ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 17304, 28 March 1913, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

Mr R. S. Ross, editor of the Maorlland Worker, has accepted the editorship of the Melbourne Socialist. Sir James Mills will leave for Melbourne by the Manuka on Sunday to meet the mail steamer Niagara, which is expected to reach Melbourne on April 16th. At the office of the Standard Insurance Company, Dunedin, a presentation was made to Mr G. Hannon Wilson, who has been connected with the company for a great many years, and who has now been appointed manager of the Invercargill branch. The presentation, which consisted of a travelling bag and silver vases (for Miss Wilson), was made on behalf of the staff by Mr Arthur M. Fisher, general manager, who wished Mr Wilson success and happiness in his new homo. Mr R. M. Hogg (accountant) and Mr F. T. Anderson also spoke in eulogistic terms of Mr Wilson, who suitably replied. Mr and Mrs S. McC. McDonald returned to Invercargill on Monday last, after an absence of three or four months. Sir Joseph Ward, with Lady Ward, visited the House of Lords on 12th February, and heard the Archbishop of Canterbury’s speech on the Welsh Disestablishment Bill. They were afterwards entertained at tea by Lord Blyth, several Peers and members of Parliament being invited to meet them. Mrs and Miss Asquith were also present. It is interesting to note (hat Sir Joseph availed himself for the first time of his privilege as a Privy Councillor to listen to the debate from the space on the floor pf the House, at the foot of the Throne. Lady Ward was accommodated with a seat in the gallery reserved for wives of diplomats. In recognition of the work done during the South African war by Miss May Murray, daughter of General Sir John Murray, the War Office recently presented the kind-hearted woman with the South African war medal. Miss Murray, who is a brigadier in the Salvation Army, was sent by General Booth with a staff of Salvationists to South Africa at the end of 1899, and her work in providing soldiers’ homes and other agencies for the welfare of the men was praised by Lord Roberts, Sir R. Buller, and other officers. The following appointments of officers transferred to the Department of Immigration are gazetted:—Hector Douglas Thomson, to be chief clerk: Alfred Montague Adams, accountant; James William Coarrt, Frederick Arthur Ruck. and Robert AVilliam Lavorty. clerks. A Sydney cable announces the death of Mr James Curley. ex-Secretary of the Colliery Employees’ Federation, and a prominent Labourite. Mr and Mrs L. B. Brad.stock have been appointed Master and Matron of the Stoke Boys’ industrial School. Mr Bradstock is at present master at Rongokoho School, near Eketahuna. The Dunedin correspondent of the Ashburton Guardian telegraphs that it is rumoured that Dr Chappie intends resigning liis seat in the House of Commons for Stirlingshire in favour of Air Robert McNab, who is .about to go to the Old Country. It Is stated that Dr Chappie lias found British politics to he very expensive, as. apart from an election campaign, he lias had to contribute large sums to the party funds. It is said that up to the present the total cost to him amounts to £7OOO. Dr Chappie and Mr McNab have large mutual interests in New Zealand, and it presumed that Dr Chappie will return to the dominion to manage them. Sir Joseph Ward presided at the annual meeting of the Incorporated Society of Meat Importers at the Cafe Royal, .Regent street, London. In touching on New Zealand frozen meat statistics, the cx-Prime Minister pointed out that the meat trade between Great Britain and Now Zealand had increased by leaps and bounds in the last few years. The dominion now had ■167 steamers carrying every year twelve million carcases of sheep and four million quarters of beef, and trade was in a flourishing condition. Speaking the other day at West Birmingham. Mr Neville Chamberlain said : “My father has had many trials in tlie course of a long life. He has had domestic sorrows, he has had political disappointments; he has had to suffer the frustration of his ambitions and tlie loss of friends; and now, in his closing years, he is suffering under a disability whicli is, perhaps, more painful to him than to most men, because all his life lie has been a man of the greatest mental activity ;• but his immense courage and his extraordinary patience have enabled him to go through all Ills trials —not excepting the last one—with an equable mind and in good spirits. A few days ago I went as far as the other side of the Channel with him on ids way to France, and a-s 1 parted from him at Calais and thought that next July he would be 77 years of age. I could hardly believe it true. He still looks so young. My father is happy beyond most men in having earned and received in overflowing measure the affection and gratitude of his fellow-citi-zens in Birmingham.” The second of the last two surviving officers who were present at the battle of Chlllianwala has passed away at the age of 91, in the person of Major John H. Lutman. The other was the Hon. Captain W. D. H. Baillie, of New Zealand. Major Lutman entered the army in 1842. He served in the Pwr.iaub and in the second Sikh war. and was present at four battles in that campaign. At Chi Ilian wala, assisted by Sergeant Stansfleld, be spiked one of the Sikh guns, for which lie received a medal and clasps. Major Lutman’s wife was an important witness in the great Tichbcrne, trial on behalf of Sir Roger Tichborne, who stayed at her home. The friends of Mr Frank Adamson, of Orepuki, will be pleased to hear that he has gained his B.A. degree, and has also been awarded the John Tinline scholarship for Senior English. Mr Adamson is an bx-pupil of the Southland High School.