ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 17757, 7 September 1917, Page 4

ABOUT PEOPLE

A cable from London reports that Harold Kempthome, a lieutenant in the Field Artillery, a son of Archdeacon Kempthome, of Brightwater, New Zealand, has been killed in action. Mr Frank Campbell, of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., who was recently transferred from Wyndham to the Christchurch branch, passed through Gore on Tuesday. A number of Gore friends met him on the railway station, and Mr W. A. Hamann asked Mr Campbell’s acceptance of a case of Loewe pipes. The wish was expressed that the change would be beneficial to Mrs Campbell’s health and that Mr Campbell would do well in the Canterbury district. The recipient suitably replied.—Ensign. , The late Mr Philip Charles Lee, whose funeral was conducted at the Eastern Cemetery yesterday afternoon, was one of the longest service volunteers in Southland, his active connection with the movement extending back at least 23 years. Commencing as an infantryman, he transferred to the artillery, and latterly held the rank of Quartermaster-Sergeant in the “C” Battery. During the whole of his military activities the late Mr Lee kept up his rifle shooting, and was known throughout the Dominion as a regular and successful competitor at rifle meetings. Although he never succeeded in winning the championship of Southland, lie was on several occasions in the final ten at the provincial championship meeting, and once he crossed to New South Wales as a member of a New Zealand team. Naturally he took a live interest in all military matters and was, besides, well-known in connection with the Masonic Lodge St. John, and the Pioneer of Southland Lodge, I. J l . The funeral gathering was both large and representative, and floral tributes were forwarded from the Southland Rifle Association, the Invercargill Defence Rifle Club, the Wellington Railway Rifle Club, the Office-bearers and Ladies’ Guild of the St. Peter’s Elies Road Methodist Church, and the Lodge St. John. » In a recent routine order dated 26th June, 1917, the General Commanding the Second Army expresses his appreciation of the gallant conduct of Pvte. W. A. McCaw and Pvte. G. H. Keat, both of the N.Z. M.C. It appears that on 16th June Pvte. E. Lucas, North Staffordshire Regiment, was bathing in eleven feet of water abounding in weeds. He got into difficulties and sank. Pvte. McC&w plunged in to his assistance and, assisted by Pvte. Keat, succeeded after many attempts in bringing Pvte. Lucas to the bank, and eventually resuscitating him by artificial respiration. The Pvte. McCaw referred to is a son of Mr W. A. McCaw, architect to the Southland Education Board. In sending forward the clipping from Routine Orders Pvte. McCaw refers to it as a “skit,” and makes light of the deed which earned the commendation of the Army Commander by saying that “it was just what anybody else would have done under the circumstances.” That, however, is doubtful. Pvte. McCaw was known here as an excellent swimmer, and while at the Boys’ High School he and Jack McQueen, now Lieut. J. McQueen, M.C., were looked upon as the school's champions. Pvte. McCaw won a swimming medal while at school. He was in the Marquette when she was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean, and his swimming prowess stood to him in that emergency, as he had to swim for some time before he was able to reach a raft.