PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3487, 11 January 1921, Page 23

PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand has lost one of her earliest and best colonists by the death in Canterbury last week, in his ninety-first year, of Air James Gough. He was born at Montford, in Shropshire, England, on June 21, 1830, and had the distinction of living under five British sovereigns. He was reared in | a small cottage and place of two acres, on i which his father and mother brought up their family. Having gained some exI perience aynong the breeders of Shropshire j sheep in his village, he took over the i management of a farm in Derbyshire. He I came to Auckland in 1859, and went to the j Otago goldfields in 1861, working at ! Gabriel’s Gully. He then went to Canterj bury and took a contract to form a part j of the Riccarton road, subsequently taking | up land in the district, finally founding at j Charing Cross the Hornsby Estate, which | grew to 3700 acres. He was one of the | founders, a large exhibitor, and a strong supporter of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, being president for two years. He was one of the founders and later a director of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company. He exported frozen meat to England, having consignments in the first two ships that, carried meat from New Zealand —namely, the British King and the British Queen. He exported continuously from 1883 to 1908. the last 10 years of the time his average being- 30.000 carcases per annum. His sporting nature took the form of providing ground and entertaining members of the Christchurch and South Canterbury Hunt Clubs. This was a favourite run, patronised bv several Governors of New Zealand, and lastly by the Prince of Wales. As an instance of the esteem in which ho was held in his district. on January 12, 1902, he was entertained and presented with a gold watch and chain, also an illuminated address signed by 168 subscribers. Mr A. Bissett-Smlth. a stepson of the late Captain B> “sett-Smith, who was awarded a posthumous V.C. for his gallantry in fighting the New Zealand Ship-p-ng Company’s Otaki when attacked by a German raider, arrived by the Arawa on the 25th ult. Dr Guy Scholefield, the well-known journalist, has purchased the Wairarapa Age, and will take possession of the business shortly. Sydney papers announce that Sir Philip Gibbs, the famous war correspondent, has been appointed editor of the Review of Reviews. The Yen. Alfred Neild, ALA., for many years resident in this diocese, and formerly Archdeacon of Dunedin, has arrived in. Dunedin to take up his new duties as financial organiser of the bishop’s crusade. This crusade has been started by Bishop Richards to put the finances of the Anglican diocese on a sound footing. Miss N. Goad, of Wellington (says a Press Association message) has been appointed president of the New Zealand Women Teachers’ Association. Miss Mackenzie, of Dunedin, withdrew her nomination. A London Press Association cable message announces the death of Airs Mary M’Arthur, secretary of the Women’s Trade Union League and the National Federation of Women Workers. The deceased was prominently identified with various social movements. Colonel R. Logan, C.B. (late Administrator of Samoa), has purchased an estate in j the South of England, where he intends to ! settle permanently. | The well-known New Zealand authoress, | Aiiss Edith Howes, who has been resident in Adelaide for some time past, has found the South Australian climate exceedingly trying. Accordingly she has decided to return to the dominion, and intends to sojourn in Dunedin at least for a while. - Air E. A. Dagger!, son of the lute Mr E. A. Haggen, a journalist who at one time lived in Wellington, has been ap- | pointed lecturer in law at the University ! of Leeds, after having completed his graduate course in law at Queens College, Oxford. Mr Ilaggen represented British Columbia at that university since 1313 — with an hit real, of course, during his period on active service. He lately took his M.A. and B.C.L. degrees. The Hon. A. M. Myers intends to leave England shortly. He has had a very pleasant stay in the Mother Country, and is looking much better for his tour. Mrs ! Myers and the children will remain in England. Their son, who has been coached for Marlborough, will soon become a student at this famous school. ! whose late assistant master, the Rev. E. C. Crosse. D. 5.0., M.C., is expected in 1 New Zealand this month to assume the duties as head of Christ’s College. ’ Mr E. A. Shrimpton, chief engineer of New Zealand telegraphs, who has been in l Great Britain in the interests of his de- ' partment, is on his way back to the do- ) minion, sailing from New York by the ’ j Baltic. When Mr Shrimpton was in Bel- . ! gram he visited the spot, near Mount Kem- . I mel. where his son, Norman, is buried. . With the aid of the complete information | | supplied at the office of the High CommisI* sioner, he was easily able to locate the grave. Air Shrimpton will be travelling j. through the United States and Canada until January 5. A cablegram from Sydney states that the r Right Rev. Mgr. Ormond, secretary to the Papal Delegate, is shortly returning to his j diocese at Auckland. i. I The d.-atli occurred ! ist week of a well- , j known settler of the King Country in the q person of Air Robert Ormsby, at the age of a 98. Deceased came to New Zealand when a young man. and married a lady of the 1 Alaniapoto tribe. Tie leaves a family of “ ■ seven sons all well-known settlers in the Rohe Potae. j A presentation of a roller-top desk was made'"recently bv the staff of the Auckland 0 Government Insurance Office to Air John e Findlay, who is retiring from the position

of district manager to take up the duties of organising secretary to the Auckland branch of the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand. Mrs Findlay was presented with a piece of plate. The under mentioned officers of the New Zealand Sta.ft' Corps have been posted to the retired list, with permission to retain their rank and wear the prescribed uniform (dated January 1, 1921) : —Major-general Sir Alfred William Robin, K.O.M.G C.B. (d.); Alajor Henry Charles Nutsford, A1.8.E. ; Major John Murray Ross, M.C., with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in recognition of distinguished service in the late war (dated December 1, 1920). The Hon. J. G. Coates visits Auckland this week to take part in a conference with regard to the formation of an electric power board for the city. In the last week of January he leaves for a lengthy tour of tho South Island, starting at Marlborough. Air Coates will then make an inspection of tho hydro-electrio and irrigation schemes for Central Otago. It is expected (says a Wellington message) that Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, Secretary to the Treasury, will, on his return to New, Zealand, bo offered tho Public Trustee’s position. He is at present absent on business and a health-recruiting trip to Great Britain and Europe, and he also attended the Peace Conference in Brussels. Dean Fitchett. accompanied by Mrs Fitchett, returned to Dunedin on the 6th after an absence of 14 months in England. Tliev are in good health, and express themselves as being well pleased to bo back again in New Zealand. Aiiss A. D. Roche, of the Benhar School, who has been promoted to a position in the Balclutha School, has been presented with a handsome travelling case and finely-bound volume of Sir Walter Scott’s works. Tho School Committee also presented Aiiss Roche with a letter stating its appreciation of tho good work she had clone in connection with the school. Aiiss Alice E. Henderson, missionary of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, returned to the dominion on Thursday on furlough. Aiiss Henderson first went out as a missionary in 1896, and was stationed at; Madras until she was transferred to the Paunjab in November, 1910. Owing to the war and the absence of several missionaries on national service, she continued on the mission field for 3i years after her furlough was due. Recently at Kaitangata a most popular and respected resident in the person of Mr William Shaw passed away at his residence, Clyde terrace. He bad been in ill-health for the past three years, but was only confined to berl for a week prior to his death. The late Mr Shaw was born in Kilsyth, Scotland, and came to Melbourne by the ship City of Santiago in 1877. He then came to New Zealand, residing in Lawrence and Balclutha, after which he finally came to Kaitangata, where he made his home for the past 40 years. The deceased gentleman carried on business as a bootmaker, and he was a keen sportsman, always at home on tho bowling green, being one of the oldest and keenest bowlers in New Zealand. Air Shaw is survived by a widow, two sons and five daughters, and four grandchildren. At the beginning of last week mid-Can-terbury lost in the death of Mr T. W. Wilkinson, of Highani, Chertsey, one of her pioneer farmers. The deceased was born near Christchurch in 1856, and in 1866 gained one of the first four scholarships given by the Board of Education for pupils of rural schools. He was educated at tho Papanui and Pigeon Bay Schools, and at the old High School, now the West Christ church School. Air Wilkinson was mainly responsible for the establishment of the Chertsey Co-operative Salevards Company, of which he was chairman, anil he was for some time chairman of directors of the Canterbury Petroleum Prospecting Company. A London cable message announces the death of Sir William Peterson; formerly principal of M’Gill University, Montreal. He was born at Edinburgh in 1856. Educated at Edinburgh, Gottingen, and Oxford, he had a distinguished scholastio record. Before going to Montreal he was principal of University College, Dundee. Ho published a number of books on classical sub jects. He was created a K.C.AI.G. in 1915. The many friends of Mr T. J. M‘Kerrow, the well-known sharebroker, will regret to learn that whilst walking with a friend on Saturday afternoon he was seized with a heart attack, and fears were at first entertained regarding his condition, but subsequently there was a decided improvement-.