PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 57

PERSONAL ITEMS.

For a long time there has been a slow but steady exodus of the old settlers from the Warepa district, and now Mr Jonathan Sarginson, one of the oldest, is (says the Warepa correspondent of the Clutha Loader). It is over 54 years since ho came to this district, a young boy. In 1878 he married, and ho and his wife have been in the district ever since. Ho recently sold his farm here and bought another farther south, and he and his wife and some of the family are leaving for the new homo. On Wednesday night the whole district gathered at the hall to hold a farewell social and make a presentation. Mr W. Keys presented Mr Sarginson with a. well-filled purse of sovereigns, and Miss Sarginson with a gold brooch, and in fitting terms expressed the goodwill and good wishes which those gifts symbolised. We have been informed of the death in London of Dr H. Grattan Guinness, M.D., F.R.G.S. Dr Guinness was wcli known as an evangelist, and as the acting-director of the Regions Beyond Missionary Union of London. He paid a visit to the dominion several years. ago. The Rev. Father T. Sogrief, S.M., who was the Roman Catholic chaplain at Samoa, has been appointed to a similar position on New Zealand’s hospital ship (says the New Zealand Times). The rev. father was at one timo a member of the faculty of St. Patrick’s College. Mr W. Miller, who died at the Waimato. Hospital on Sunday, 13th, was a well-known and highly-respected resident of that town (says the Timaru Post). Some three weeks ago Mr Miller met with an accident, falling off a load of hay. It was not thought at tho time that his injuries wore serious, but unfortunately tho reverse has proved the case. Mr Miller was a very old office-bearer in Knox Church, by the congregation of which he will be greatly missed. The deceased was a member of the Waimate Borough Council from 1903 to 1913, and also occupied seats on the Hospital Board and School Committees and other local bodies. Mr Miller leaves a widow and one daughter to mourn their loss. At the conclusion of the meeting of the City Council last week the Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark) presented to the ex-Mayor (Cr J. B. Shacklock) an illuminated address, m recognition of his services as chief magistrate of Dunedin, and also a signet ring engraved with tho arms of the city. Ho also presented the late Mayor with a silver cakestand for Mi’s Shacklock. A Press Association message from Wellington states that the Cabinet has confirmed the appointment of Mr A. F. Lowe in the position of clerk of the House of Representatives in succession to Mr Otterson, who retired last year. Many friends will regret to learn that by latest advices the Rga t . Thomas Spurgeon, son of tho far-famed O. H. Spurgeon, was seriously ill with hemorrhage’ of the brain. He "was unable to attend the annual conference of the Pastors’ College, of which he has been president since his father, who founded it, passed away. Ho had prepared the presidential address, which was circulated among the ministers present, and much regret was expressed at his absence from so sad a cause. A message of sympathy was sent to Mrs Spurgeon in her anxiety, from the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, which was also in session at the time. Mr Gilbert Bruce, of the staff of the Bank of New Zealand at Gore, who enlisted for the front some months ago, and was invalided back to Gore (says the Matanra Ensign), has been reinstated in the bank’s service and transferred to Gisborne. In the death of Mrs Alexander, North Otago loses an early settler and one of the earliest supporters .of St. Paul’s Church (says the Camara Mail). The Falconer family, of which the late Mrs Alexander was a member, came to Otago in tho ship Henrietta in 1860, from Bennington, Scotland, and came direct to Oamaru. Mrs Alexander was married here. The. deceased lady is survived by a son and four daughters, one of them is Mrs J. Moore. The family has wide connections by friendship and marriage in the district, and tho late Mrs Alexander herself was widely liked and respected.

The death occurred on Wednesday at her residence, Meadowbank, of_ Mrs James Alexander, one of the districts’s oldest and widely respected settlers '(says the North Otago Times). The late Mrs Alexander arrived with her parents and other members of the family in 1860, \ and was married in Oamaru. She was a native of Bonnington, Scotland, and was in her 78th year. The deceased lady is survived by four daughters and one son. Melbourne papers confirm the news of the death of Mr Frank Musgrove, the wellknown theatrical manager. Mr Musgrove was in excellent health on his arrival in Melbourne from New Zealand, but some 10 days later he contracted pneumonia, and he collapsed suddenly on Sunday morning (June 6) at the residence of Mr A. J. Thurgood, Arthur street, Fairfield. He was 42 years of age. Mr Frank Musgrove was in his day the champion athlete of the Scotch College, Melbourne, arid was a capital footballer. In 1892 and 1893 he represented Fitzroy, and in the latter year was a State representative against South Australia. He was also a good cricketer. There passed away at his residence, Thornbury, on the 12th inst.. a very olcLand esteemed resident of the district in the person of Mr Peter M'Neill, in his 82nd year (says the Western Star). Deceased was a native of Buteshire, Scotland, and at an early age went to sea. Ho landed in New Zealand about 55 years ago. and shortly afterwards took_ up land at Thornbury, where ho has since resided. Mr M'Neill took an active interest in the progress of the district in the early days, and was chairman for a term on the Aparima River Board. He was also associated with the Western District A. and P. Association, and was recognised as one of the most progressive farmers in the district. He Raves a widow and 13 of a family—seven sons and six daughters. A passenger by the Maitai, which arrived in Wellington cn Sunday, was _Mr E. J. Greenstreet, a cousin of Captain Greenstreet, of the Remuera, who is returning to New Zealand from Canada after an absence of 22 years. A Press Association telegram reports that Mr Greenstreet, who came originally from Christchurch, told a reporter

that fully 75 per cent, of the people of America were in favour of going to war upon the Allies’ side. TT The death occurred at the Dunedin Hospital on Saturday, at 9 p.ni., of Mr Andrew Spence, tho military critic on the staff of the Evening Star. For many years Mr Spence was a close * student of military strategy and tactics, and his articles in our contemporary in relation to tho present have aroused a great deal of interest. Mr Spence was a pupil of tho Morningfcon School. On leaving, he entered tho service of the Otago Education Hoard, and foi some eight or nine years was an assistant master in tho Albany " Street School. He attracted notice as a military critic during the Boerwar, and, later, during the Russo-Japanese war, on both of which he contributed regular articles to the daily papers. In 1900 he resigned his position at tho Albany Street School and joined the literary staff of the Evening Star, leaving there later to become an assistant sub-editor on the Dominion. During his stay in Wellington be coached Territorial officers for military examination. At tho outbreak of tho present war ho was in Dunedin, and accepted a position on the Evening Star as a writer of military article®. For some time Mr Spence had been in indifferent health, but he was active up to within two dnys of his docith, which w cis caused by pleurisy and other pulnionaij complications. Ho is survived by his wife and two children. The death took place at Westport, at tho residence of his daughter, Mt-s Robert Taylor, last Monday, of Mr Luis Grant, in h s 84th year (says the Greymouth Star). Deceased was a native of C'hamouni, France, and had been 50 years in Now Zealand, following mining - for the greater part of tho time." He was one of the hardy band of pioneers, and for many years was a resident of the Loopline, on tho Kumara road. Deceased is survived by five grown-up daughters and one son. The Oamaru Mail reports the death, on Friday, at the age of 73 years, of Mr James Gcmmell, of Incholme, one of the bestknown farmers in North Otago.- Mr Gcmmcll had been for about half a century in this district, and had played an important role as a breeder of stock. For many years ho owned one of the finest Ayrshire herds in New Zealand, not hesitating to import the best animals, despite their price. Ho had always boon interested in draught Horses, and latterly had devoted his energies to Border Leicester sheep. Mr Gcmmell was a very old member of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral nv.d was interested as an extensive exhibitor and as a member of the committee. He was a thoughtful man, and a useful member of the community. He it was who, at a meeting of the old North Otago Farmers’ Club first suggested the scheme of monetary advances to settlers. Mr Gemmed leaves a widow, three daughters (including Mrs D. Clark and Mrs J. Ncwlands), and four sons to all of whom the whole community will extend its sympathy.