ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 17406, 26 July 1913, Page 7

ABOUT PEOPLE

I Mr R. Breen, of the Otago Trades and I Labour Counril. arrived in Invercargill |by Hie first express yesterday. His misi sion is to resuscitate the Flourmill Em- ; plovers' Union, and lie was to have met a number of the employees' last evening in private. He expected to return to Dunedin by the first express this morn- : ing. By inadvertance the name of Mr John Taylor, as seconder to Mr J. T. Carswell's nomination for the Town Council 1 vacancy was omitted from the list of nominations on Thursday. A New Plymouth message states that the golden wedding yesterday of Colonel and Mrs W. B. .Messenger was the occasion of a remarkable gathering, including the two bridesmaids and best man. ■ seven sons and three daughters. One ; daughter and one son wore absent. A Sydney cable states that Madame Xordica had a splendid reception from , a crowded house at her first concert in the Town Hall.

A Capetown message resorts the death of the Hon. J. V. Saner* Minister of Railways in Hie Union Parliament. He had a long and distinguished public career, and had refused a knighthood. A thin cable states that at the State ball at Buckingham Palace Prince Arthur of Connaught and the Duchess of Fife, whoso betrothal was recently announced, danced in B iho opening quadrille. The .Rev. J. K. Archer, of the Napier Baptist Church, has accepted an invitation to the pastorate of the Baptist Church at Invercargill. He expects to conclude ins ministry in Napier about the middle of October. A AVanganhi message records the death of Mr G. 11. Swan, aged SO years. Deceased was Mayor of Napier for seventeen years, and represented that town in Parliament for many years. He had been resident in Wanganui lor the last nine years. The death is’ - announced of Mr F. W. Kcddell. of Greymouth, son of tiie late Major Jackson Keddoll, of Oamaru. He died suddenly on Tue-day. after a short illness, and leaves a widow and seven children. Mr Kcddell was of great assistance in promoting all branches of sport, and up to the time of his death iie was secretary to the Westland Boxing Association, in connection with which, he is well-known to many enthusiasts throughout New Zealand. Mr Keddell, in his younger days, was a well-known athlete. He is a brother to Mr G. P. Keddell of Southland.

Colonel Knox. Qunrter-master-Gencral of the New Zealand forces, has received a cable message informing him of the sudden death of Ids father, the Bight Hon. Sir Ralph Henry Knox, P.C., K.C.8., V.D.. late Permanent Under-Secretary for War. In Uondnn. The deceased gentleman was horn in Ireland in IS3R. Prior to being Permanent Under-Secro-tary he was Accountant-General to the War Office and was secretary or a member of various important commissions, and chairman of the Civil Service Benevolent Fund, and he was also Hon. Major of the South Middlesex Rifle Volunteers. Lady Knox pre-deceased him. Private advice received yesterday announces the death at Minto (New South Wales) on 22nd inst. of Mr Charles Meredith Bell. Mr Bell was the eldest son of the late Mr G. M. Bell, well known throughout Southland as the owner of “Wantwood” station, Mandevitle. Mr P. C. Webb (M.P. for Grey) is generally known ns “Paddy.” and although he is a Victorian born, the Celtic strain is well in evidence. Ho first saw the light on November 30, ISS4, at Ruthcrgien, an agricultural winegrowing and mining district of Victoria (states the Christchurch Press). He has been in the Labour movement since he was 16 years of age, and although ho is only 29 years of age. ho has scon a good deal of industrial turmoil. At IS years, lie was steward of the Victorian branch of the Miners' Association, and at 19 was secretary of the Labour Council at Ruthcrgien. At the age of 21 bo came to Now Zealand and wont to the Denniston colliery. As ho was devoting much time to the study of economic subjects, which, plus Ills labour. kept him at work for 1(1 hours a day, ho did not stand for office among the Denniston miners. Ho succeeded Mr Robert Semple as president of the State Minors’ Union when Mr Semple became organiser of the Federation of Labour, and still holds that post, pending the Federation's absorption in the United Federation of Labour evolved by the Unity Conference. In 1911 he polled 2539 votes in Grey against Sir Arthur Guinness’s .".677. ami ho again came forward on Sir Arthur's death, and claims to represent the whole united working class of New Zealand.