PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 23

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mrs Dedery, wife of the late Mr William Dodery, for many years president of the Legislative Council, Tasmania, was ICO years of age on January 1. Mr A. O. Levien, of Wellington, and formerly of Masterton, has been awarded the 21 years’ Colonial Auxiliary Forces’ long and efficient service medal, and also the medals for 16 years’ and 12 years’ continuous service. Mr Levien’s period of service was with the 17th (Ruahine) Regiment, and during that time he missed only 10 parades. The death took place at Orepuki on the 6th inst. of Mr Thomas Shirley, proprietor of the Railway Hotel (says the Advocate). Deceased was born in 1860, at North-East Valley, Dunedin. His father was Mr Matthew Shirley, one of the old pioneers of Southland, having come south from Gabriel’s Gully early in 1862. Deceased had a varied career —farming, hotelkeeping, etc. —and was some 11 ’-ears in Bennett’s cordial factory. His father came out in the second ship under the New Zealand Company, and his mother in the third, the union being one of the first, marriages solemnised at tho Hutt (nine miles out of Wellington), in 1846. The death is reported at Auckland of Mr Richard Porter. Born in Wellington, m 1848, his parents removed to Auckland when fie was six months old, and he resided there over since, with the exception of a short period at the Thames. In his earlier manhood he took an active part in the Labour movement, being closely connected with the eight-hours’ agitation in the late seventies and eighties, acting on committees of the organisation, and a-lso the demonstrations and sports. He was secretary to the Amalgamated Society of Engineers for many years, also of the Marine Society of Engineers, and on relinquishing the former position he was presented with a gold watch as a token of esteem for valuable work. He represented his societies on the committee that organised and carried out the great functions held at the jubilee of Queen Victoria. A Sydney message states that Mr Robert Barton was re-eiected Grand Master of the I .oval Orange Institution. He is a New Zealander, having been born in Christchurch. The following appointments have been made by the Otago Education Board:—Mr Chas. M’Kinnon, head master, St. Leonards School; M.ss Ruby Meikle, sole teacher. Moonlight; Miss M. M. Rennie, mistress, Waihola; Miss B. Mawhinney, assistant, Roxburgh. The death of a Maori war veteran, in the person of Mr Frank Watson, of Blenheim, occurred last week. Deceased was 79 years of age, and one of the early settlers in Blenheim. Mr John Stewart, whose death is reported from Tauranga, at tho age of 83 years, was a veteran of the Maori war. He took part in the fighting at Taranaki, and also in the Waikato. In 1868 he married in Auckland, and shortly afterwards went to Tauranga, where he had resided ever since. Deceased is survived by one son and two daughters. Mr C. Armstrong, well known to old identities as the proprietor of the Union Hotel, Stafford street, in the seventies, is living in Melbourne, and although in his eighty-fifth year, is in good health. At a recent gathering of early-day miners at Bendigo he was declared to be the oldest living survivor of those stirring times. The death is reported at Hamilton of Mr R. H. Young, who for many years was connected with the Public Works Department. The deceased was well known in the Mackenzie Country, where roads and bridges were constructed under his supervision. The construction of the Kauhaurara-Hundalee road from Kaikoura to Cheviot was also supervised by Mr Young. After retiring from the Government on superannuation, Mr Young spent some years at Little River, following farming pursuits, after which he went to Hamilton to reside. The late Mr Young is the only brother of Lady Carlisle, of Melbourne. One of his sons, Lieutenant R. A. Young, of Naseby, was decorated with the Military Cross by the Prince of Wales at Christchurch. A Press Association message from Wellington states that Mr Thomas Vincent has been appointed superintendent of tho Auckland prison. Mr W. Gray, principal of the Presbyterian College, Melbourne, and formerly principal of the Wellington Training* College, is on a visit to the dominion. Mr W. C. Purdie, B.Sc„ of Wellington, has been appointed lecturer in chemistry and physics at Lincoln College, where he went through his agricultural course somo time* ago. Lieutenant-colonel Sleeman will vacate the office of Director of Military Training in New Zealand, and will return to the Imperial General,. Staff in April (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent). His place here will most probably be filled by a member of the Now Zealand Staff Corps. Messrs Dalgety and Company (Limited) have received cable advice from their London office of the appointment of the Hon. Sir Herbert Alexander Lawrence, K.C.8., managing partner of Messrs Glynn, Mills, Currie, and Company, as a director on the London Board of Dalgety and Company. Mr Steve Boreham has been elected one of the two New Zealand delegates to the annual convention of the Australian Workers’ Union, which is to be hold at the end of tin's month. The election was made by a ballot of the members of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, which is affiliated to the Australian Union. Mr Boreham will sail for Australia on. January 18. The Rev. F. Rule (Christchurch) intends to make a trip to Scotland this year on a visit to h’s birthplace, Falkirk. lie will go by way of America to meet his son Andrew, who is professor of philosophy at Wichita University, Kansas. Professor Rule has won a foundation scholarship, which entities him to a year’s post graduate study in Scotland, and he hopes to take a degree in philosophy. He will probably accompany his father to Scotland. Mr Rule hopes to be in Kansas in May. His son Victor and his daughter Lucy are at present in Kansas studying at Wichita University. The service medal of tho Order of St. | John of Jerusalem has been awarded to Miss E. J Williams, first officer, Dunedin Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas. This award is granted in recognition of not less than 12 years’ efficient service in the brigade overseas. The scat rendered vacant on the New Zealand University Senate by the death of the lion. J. A. T'ole, K. 0., who from 1903 to the dato of his death represented Auckland University College, haa been filled by tho election of Professor A. I’. W. Thomas, former professor of botany at Auckland.

Mrs Smith, wife of the late captain of the steamer Otalu, who was awarded, after death, the Victoria Cross for his gallant light against a German submarine, lias arrived in New Zealand. She has come front England (says our Wellington correspondent) to settle her son in the dominion and to see something of the country. At a* special meeting of the Clutlia County Council, held on the 11th, the resignation of the county engineer (Mr John Ramsay), which was tendered some months ago, but subsequently withdrawn by request, was again presented, and was accepted with regret. A son has been born to Sir Charles Cayzer, the brother of Lady Jellicoe, who succeeded about three years ago to the title and estate, worth something like two million sterling (reports tho Wellington Post). Lady Cayzer is the daughter of Countess Sondes, and her husband was the late Mr James Meakin, of West Manor, Staffordshire. Sir Charles and Lady Cayzer were married about a year ago. Another of Ota.go’s early settlers has passed over to the great majority, Mr William Familton, who died at his residence at Hampden last month, at the ago of 83 years. The deceased was born near Edinburgh in 1837, and was educated at George ~\\ atson’s College, in Edinburgh. In 1855 lie migrated to New Zealand, landing at Wellington from the ship New Era. and immediately coming down to Otago by a schooner. He first lived at Goodwood, where he was engaged farming under Mr William Jones. Five years later he took up bullock-driving, and became a carrier to the interior of Otago. Finally he settled down at Hampden, where he entered the service of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, and remained in it for about 40 years, having retired from active service only a few years ago. For some time past Mr Familton was in failing health, and latterly became a confirmed invalid, so that his end was not unexpected. He was married in the early sixties to a daughter of Samuel Woolley, of Waikouaiti, and he leaves a family of 10 —six daughters and four sons. A party consisting of Messrs J. Patrick (Leo Creek), Cecil Hazlett (Dunedin), Jules Tapper (Invercargill), and J. Steele is to proceed in the Tutanekai to the Campbell Islands. Sir Robert Stout will preside over tho annual session of the University Senate at Wellington on Wednesday. It is understood that Sir Robert has decided to go to England direct for health reasons, and that ho will visit the United States towards the end of the present year. Tho Mayor of Tapamii (Mr J. A. Gillies) tendered his resignation at last meeting of tho council owing to his removal from the district. Cr Quin was elected Mayor for the balance of the term.