PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 57

PERSONAL ITEMS.

A Sydney cablegram records the death of Mr Thomas Craig Gillies, civil engineer, a son of the late Mr Justice Gillies, of ■Auckland. A London cablegram states that the late Major-general Townsbend’s estate consisted of unsettled property to the value of £ll9. At the annual meeting of the Wanganui Political Reform League Mr John Coull, who contested the last election in the Government interests, was unanimously choseji as the Reform candidate to contest the next election. Ihe Hon. G. J. Smith, M.L.C., left Wellington on Tuesday as a passenger on the Manganui, en route to England, via Arne 'ica. Mr A. J- Harrop, formerly a member of the literary staff of the Christchurch Press, who left the dominion about a year ago for the purpose of undertaking research work in ‘history at (Jaius College, Cambridge, has obtained an appointment on the literary staff of the Daily Mail, London. Advice has been received that his Royal Highness the Grand Prior has approved of the service medal of tne Order of St. John being granted to Major W. Fleming (commissioner). Dr L. E. Barnett (district surgeon), Mr P. W. Breen (district superintendent), of the district staff, Otago district; and Ambulance Sisters M. E. Ritchie and M. Feeney, of the Dunedin Nursing Division. At a meeting of the Committee of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children congratulations were extended to the chairman, Mr Duncan Wright, on the attainment of his 84th birthday. Dr A. R. Falconer, medical superintendent of the Dunedin Hospital, who is Laving Dunedin on a visit to America, was entertained at luncheon in the Tudor Room at the Savoy on Tuesday lost, by the executive of the Dunedin branch of the St. John Ambulance Association. Mr J. J. Clark (president of the branch), in wishing Dr Falconer a safe and pleasant journey, referred to the great amount of work that Dr Falconer had done for the association. His continued enthusiasm and energy had helped to stir the executive to fresh endeavours. Mr Clark said he trusted that Dr Falconer would return refreshed in mind and invigorated in body. The Rev. Y. G. Bryan King (chairman of the local branch) endorsed what Mr Clark had said, and concluded by conveying to Dr Falconer the good wiphes of the Red Cross Society. Dr Falconer, in expressing his appreciation of the good wishes conveyed by the speakers, said the principal object of his visit to America was to obtain information in regard to hospital matters and administration, and to ascertain to what extent voluntary effort was used to assist in providing hospital finance. The friends of Mr Donald L. Cameron, 8.E., an ex-student of Canterbury College, will he pleased to learn that he is well, and at. present in Toronto with the HydroElectric Power Company of that city. After leaving New Zealand, over three years ago he completed a testing course of 18 month’s with the General Electric Company in Sehnectady, New York, afterwards being in the draughting office of the Adirondack Light and Power Company, in the same State, for a year. He purposes returning to New Zealand within another year. Mr W. J Foote, who has been recently stationed at the Railway Department’s office At Milton, has received notice of his trans-

for to Lyttelton, where he will t&ku up tno position of chief clerk. Police changes are announced from Wellington. Superintendent Fouhy, of Wanganui, retires on August 4, and Sub-inspector J. MTlveney, of Christchurch, will succeed him. Sub-inspector A. Cameron, of Wei lington, will return to Christchurch to take the vacant p,ace, and the post in Wellington rendered vacant will be filled by the promotion of Senior Sergeant J. W. Hollis, of Whangarei, to sub-inspector. News has just been received that the University of Cambridge has awarded to Mr H. D. Skinner, lecturer in anthropology in the University of Otago, the degree of B.A. by Research. The subject of the investigation, which was carried out at Cambridge, five or six years ago, is the culture of the Moriori race, and the outcome of the research has recently been published by the Bishop Museum, at Honolulu, in the form of a large quarto volume. The authorities at Cambridge, in recording the award, expressed the opinion that the research is “a contribution to naming,” which is a formula only used in respect of results of a particularly high character. A Hokitika telegram announces the death of Mr John Butler, settler, of Wataroa, ased 80 years, and Mr Henry Whitten, of Hokitika, aged 96 years. Mr N. Pemberton Billing, formerly a member of the House of Commons, is a passenger by the Mnkura to Sydney. He will later return to New Zealand. Dr A. Leslie Sutherland will leave by the express for the north to-day for Sydney en route to India to take up his duties as a medical missionary under the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Dr Grange Fergus, a daughter of the late Hon. Thos. Fergus, has returned to New Zealand after being abroad for a number of years. Before the war she served in the Public Health Department at Rochdale in Lancashire. In 1916 She joined the R. and served for two years at Malta and Salonika. After demobilisation she took an appointment under (he Colonial Office to serve as a medical officer in the Federated Malay States, and has resided there for the last four years. She is visiting New Zealand on furlough, and intends to remain here for several months. Mr F. G. Cumming (probation officer), who is still a patient in the Hospital, was present at a sitting of the Juvenile Court on Saturday. It will likely he some weeks before he will be able to leave the institution. Messrs A. C. Leary, E. H. Murney, and S. P. Cameron, delegates from the Otago Provincial Farmers’ Union to the recent Dominion Conference in Wellington, were passengers from the north by the express on Saturday. Mr C. F. Overton, who also was a delegate, travelled bv the same train to Palmerston. Two of flip Southland dele-p-nt.-s—Mo«<o-S G P. Johns! on (Gore) and P. Arnott (Seaward Downs) —were through passengers. Mr W. Crow, who recently retired on superannuation from the position of librarian and officer-in-charge of the Library and Tnformat’e” Bureau in the High Commissioner’s Office, had a varied and interesting caree- in the New Zealand nublie service extending over 40 years. During the years to 1920 he was, for varying periods, private secretary to 12 Ministers of the Crown, including the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. He accompanied Mr Seddon to T nndon in 1.997. when he represented New Zealand at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and at the first Imperial Conference. As secretary to the dominion renresentativos. he witnessed the ceremony of opening the first session of the Commonwealth Parliament in Melbourne in 1901. and of the South African Union Parliament at Capetown in 1910. When. in 1915, Sir IT. Heaton Rhodes was appointed Government Commissioner to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Mr Crow accompanied him to all the hospitals, convalescent homes, and oanros where members of that force were located, in F.gvnt, Lemnos, Gallipoli, and Malta. Mr Crow was recently presented bv the High Commissioner’s staff with a, pair of field binoculars, and the High Commissioner and Lady Allen gave a delightfully informal tea at New Zealand House to hid Air and Mrs Crow farewell prior to their denarture for the dominion. In a brief speech Sir .Tames Allen paid warm tribute to Mr Crow’s ability and zeal, and to bis “long and honourable career in the New Zealand public service.” He (Sir James) regretted that, under the civil service regulations (service limit) a man of Mr Crow’s marked ability and ripe knowledge had to retire when still in his prime. He wished Air and Mrs Crow both the best of luck. Colonel Roberts (F-xhihi tion Commissioner), who was unavoidably detained at Wemblev wrote an appreciative letter, which Sir Janies read Mr Crow in reply, thanked the High Commissioner for the honour done him in arranging the tea and leception. and for the kindly and considerate way he had always treated him.