PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 53

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Lieutenant-colonel Duncan Colquhoun, D. 5.0., who came back to New Zealand in charge of the draft of soldiers landed by the Maunganui at Auckland recently, arrived in Dunedin last evening, en route to his home at Tapanui. Mr John Robertson, school inspector, of Otago, who enlisted three years ago as a private, and on reaching Egypt volunteered for the Camel Corps, has been appointed Assistant Director of Education at Cairo, with the rank of major. . News has been received that Major Randall Woodhouse has been awarded a second bar to the Military Cross that he gained in 1916, the first bar having been awarded a year ago. Major Woodhouse, who is an old High School boy, and a graduate of Otago University, has been on active service in France throughout the whole period of the war. He joined the R.A.M.C. in London, where he was preparing to sit for his F.R.C.S., crossing to France in the middle of August, 1914, and was with a field ambulance, following up the retreating Germans, when the armistice was signed. During that period he has been three times wounded and once slightly gassed. - . The death of Mr Alexander Scott, inspector of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, due to complications supervening upon influenza, has removed one of the best known and most highly esteemed figures in the stock and station agency business in the South Island. His father, the late Mr Lewis Scott, was an early settler, on the Waitohi, and on his father's farm Mr Alexander Scott was trained prior to his entrance* into commercial life. In 1899 he was appointed stock auctioneer to "the National Mortgage and Agency Company in Timaru, and he retained this position, in which he was remarkably successful, until 1917, when he was transferred to the head office in Dunedin. Deep regret will be felfc by farmers and business men, particularly in South Canterbury, where Mr Scott spent the greater part of his life, at his death at a comparatively early age. The following appointments of teachers have been made in the Otago district:—Mr Norman P. Lory, sole teacher, Wedderburn; Miss Aenid M. M. Fleming, sole teacher, Kaihiku; Miss Eliz. A. A. Heather, mistress, Hawea Flat; Miss Margt. A. Wilson, nr stress, Tokarahi; Miss Margt. H. M'Q. Johnston, second assistant, Totara; Miss Hazel M'L. Caddie, mistress, Kurow; Miss Annie E. Pearce, second assistant, Clinton. Lieutenant E. 0. Hocking, R.A.F., aged 22 years, son of Mr Joseph Hocking, the novelist, was killed in action in France. He joined the Loyal North Lancashires as a private in September, 1914, and received his commission in December. He was wounded in the battle of the Somme, and after leaving hospital became A.D.C. to General Johnson. He was transferred to the R.A.F. last autumn. Mr James Ormsby, on retiring from the management of the Shag Valley Station after an unbroken service of over 40 years, and Mrs Ormsby, who has been an even longer time on the station and was married there, were entertained at supper by the station employees and the 801 l family last week, and presented with an illuminated address expressive of the regard felt by all their associates on the place at the parting which had been brought about by the lapse of years. Mr Ormsby, in responding, gave some interesting reminiscences of the far-back days when he first took command of the station, and paid a warm tribute to those with whom he had worked for their willing and faendly co-operation. Mr and Mrs Ormsby left the station on the 14th for their now home in Palmerston. Mr S. I. Whitcombe, Railway Traffic Superintendent, who has been connected with the New Zealand Railway Department for the past 42 years, announced at the annual reunion of the institute last evening that he would retire on superannuation on March 31 next. Cable advice has been received in Hastings that the condition of the Hon. A. L. D. Fraser, M.L.C., who has been in Sydney for a considerable time, is again very*erious. Mr W. T. Goodwin, who has acted as Government orchard instructor in Otago for some years pa-st, has been transferred to the Nelson district. Mr J. H. Thorpe, who acted in place of Mr Goodwin during the latter's absence in camp, will be permanently stationed in Otago. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch announces that Mr W. H. Skinner, Commissioner of Crown Lands_ for Canterbury, has sent in his resignation, to take effect from the beginning of April. _ Mr Skinner has had an unbroken service in the Lands Department since. 1872. Mr W. G. T. Goodman, general manager of the Adelaide Municipal Tramways Trust, who left Australia in July, 1917, for Lon-

don, is expeoted to return shortly. Mr Goodman was given an honorary commission by the South Australian Government to inquire into matters connected with tlio electrification of railways, the handling of coal, electric power, and its relation to the development of industries, and other questions. Mrs Annie Steele, relict of Mr Ebcnezer Steele, who died at Mataura last week, was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1845. She had been a resident of Mataura for 42 years, and came to New Zealand with her husband and family in 1872, landing at Dunedin. The family resided in Dunedin for five years, and then removed to Mataura. Her husband and a son predeceased her 34 years ago, both boinEr the victims of an accident with some patent rabbit exterminator with which the late Mr Steele was experimenting. She is survived by oi.'e son, Mr Frank Steele, of Turnbull and Jones, Dunedin, and four daughters. Private W. G. Lane, to whom a Military Medal has been awarded " in recognition," a» the official advice states, "of gallantry in the field," is a son of Mr J. P. Lane, of this city. An elder brother, Corporal Lane, was unfortunately killed in the war. Mr Thomas Black, president of the New Zealand Hardware Company from its earliest days, died on Friday morning, aged 74 years. Mr Black retired from the managership of the company some years ago, but retained the office of chairman of the board of directors till his death. Mr Black was one of the oldest business men in Dunedin. He was of a retiring nature, and never entered public life. With very great regret the annual report of the" Educational Institute chronicles the retirement of Mr William Davidson from active participation ' in the work of tho institute. "For 33 years he has been a tower of strength to his fellow-teachers, and has given ungrudgingly _ of • his time, his boiridless energy, and his great intellectual ability to the cause of education. He is a past-president of this institute, ■for more than 20 years a member of the executive, and he was the fourder and for 20 years the editor of. the Journal of Education. Failing health, not failing interest, is the cause of his retirement, and members of the institute cannot but heartily wish that he may for many years to come be able to enjoy the rest ho has so well earned, and watch the (growth of the stnio ture of national education, in the building up of which he has borne so strenuous a part.'' Lieutenant G. B. Stevenson, who was second in command to Captain Purdon, of the Musketry Instruction Department at Trentham Camp, has been transferred to Dunedin as chief musketry instructor for the Otago Military District. Lieutenant Stevenson is one of the dominion's best shots, and' he used to astonish the men under him by tho rapidity with which he could load and fire at rapid firing practice in camp. Advice has been received that Q.M. Sergeant A. D. M'Lennan, son of Mr K. M'Lennan, of Mosgiel, has won a bar to the Military Medal which he received last August. A Christchurch message reports the death of Miss Elizabeth Agnes Thacker, aged 68 years, a sister of Dr Thacker, M.P. She was the first white child born in Christchurch after the arrival of the Canterbury pilgrims. A Press Association cable message from London announces the death of Earl Cowley, who is described as "one of the most divorced members of the British aristocracy." At the conclusion of Saturday morning's sitting of the Railway Officers' Institute Conference, the president (Mr J. Young) was presented with a dressing case by the delegates in appreciation of the splendid work he has done in the interests of the railway service. Sir John Findlay's two sons. Major Findlay and Captain Findlay, M. 0., of the Imperial army, who returned to New Zealand by the Niagara, are, with Lady Findlay, on a short visit to Diinedin.

Advice has just been received that Sergeant T. M. Campbell, who left with the 17th Reinforcements, and was wounded twice, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on the field of battle. His parents reside at Sunnyvale, Green Island. At a special meeting of the Part Chalmers Boroujjh Council on the 20th hearty congratulations were extended to Cr W. G. Fail, -who has reached the advanced age _of 85 years, and who still takes an active interest in local politics. Mr Fail, who was bom at Horsley Down, Surrey (England), landed at Port Chalmers 59 years ago, having been attracted to Qtago by the rich finds of gold then being made in this province. He has many interesting anecdotes to tell of those far-back days, and has read several papers before the Port Chalmers Old Identities' Association, of which body he is also an active member. Second Lieutenant V. R. Bernard, who was killed in action on November 4, 1918, went to Samoa as a private, and on his return went to Egypt aa a sergeant. He then went to England, where he obtained his commission. He returned to New Zealand, but went back to France with the 38ths, and fell at the storming of Le Quesnoy. Prior to joining the colours, Second Lieutenant Bernard •was in the Audit Department, Wellington. He was a Wellington Rugby representative, a good swimmer, and won many trophies as an amateur runner. He was much esteemed by all with whom he came in contact.

It will be with sincere regret that the friends of Mr W. B. Buller, well known in Diineclin, will have heard of his death at Auckland, where he lived for many years past. The son of a well-known pioneer Wesleyan missipnary, Mr Buller entered the service of the Bank'of New Zealand after being in a merchant's office, and in 1874 was appointed accountant at Timaru. In 1879 he was transferred in the game capacity to Dunedin, and in ISSO was sent as manager to New Plymouth, where he sojourned for five years. He next became manager at Dunedin, and in 1892 was promoted to the senior inspectorship, succeeding the late Mr Murray as manager at Auckland, and holdiner that position till his retirement on superannuation. He was married to a sister of Sir James Mills.