PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 52

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr Homy Maxwell, Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, who has been notified that lie will be retired on superannuation on January 3 next, with three months' leave of absence, has occupied this position n Dunedin tor the past 15 years. Prior f.o assuming the position of' registrar Mr Maxwell oeeupied the' office of inspector of factories for eight years. Besides his official duties as registrar he held the position of registrar of electors and returning officer. A well-known resident of Dunedin, in the person of Mrs Alexander (widow of the lata Dr E. W. Alexander), passed away on the 12th inst. at her rc-sidence in Mornmgton after a somewhat protracted illness. Mrs Alexander arrived in Dunedin a young married woman, in July, 1863, and with the exception of an occasional visit to England, has been resident hero ever since. It may be noted that Dr and Mrs Alexander were fellow passengers in the Matoaka, of the Rev. Mr Campbell, M.A., who, having been appointed rector of the Boys' ; iiff'! .School, was with his wife and family voyaging from England to take up the position. Dr and Mrs Alexander were amongst those who decided on arrival at Port Chalmers, to drive across the hills to Dunedin.. whilst the Campbell family and other ill-fated passengers transhipped into '■ _ little steamer, the Pride of the Yarra, which, colliding with another vessel in the harbour, sank immediately. Mrs Alexander will be buried in the Southern Cemetery, where rcr husband, daughter, and son are already interred. Mr G. Stuart Thomson, at present teaching in the Whangaroi High School, has been appointed to the position of assistant master in the Otago Boys' High School. Mr Langbein, who has occupied the position of Public Works engineer on the Clyde-Cromwell railway line for some time past, has received word of his transfer to Taranaki. Mr Marks, who has been in charge of the Manorburn dam and irrigation works, will take over the control of the line, in addition to his other duties, and will have Mr Bennett as his assistant.

The death is announced, in papers to hand by the mail, of the Marquis do Bretenil, who was a personal friend of King Edward VII, and of Mr Frank Hugh M'Donncll. who was a prominent and picturesque figure in Irish politics in the eighties. Wairoa is threatened with the immediate, cessation of its only milk supply. Owing to the flush of feed it was impossible to attain the Government's standard for this morning's supply. The Minister refuses a temporary relaxation, and approximately 1000 people are affected, including a large number of younsc babies.

The Canterbury Timber Yard, Sawmills and Coal Yards Employees' Union decided to be represented at the Wellington Labour Conference to discuss the repeal of the Military Service Act. Mr Hiram Hunter was appointed a delegate, and was instructed to vote for the repeal of the Act. Mr A. W. Roberts is resigning from the position of nurseryman in charge at the Government Nursery, Ranfurly, a position ho has ably filled for over 20 years. MrRoberts intends entering into private business in Dunedin. Many old boys of the Otago Boys High School will regret to learn (says our London correspondent) of the death, at the age of 70 years, of the Rev. Dr Robert Henry Belcher. M.A., which took place at Lewes. Dr Belcher was born in Cornwall in 1846. educated at Plymouth Grammar School and King's College. London, and ordained in 1867. After he held one or two curacies, he became assistant master at King's College, and of which he was chaplain in 1880. He was elected a Fellow of the college in 1885, the year in which ho was appointed the rector of the Otago Boys' High School. Under his headship the school attained a very high reputation. In 1895 Dr Belcher returned to England, and in the following year was appointed the rectory of St. Michael's, Lewes, which he held up to the time of his death. In 1902 ho was chosen surrogate of the Archdeaconry of Lewes. For a long time past Dr Belcher had been in a poor state of health. Twelve months ago he underwent an operation, from which he did not properly recover. He endeavoured to find a coadjutor at St. Michael's, but was unable to do so, and although he had been confined to his room for two months past, he died practically in harness. He Avas an enthusiastic educationalist and a member of the principal education authorities in Sussex until his health entirely failed. Besides in's soiourn in New Zealand, Dr Belcher travelled widely in Australia, Argentine. Canada, and the United States. His book on "The First Civil War in America,'' written in early life, was almost a standard

work. Mr G. M. Thomson has returned from his trip to Australia and the North Island. Mr Thomson went away in connection with the Y.M.C.A., and attended the conference at Sydney. While in Australia he spent some timo looking into the question of the organisation of science and industry, and also the question of fisheries. Miss M. E. Sandilands, domestic science mistress for the Gisborne centre, has sent in her resignation to the Hawko's Bay Education Board. Reporting in this regard to the board, Mr Loten, the director, stated that during the period she has been in, charge, Miss Sandilands showed herself to bo a very careful and conscientious teacher, particularly effective as an instructor in the chemistry of foods. It was agreed to place on record the board's appreciation of Miss Sandilands's services. Miss Sandilands is an associate of Otago University. The employees of the Hillside Workshops met on Friday last for the purpose of bidding farewell to Mr T. W. Hargreaves, who is being transferred on promotion to Petone. The opportunity was taken to present Mr Hargreaves with a handsome hunting Waltham watch. A very pleasant and sociable evening was spent in the Congregational Church, Port Chalmers, on Thursday evening, the occasion beinrr a send-off given by the ladies of the church to Nurse Grant, the daughter of the pastor, who has received an appointment as nurso on the hospital shipMaheno. During the evening Mr R. D. Jack, on behalf of the ladies, presented Nurse Grant with a handsome travelling rug, and expressed the hope that Miss Grant would return rich in the knowledge gained during her sojourn cither on the ship or wherever she might bo appointed to go. The Rev. Mr Grant replied on behalf of Nurse Grant. He spoke of how proud both Mrs Grant and he himself were that Nurse Grant had been chosen to go on such a mission-