PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 47

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Information from the Department of Overseas Trade in London says that all deliveries of steel for export from, the United Kingdom are to continue to be made at the prices fixed by the Minister of Munitions. Black steel plates are among the articles that may be exported to countries within the British Empire. The Rev. W. W. Brown, of the Mataura Presbyterian Church, has accepted a call to the East Taieri Church, rendered vacant by the resignation of the Rev. A. W. Kinmont. Mr Brown's induction will take place on the 23rd inst. at 7 p.m., and a welcome social will follow. The Dunedin Presbytery will meet for general business at East Taieri immediately prior to the induction ceremony.

Mr G. Gillespie, of Purekireki, received news concerning his youngest son* Corporal Jack Gillespie, who was wounded by trunehot last October, but is now convalescent. While in hospital in Prance he sacrificed over a pint of blood to .save the life of a soldier very seriously injured and dying through loss of blood. After being dis-" charged from hospital, Corporal Gillespie was granted three weeks' special leave. The residents of Inch Valley met in Mr P." J. Callaghan's woolshed on the 3rd to welcome home Private John Craig. The welcome took the form of a social, supper, and dance. During the evening Mr P. J. Callaghan. who acted as chairman, presented Private Craig with a gold medal subscribed by the residents of Inch Valley, and suitably inscribed, in commemoration of his threes' years' service ' at the iront. Private Craig acknowledged the welcome and gift. He had been twice wounded and once buried by an exploding shell. Surgeon-general R. S. P. Henderson, C. 8., who has been Director-general of Medical Services to the New Zealand Defence Forces since July, 1915 (his services having been loaned by the Imperial Government for the period-of the war), will sail frc m New Zealand on his return to England in April next. Captain T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., will arrive at Auckland in about a week's time, after an absence from New Zealand of nearlv three years. His sister, Mrs Seddon Wood, wife of Surgeon-commander Wood, R*N., and the youngest daughter of Mrs Seddon, will arrive shortly from London, being expected by the R.M.S. Ruahine, now en route to New Zealand via Panama. Mrs Mary Geraldine Palmer, wife of the Rev. 0. Palmer, of Opunake, died at the vicarage, Opunake, on December 30. Mrs Palmer, who was 27 years of age, was the granddaughter of the late Bishop J. R. Selwyn, of Melanesia, and great-grand-daughter of Dr G. A. Selwyn, first Bishop .of New Zealand. Major F. S. Lampen, D. 5.0., who has been appointed to succeed Major Cooper as General Staff Officer in Dunedin, has token up his duties at headquarters offices in St. Andrew street. The major comes of an army family. He joined the military service in New Zealand about three years before the war, and was in England, going through a course of study, when war broke out. He took oharge of the British section of the New Zealanders, and went with that section, forming part of the Main Body, to Egypt. Ho subsequently served as brigade major under General Johnston at Gallipoli. It was fn Franoe that he got his decoration. He was there wounded in the ne^.k

and invalided to New Zealand. Upon recovering he was made camp adjutant at -Trentham, and six months or so ago he become infantry instructor. Miss Jean Macdonald, who resided with her two brothers at Inverlochy, Hindon, was coming to Dunedin by the afternoon train from Central Otago on the 2nd inst., when she was suddenly overtaken with heart seizure, and passed away almost immediately. She had a most genial disposition and pleasant manner, which made her a great favourite with a wide circle of friends. To many she will be well known as a" successful competitor in the baking section at the various winter shows. A well-known citizen of Wellington, in the person of Mr John Collins, died recently, in his seventy-sixth year. The deceased gentleman had a paralytic _ stroke two years ago, and had since been in failing nealth for some months before his death, being confined to his bed. Born at Hampstead Heath, he learned the trade of ?rinter, and afterwards served in the navy, n 1873 he came to Wellington, where he was in business as a provision merohant, but for many years before hia death he ■ had led a retired life. He was chairman of the Kilbirnie Road Board (afterwards absorbed by the Melrose Borough Council), and for two terms prior to 1896 he was Mayor of Melrose. For a considerable time he was a trustee of Wellington Hospital and the Benevolent Institution, a member of the executive of the New Zealand Alliance, and an officer of the Rechabite Order. His wife died in July, 1913. There are three sons —Mr Charles Collins (city treasurer), Mr George Collins (Nestle's Milk Company), and Mr Thomas Collins (accountant for Crabtree and Sons)—and three daughters. The Rev. H. Parata has been chosen by the military authorities to give a series of lectures to the American troops on New Zealand and the Maoris during embarkation orders.

Colonel R. W. Tate, C.8.E., Adjutantgeneral of the New Zealand .Forces, was to leave Samoa at the end of last week. He is taking over the duties of the Administrator of Samoa (Colonel B. Logan, C. 8.) while that officer is on leave. Mr "W. Laurence Simpson, manager of the Trustees, Executors, and Agenoy Com pany, has retired from the active management of the company. Mr. E. E. Clowes the accountant of the company, has bee* appointed acting manager. Mr Simpson came to Port Chalmers in January, 1663, in the ship 'Ben Lomond, and shortly after landing entered the Government service as clerk and receiver of gold revenue on the Obago goldfields. He was then appointed a warden and magistrate. Ho continued his service as warden and magistrate in all parts of the province for 16 Mir Simpson was appointed resident magistrate of Dunedin in 1879, and this office he held till December, 1882, when he retired from the Government service to take up the important position of manager of the Trustees, Executors, and Agency Company, which had just then been formed. Mr Simpson was the first manager of the company, and has held the position for the past 35 years. It may be mentioned that Mr Simpson was one of the liquidators appointed by the Supreme Court in connection with the Colonial Bank of New Zealand.

Major Newman Wilson, D. 5.0., M.C., who left with the 2nd Reinforcements as lieutenant in the Canterbury Infantry Regiment (2nd Battalion!, and served on Gallipoli before going to Franoe, has the unusual record of being wounded six times, and he is still serving. Major Wilson is the youngest son-of Mr R.. L. Wilson, of Waimate. One of his brothers was killed on Gallipoli, and another returned invalided to New Zealand some time ago. Before leaving for the front Major Wilson was on the office staff of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association at Timaru. He was awarded the Military Cross at the beginning of 1918, and the award of the D.S.O. was.announced among the latest New Year honours. Mrs Wilson has been residing with her mother, Mrs Taylor, Littlebourne. An early pionefir, Mr Charleß Smaill, died at his residence. Mount Pleasant, Kaitangata, on the 4th inst. He was born near Edinburgh in 1840.- and in 1857 emigrated with his parents to New Zealand. He joined the gold rush to Gabriel's Gully and the Dunstan, but eventually took up farming, and settled at , Wangaloa, £ where he married and remained for six years. He then, in partnership with his brother, took over the Balloon Farm. Several years after the death of his brother, Mr Smaill acquired the Crescent Farm, whioh he worked successfullv until two years and a-half ago, when he retired from active farming. During his earlier years of life the late gentleman took an active interest in survey and road boards, and was a firm supporter of the dairying industry. Mrs Smaill, a daughter of the late Mr William Stewart, Tomahawk, died about five months ago. Mr Smaill is survived by his son Charles (Crescent) and daughters (Mrs H. Cornish and Miss Isobel Smaill, of Kaitangata). Mr W. Downie Stewart, M.P. (Dunedin West), came to Dunedin on Saturday evening with the members of the French Mission. Mr Leslie Norman Ritchie has been advised that he has passed the final examination for solicitors. Mr M. M'Allen, of Moreau street, St. Kilda, has received word that his son. S. J. M'Allen, who was a prisoner of war in Germany, arrived at Ripon (England) on January 6. Major Hugh Short and Mrs Short are passengers from England by the Ruahine, which will arrive in New Zealand this month. Major Short was attached to the New Zealand Medical Corps, and left with the Main Body. He was invalided from Gallipoli, and afterwards was appointed medical officer at Hornchurch. From there he was promoted to the position of senior medical officer at Sling camp. Since July, 1918, Major Short has been travelling between the military hospitals in England, finally serving at Walton as specialist in diseases of the chest. On December 19, at Maungatua, thero passed away a very old identity, in the person of Mr John Cameron. The deceased was a resident of that district for nearly 50 years. Ho was born at Fort William, near Inverness, Scotland. Along with his mother and sisters, he came out to Australia. He then came to New Zealand to take part in the various gold diggings. Athough he took no interest in pubiio affairs, he was a very well-read man. The deceased had been in failing health for years, and for the last four months of his life was a great sufferer. A widow, three daughters, and three sons j (two of whom are on active service) survive. An old resident of Southland passed away at Invercargill on Thursday in the person of Mr John Fraser, at the age of 76 years.

Born in Strathnairn, Inverness-shire, Scotland, he was educated at the local school and the Inverness Academy, on leaving which ho was appointed head master of the local school at Cruachy. His father deciding to leave Scotland for New Zealand, the whole family arrived in New Zealand bv the ship Robert Henderson in 1862. In order to acquire local experience, Mr John Fraser entered the employ of the lato Mr M'Nab (father of the late Dr M'Nab), and was for some time on the lato Dr Menzies's property at Tuturau. As grazing sheep to boil them down for the tallow, which was the only outlet for them for some years, did not appear to be a profitable venture, he joined with Mr H. M'Lean in opening a butcher's shop in Gore, and later acquired 800 acres of the flat land just below Gore and a property at Mossburn. Increasing deafness, arising from a cold in 1863, caused Mr .Fraser to retire from business, and hi later purchased Koromiko, near Merrivale, where he was instrumental in establishing a dairy factory. He sold out several years ago, and lived in retirement in Invercarfill with his -widowed sister (Mrs Cameron). [er unexpected death a few weeks an oame as a shock to him,-and a paralytic stroke hastened the end. The deceased was nevar married. He was of a quiet, retiring disposition, and, though he took much -111* terest in all publio affairs, he felt his Increasing deafness too keenly to take any active part in affairs. He was well known and highly respected throughout Southland. A telegram from Wellington states:— The Base Records Office has received cable advice that the Distinguished Service Order has been awarded to Major Geoffrey Armstrong Buddie. As ho is not a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, his next-of-kin is unknown here.

Sir F. T. Boys, K.8.E., on whom thi» order was recently conferred, was for several years connected with the management of the Ocean Beach Works at Bluff. He was Subsequently appointed manager of one of tho Christohurch Meat Co.'s works in Canterbury, and was later transferred ' to London as the company's manager m the metropolis. When the Imperial Government requisitioned the dominion's meat sup< plies Mr Boye was appointed a director. Lady Boys is a sister of Lady Ward.