ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 19311, 1 August 1924, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

MINISTERIAL. During the indisposition of Hon. W. F. Massey, Hon. W. Downie Stewart is acting as Leader of the House. Mr T. R. Chalmers, of Dunedin, arrived by the late express last evening, and is a guest at the Grand Hotel.

Mr G. A. Gould, of Wellington, has been appointed engineer to the Ciutha County Council.

Mr P. Clark, late of the Customs Department, Dunedin, arrived by the express last evening, and commences his duties in the local Customs import office this morn-

Messrs T. R. Pryde, John Matheson, and E. R. Wilson, who have been attending a meeting of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee in Dunedin, and Mr A. le H. Hoyles, returned by the late express last evening. Mr R. Joyce, manager for New Zealand of the Metropolitan Vickers' Electrical Company, Ltd., and Mr H. Coates, of the same firm, visited the Power Board’s works at Monowai yesterday. Constable J. Shine, of Greymouth, has received notice of his transfer to Westport, where he will replace Constable Nesbitt, who has been transferred to South Invercargill.

Mr A. L. Wylie, late Senior Inspector of Schools in Southland, who has been acting as senior inspector at Taranaki, has returned to Southland and is to retire on superannuation.

Mr D. R. Barron, who recently disposed of his property in the Lakes district, has been appointed inspector to the newly-con-stituted Manawatu Rabbit Board. Mr Barron left on Tuesday morning to take up his new duties.

Mr C. E. Armstrong, Public Works Engineer in the Gisborne district, retired yesterday, after 40 years’ service in the Department, reports a Press Association telegram.

A London cablegram states that some 2500 Fremasons, including Mr Fenton, a New Zealander, were present when the Duke of Connaught at an impressive ceremony, installed the Duke of York as Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex. The many friends of Mr Edward Elliott, the “joyful jester” with the Humphrey Bishop Co., will regret to learn that he is confined to his bed at Wellington. Mr Elliott, who has not a strong constitution, caught a chill after appearing at a recent Savage Club entertainment. Pnuemonia and pleurisy developed, and medical attention had to be sought. Mr Elliott is uot yet out of danger.

Mr P. C. Clark, of the Customs Department, Dunedin, has received advice that he has been appointed to the position of Examining Officer at Invercargill in succession to Mr A. Macdonald, who proceeds on a lengthy holiday prior to taking up duties towards the end of the year as Examining Officer at Dunedin.

Mr W. O. Ennis, who has been appointed District Manager at Invercargill, is an old Invercargill citizen, having been born here and educated at the South School. He also received his early training in railway work at Invercargill. He visited England with the Jubilee Contingent in 1907 and saw active service during the Great War, rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. For the last four years, he has been assistant-Dis-trict Traffic Manager at Christchurch, prior to which he occupied the position of chief clerk at Dunedin and Greymouth. A gathering of representative Invercargill business men consisting of Messrs J. T. Lilburne, W. J. S. Dunlop, M. H. Hyndman, John Rigg, R. N. Porter and D. Leggit t, met in the Railway B shed yesterday to bid farewell to Mr A. Macdonald, who has been transferred to the Dunedin Customs Department. The various speakers referred eulogistically to Mr Macdonald’s sterling qualities, mentioning particularly the kindly assistance he had always given junior shipping clerks in his dealings with them, and the courteous and efficient manner in which he had conducted his customs work. Mr Macdonald terminated h : s connection with the local office yesterday and will take extended leave, commencing duties in Dunedin on December 5.

Many members of the Invercargill and Southland District Police Force assembled at the local headquarters yesterday afternoon to bid farewell to Constables W. H. Barrett, late of Mataura, and H. J. Fulton, of Waikiwi, who are leaving the Force, the former retiring after 43 years’ service, and the latter to commence duties as Bailiff and Supreme Court crier in the Invercargill Courthouse. Inspector J. McNamara, in presenting Constable Barrett with a valuable travelling rug and suitably inscribed walking stick for himself, and a dainty silver doulton cake stand for Mrs Barrett; also a travelling rug to Constable Fulton, referred eulogistically to their good qualities and the splendid service they had given in the Force. Other members of the staff also expressed their appreciation of the worth of the retiring constables. A party, numbering fourteen, made their way to Major Gascoyne’s residence in Hastings recently, the occasion being the Major’s 86th birthday. All the party wore Maori medals, and other military decorations. Mr W. Y. Dennett, Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Veterans’ Association, made a congratulatory speech of some length, and handed the Major a birthday present, expressing the hope that he would be spared for some time yet. He also referred to Miss Gascoyne, the Major’s sister, who is only two years younger than he is, but is as “lively as a cricket.” The three Maori veterans, Wera, Honi Purere and Waho Pungu (all wearing medals), also spoke. The Major replied both in English and Maori. Veteran William Hislop, who is getting well on in years, recited the poem by Tom Bracken depicting Von Tempsky’s death, at which one of the veterans, Mr Johnstone, of Dannevirke, was present. Residents of Heriot and the surrounding district will regret to learn of the death of Mr Wm. Roeßuck, which occurred at his sister’s residence, Melbourne, on the 24th inst. (says the Courier). The deceased was employed for at time at Messrs Todd Bros, garage, Heriot, and was a skilful mechanic, and a general favourite with all who knew him. His health was not good when at Heriot, and he died after a long illness. Whilst in hospital at Timaru, the late Mr R. Buchanan frequently visited the deceased, and a few weeks ago, Mr J. W. Nicholson (secretary of. Lodge Hercules, of which Mr Roebuck was a member) received a communication asking for Mr Buchanan’s address, the writer not knowing that the latter had passed away. In writing to Mr Nicholson, Mr Roebuck stated that his sister had undertaken to nurse him to the end, which apparently came more quickly than was anticipated.