had resided there for about three years. Deceased was (says the Now Zealand Time-) one of the pioneer miners of Otago, having arrived in that province in 1865, and settled in the North Island about seven years ago. He leaves a widow and grown-up family. Our Wellington correspondent states that the Rev. Samuel Mathieson, formerly of Dunedin, who has been in China as a mffeeionary, has oeen appointed to the charge of the Church of Christ, Vivian street, Wellington. He will arrive from the East next week. '■ It is stated (says the Thames Advertiser) that Mr 0. Gore Adams who was formerly director of the Thames School of Mines, is at present in Bolivia,, South America, where • the has been appointed to a responsible post at a, salary of £I2OO per year. 1 Another of Mataura's oldest and most ibighly respected residents, in the person of jiMrs James Mitchell, passed away at her iiome, "Burnbrae," on April 24. Mrs Mitchell was (says the Mataura Ensign) born at Douglas, Larr.ackshire, Scotland, in the year 1848. She was married on December 8, 1871. The first 10 years of her married life she spent in Glasgow, where her husband held a responsible position. Mr Mitchell having been brought up to farming pursuits, found that Glasgow-did not suit toim, and emigrated to New Zealand in the year 1881, bringing Mrs Mitchell and a ; young family. They settled ; .n the Tuturau district, where they have since resided. The late Mrs Mitchell reared a large family of seven sons and five daughters, who are all holding responsible positions and are much respected. The folio-wing gentlemen have been elected office-bearers of the Kaitangata -Farmers' Union for the ensuing year:— President, Mr A. Biackie; vice-president, Mr John Haggart: hon. secretary, Mr Robert F. Smaiil (re-elected); auditor, Mr D. P. Clements. Mr Waiter Wilson, well known as manager of Hawkdun Station, who has •lately been appointed to take charge of iTarras Station, was on the 19th of April entertained at St. Bathans by some 40 friends and wellwishers. Mr William Pyle was chairman, and during the proceedings he formally presented Mr Wilson ,-with a well-filled purse of sovereigns. The • -present, he said, was from the people of ! the district, who were glad to have the opportunity of showing appreciation of the | many beneficent acts >o unostentatiously ■ performed by Mr Wilson during his 10 years' residence among them. A large number of speakers referred in laudatory terms to the many excellent qualities of their guest, and voiced a general regret that he was leaving the district. Mr ; tWilson very feelingly acknowledged the compliments" that had been paid him and Mrs Wilson, and thanked his hosts for their handsome present. On the 20th of April Mr and Mrs H. C. Chittock, " Pleasant View," Waikoikoi, Celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of their marriage. After breakfast had been .served in a tastefully-decorated marquee, Messrs G. Turnbull (Rankleburn), D. "M'Duff (Tapanui), Wm Wilson (Papatowai, ..(Catlin's River), C. C. Chittock (Waikoikoi) • spoke in eulogistic terms of the couple .whom they had known since 1882. Mr H. C. Chittock returned a vote of thanks to the assembled guests, and expressed a wish that he might have the pleasure of seeing them all at his golden wedding. The presents received by Mr and Mrs Chittock ,were numerous and costly. A Press Association message from Palmerston North states that the death ocourred thero on the 26th of April of Mr ■ <R. N Keeling; aged 72 years. Mr Keeling - .was an old resident of Palmerston, who for ' some 30 years was town clerk here. He J H wai .'secretary of the' first town board ?tformed- at Palmerston, and retained his f j>o£itipa as town clerk till about.three years *.fdg.o, when he resigned. He was then "appointed treasurer, and retained that posiftion and that of registrar of births, deaths, fiand marriages till his death, which was due to heart, failure. Mr Keeling came ...to New Zealand from England some 45 ; years ago, and after residing for a time at ,<Ne\r Plymouth and Marion, he came to fPalmerston in 1872 as schoolmaster of the -../first school. He resigned that prosiificn ; B jthreo years later and took the position. of "tc-wn clerk. He married Miss H. A. Hoby, of New Plymouth, who predeceased him. ;$He leaves a family of nine. He belonged '."to the old St. Andrew Kilwinning Lodge, of *iNew Plymouth, into which he was initiated '3O years ago. He was also a. member of 'Foresters' Order, Court Manawatu, in ~which he has held various offices. .The , funeral is to be held on Thursday. : * April 26 (savs our Wellington correspon- : Hent) was Sir Joseph Ward's birthday anm- , wersary, and he received many congratu- ( flations". He is 54 years of age. V ! I The Wellington Navy • League has been I informed by cable from headquarters in \ fiLondon that Lord Dickson-Poynder, our ! ''mew Governor, is one of its enthusiastic supporters. It is probable that the Wellington branch will welcome him with a I demonstration in the City Hall. h At the annual meeting of householders at East Gore on April 25 the head master 1 (Mr W. Gilchrist) incidentally mentioned I that Mr R. M'Nab had passed his M.A. and LL.B. examinations within five years, .Ibeing the first New Zealander to achieve ,£hat record. Mr R. Kennedy, a former ■iEast Gore scholar, who was (says the Southland Times) one of the candidates for the ..'Rhodes scholarship, had obtained the degree in four years, this being unique in the history of the New Zealand Univmvsitv. The Cromwell Argus states that Mr and Mrs Jam.es Cowan left last week to take up their residence at St. Clair, Dunedin. Mr Cowan is one of the earliest residents pf the Cromwell district, reaching Kawarau Station in the early sixties. He was manager of the Kawarau for many years, leaving there about 15 years ago to take tharg© of his own property, Norlhbum

Station, the lease of which fell in last year, and the run was subdivided. The Tuapeka Times states that at a. meeting of the Blue Spur School Committee on April 22 Mr James M'Kerroiv Miller, of L-owburn, was selected to liil the head mastership of the school, rendered vacant through the transfer of Mr Tyndall to Stralh-Taieri. Mr Leslie H. Reynolds, C.E., has returned to Dunedin after spending some three months and a-half upon an exploration tour through some of the unknown f astnesses of Otago. Mr Reynolds purposes proceeding shortly to examine the Wanganui Harbour works, which arc being constructed from his designs, and thence he will go to Otira and the West Coast. Mr A. H. M. Maning, teller in the Bank of Australasia, Gore, during the past four years, has received notice of transfer (and promotion) to Wellington. Mr Maning will leave Gore on Tuesday next. Mr William Alexander Dunn, of Otaki (and Otago University), who left the Dominion some two years and a-half ago to complete medical studios at St. Thomas's Hospital. London, has been successful in passing the final examinations of the Royal College of Surgeons . and the Royal College of Physicians. The doctor purposes leaving- London at the end of May for ; New Zealand A Napier message says- that the last meeting of the Hawke's Bay Education Board 12 months' leave of absence on full pay was granted to Inspector H. Hill, who intends making a trip to England. Members paid high tributes to the excellence of Mr Hill's work, and said that his name was writ large upon the. educational history of the province. The" Clyde School Committee has recommended the appointment of Mr R. Bringans. of Glenavy, to the hoad mastership of the school. At a meeting of the Clutha County Council on Friday afternoon Mr John Ramsay, of Gore, was appointed county engineer. Applications, numbering 14-, were received from all over the South Island. Mr Ramsay has had considerable experience in bridging and road work and in mining operations. An Ashburton message states that Arthur Clark (of Ashburton) has been appointed secretary of the newly-constituted Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. There were 56 applicants from various parts of the Dominion. On the eve of leaving Awamoa (Oamaru) for their new home at Darfi-eld (Canterbury), Mr and Mrs Henry Read and daughters were entertained at a farewell social. Mr A. Lindsay spoke in the most flattering manner of the guests of the evening; emphasising the genuine uprightness and kind, obliging nature of his departing friends and neighbours. Mr Matches, on behalf of those present, Drcsentcd Mr and Mrs Read with a handsome marble clock. and the Misses Read (2) with a silver buttonhook each. Mr Read most feelingly returned thanks for the nice presents, and extended a cordial invitation to all his friends . in North Otago to visit them in their'new home. On Tuesday, April 26, at Milton, Mr Charles L. Grant, late proprietor of the Milton Mirror, was, prior to his departure with his family for New Plymouth, where he has secured an appointment on the staff of the Evening News, presented with a substantial purse of sovereigns. The Mayor (Mr J. A. Duthie) made the presentation, and a number of representative business and professional men paid high tribute to his sterling qualities as a journalist and a citizen during his life in Milton. The proceedings were very hurriedly arranged, only a few hours being available ir> which to get the social and presentation carried out, Mr Grant having to return to New Plymouth—where he has been during the past month—at a much earlier date than was expected. Mr Grant (says our Milton correspondent) carries away the good wishes for his future success of a very large .circle of friends. Mr R. H. Williams, assistant railway relieving officer, Dunedin district, has been, transferred to Tuatapere, where he will take up the position of stationmaster. Mr H. H. Fleming, stationmaster at Tautapere, takes up the duties of assistant relieving officer in the Dunedin district. Mr John Dunne, who was re-elected Mayor cf Balclutha on Wednesday, holda somewhat of a record in municipal honours (says the Clutha Leader). He has been elected mayor no less than 14 times. He was first elected to that position in 1879, and was re-elected in 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, and 1886. ' In 1887 he was defeated by Mr John M'Corley, but in 1886 he was again given the honour, and again, in 1903, 1905, 1908, 1909, and 1910. He was first elected a member of the Borough Council in 1873, and continued a councillor till he became mayor in 1879. He has sat at the council table as councillor or mayor practically continuously since 1873. The 17 applicants for the position of electrical engineer to the Invcrcargill Borough Council have boen reduced to three— Messrs Lawrence Birks (Rotorua), Scott Symington (Christchurch), and J. F. Welch (Hokitika). A iinal selection will be made on Friday next. Mr Clement Wragge passed through Dunedin in the Moana, which left for Australia on Sunday. He is specially visiting Tasmania for the purpose of witnessing the approaching eclipse of the sun, and will be absent, from New Zealand for about three months. Upon his return he. intends to pursue his researches in the far north in the anticipation that % addit;ional evidence will be furnished of the soundness of his theory that New Zealand was inhabited at one time by a race greatly exceeding- its present residents in stature. Mr Roderick Mrs Mackenzie, and Miss Nellie Mackenzie left Dunedin on Sunday by the Moana on an extended tour of the British Isles. A representative gathering of citizens and wellwishers journeyed to Port Chalmers to wish the travellers bon voyage. It is Mr Mackenzie's intention to visit these parts of Scotland where he spent his bos-hood, which may necessitate his being absent from the Dominion for at least 12 months. In the meantime, Mr Fraser. late of W T arner's Hotel, Christchurch, will have charge of the Excelsior Hotel. Some of the members of the party which visited Port Chalmers missed the last train back to Dunedin. and were compelled to hire a whaleboat to reach Dunedin. Miss Marion G. Farquharson. 8.A., has been recommended to the Education Board for appointment to the position of mistress of the AJlanton School. Our Oamaru correspondent states that the Hon. Sir H. J- Miller, who within the past three moutlis has undergone; two

serious operations and whose health has for some time been causing his friends no little anxiety, is again on the mend, g,nd if ho continues to improve--as there is every reason to expect he will—he should be able to leave the hospital before long. On Wednesday, April 27, at Pukeuri, Miss Jessie Paterson, mistress in the local school, was, prior to her departure for Dunedin, where she has been promoted to the ]>osition of fourth assistant in the Momington School, entertained by the residents of Pukeuri and the surrounding' districts at a farewell social. The Hon. T. Y. Duncan occupied the chair, and after a musical programme had been gone through, the Rev. J. Steven, on behalf of the residents, presented Miss Paterson with a handsome dressing-case (suitably inscribed) and a beautiful pearl brocch, pendant, and hair ornament combined. Mr Nelson returned thanks on behalf of the recipient. The company then adjourned for supper, after which dancing was indulged in for a few hours. On Sunday afternoon Miss Paterson was pre S'jnte.d by her Sunday scliool pupils with a writing-desk as a token of their affectioTi and reera.rd. The presentation was made on behalf of the donors by Miss Edie Hartley. ' On April 22 a most enjoyable social was held in. the Oti.ake School as a farewell to the teacher (Miss French) and her sister, who were leaving for Sutton. Mr George Grant occunied the chair, a.nd after a verv enjoyable programme of songs, recitations, and sten dances had been gone through he - referred in complimentary terms to Miss. French's many excellent Qualities as a teacher, as organist of the church, a.nd as librarian of the Public Library. He presented 'her, on behalf of the residents of the district, with a travelling bag a.nd rug. a. dressing-case, and a silver afternoon tea service. Mr Grant then nresented Miss Jessie French with a travelling rug and silver teapot, n.nd thanked her for he kindness during her sojourn in Otiako district, _whcr," she hac nlwavs been readv to heln in siekness and trouble. Tlie Misses French brieflv returned tlia.nks and suitably acknowledged the kindnosi; that had always K-»en diown them. Refreshments were provided by the ladies.