ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 19125, 18 December 1923, Page 4

ABOUT PEOPLE

MINISTERIAL. A Reuter cable states that Hon. W. F. Massey has quite recovered from a severe cold which he contracted last week. The Minister of Mines, Labour and Marine (Hon. G. J. Anderson) will visit Carter ton on Wednesday and on Thursday will be at the opening of the Kourarau hydro-electric scheme at Sir Walter Buchanan’s property at Tupururu.

The Minister of Works and Railways (Hon. J. G. Coatesi will leave Wellington early in the new year for the North Cape, arriving at Russell on January 8.

The Ministerial party, which is visiting Westland, were the guests of the Automobile Association on Sunday at a motor drive to the Hokitika Gorge, which proved very enjoyable. ’I he visitors expressed surprise at the extent of the dairying country and the condition of the herds. The members of the party were enteretained at luncheon yesterday by the Progress League and proceed to South Westland as far as the Franz Joseph Glacier to day.—Press Association.

Mr H. B. Farnall, leaves on Wednesday on a month’s holiday trip to the North Island.

Nurses Muir, Sims, Cussen, and MacIntyre of St Helens Hospital, Invercargill, passed with honours at the recent State mid- a wifery examination.

It is understood that Mr W. G. Meldrum, S.M. at Greymouth, in consequence of the recent death of his father, will pay a twelve months’ visit to Scotland.

Mrs N. Prentice (nee Miss Nellie Black), left yesterday for Christchurch, where she will take the contralto solos in the “Messiah.”

Captain N. M. Weir, Officer in Charge of the Southland Defence District, who has been attending a refresher course at Burnham, returned to Invercargill on Saturday evening. Dr. M. Fisher, a recent graduate of the Otago Medical School, will shortly take up the post of medical officer at Numara, in succession to Dr. J. Spencer Daniel. Dr. Fisher is the first woman to receive such an appointment on the West Coast.

Rev. Dr. Geaney has been appointed Rector of St. Bedes College, Christchurch, in place of Rev. Father Graham, who is detained in Europe. For the past ten years Dr. Geaney has been on the staff of St. Mary’s Seminary, Greenmeadows.—Presa Association.

In the results of the music examinations of the Associated Board of R.A.M. and R.C.M. (London), published yesterday morn ing, Mr John Gardno's name was entitled to be included as having passed in the Intermediate Grade for the ’cello. Mr Cardnc is a pupil of Mr W. J. Ferguson. L.A.B.

Mrs Luke, wife of Mr Ken E. Luke, assistant engineer to the Wellington City Council, died in the Consumption Sana torium at Cashmere Hills yesterday. She was the eldest daughter of the late Mr T. E. Taylor, M.P., and married Mr Luke in 1916, before he went to the war. She leaves two young daughters. A Press Association telegram from Auckland records the death of Henry William Brewer, aged 83 years. He arrived in New Zealand by the ship Merchantman in 1857 and joined the Customs Department as a young man. For some years he was on the West Coast, and then went to Auckland, Christchurch and Oamani. Finally he was on the staff of the Customs Audit Department, Wellington. Miss Doreen Clarke, of Mataura, possesses an attendance record that will be hard to beat, says the Mat aura Ensign. For eight years she has never missed church. Sunday School or day school. At the prizegiving in connection with the Sunday School on Sunday, Rev. McMaster presented her with two framed diplomas, and in doing so congratulated her on behalf of the session on the fine record she had established. On Friday afternoon the teaching staff at the Mataura School met at the residence of the headmaster, Mr C. N. Lawless, for the purpose of making presentations to acme of the staff who are leaving at the end of the year. Miss Cockerell, who haa been head mistress for the past five years, was presented with a fountain pen. Three of the pupil teachers, Miss Whitefield and Messrs D. Pringle and R. Woodfield, who are going to attend the University to gain further knowledge in their pretension, received volumes of literature.

The Wellington Evening Post last night stated that Mr Richard W. Gibbs (chief auditor of the Bank of New Zealand) was requesting the Minister of Finace to allow him to retire from that position in order that he might offer his services to the shareholders as a director. Mr Gibbs has been associated with the Bank in one position or another for close on half a century. Mr Gibbs stated subsequently to the representative of the Southland Times that the statement made by the Post was not authorised by him.

The death is announced in a Preas Association cable from Sydney of Mr Frank Morton, the well-known journalist. The late Mr Morton came to New Zealand from Tasmania in 1905 and held a position for a time on the literary staff of the Otago Daily Times. Previously hia name had been well-known to New Zealand readers as a contributor to the Sydney Bulletin and other papers. After leaving Dunedin Mr Morton became associated with Mr Baeyertz in the monthly publication of the Triad, and had his residence in Wellington till the headquarters of that journal was transferred to Sydney some years ago. He was a prolific and versatile journalist, with a special faculty for the writing of verse more technically accomplished than serious. A volume of verse was published by him some years ago.