ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 20013, 29 October 1926, Page 8

ABOUT PEOPLE

VICEREGAL. The Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson, concluded their tour of Central Otago and South Otego yesterday and were passengers by the express for Christchurch where they will remain till Saturday evening when they will proceed to Wellington, states a Press Association message from Dunedin. Mr J. Metzger, Bluff, is visiting Christchurch. Mr E. R. Wilson returned to Invercargill by the express last night. Mr J. Farrell, of J. C. Williamson’s, arrived from Dunedin last evening. Mr F. A. D. Barclay left for a holiday in Wellington by yesterday morning’s express. A Brisbane cable reports the death of Dr. G. I. Rowe, a prominent Methodist minister. Mr D. Reece, Christchurch, was a passenger by last evening's express from Christchurch. Dr. J. E. Borland, examiner for TrinityCollege, London, arrived in Invercargill by the express last night. Inspector Allan Cameron, of the Christchurch police, is being transferred to Dunedin in plpce of Superintendent Matheson, who is absent owing to illness. Mr J. Lyons, director of the live stock division of the Agricultural Department, visited Dunedin on business a few days ago, and left for Wellington yesterday morning. The Rev. A. C. Wedderspoon, who has bren fulfilling pulpit engagements in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay since the beginning of the year, returned to Invercargill by the express last night. Mr R. W. Dalton, the newly-appointed British Trade Commissioner at Sydney, and formerly Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, was a passenger by the Makura for Sydney, whither he is proceeding to take up his new duties. Mr. A. (“Son”) White, who is particularly well-known in Rugby football circles, will shortly be leaving Invercargill for Christchurch. Mr. White, at present engaged with Messrs Carswell and Co., grain and produce merchants, has accepted a position with the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, Christchurch, and takes up his new duties at the end of next month. The death occurred suddenly at Waitara yesterday of Mr F. J. W. Laing who has been secretary and pilot to the Waitara Harbour Board for a number of years, states a New Plymouth Press Association message. He had been suffering slightly from a complaint for some time and intended to enter the hospital for an operation last evening. Very sincere regret will be felt by the residents of Knapdale at the death of Mrs John Mathieson, who passed away at her residence yesterday morning. The late Mrs Mathieson, who had been in ill-health for some time past, resided in the Knapdale district for over 50 years and was held in very high esteem by all who knew her. She* was the second daughter of the late Mr P. Hsken, and leaves a husband and three daughters, viz., Mesdames Clelland, McLeod and Maslin, and two sons, John and William, to mourn their loss. Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, senior stipendiary magistrate at Christchurch, who is retiring, was met by a representative gathering of the city Bar yesterday, also representatives of the Justices Association, Licensing Committee, Mr Hunter, president of the LawSociety, Messrs H. Holland, M.P.. H. A. Young. S.M., H. P. Lawry, S.M., and Rev. F. Rule, probation officer, states a Press Association message. All spoke of Mr Widdowson’s splendid service as a magistrate and wished him happiness in his retirement. Mr. Widdowson was also entertained at afternoon tea by the Christchurch journalists. The Rev. James Aitken, M.A., of Gisborne, has been nominated as Moderator of the General Assembly for 1927 by the Presbyteries of Dunedin, Westland, Christchurch, Bay of Plenty, Wellington and Oamaru. The Rev. Robert Mackie, of Mataura, has been nominated by the Presbyteries of Mataura and Clutha. The Rev. Thomas Stinson, 8.A., of Timaru, has been nominated by the Presbytery of Wanganui. The Rev. W. Shirer, of Wellington, has been nominated by the Presbytery of Ashburton. The Rev. A. D. Todd, of Wellington, has been nominated by the Presbytery of Central Otago. Mr William Peck, president of a large exporting firm in New York, died there on the 21st inst., at the age of 75. He was well-known in New Zealand, in which country he commenced business in 1886. Mr Peck was aboard the Waikare when she was wrecked in Dusky Sound eighteen years ago. and made the journey from there on a British warship to Dunedin. Mr Peck sent the first cable message to New Zealand in 1915, announcing the disaster to the Lusitania, amongst whose passengers was the late Mr J. C. Macky, of Macky, Logan & Caldwell, to whom Mr Peck bade farewell when the liner left New York. Mr A. C. Matheson, manager of the Dunedin branch of the Bank of New Zealand, having not yet recovered from the effects of an accident with which he met in April last, has asked to be relieved of his duties, and the bank has agreed to accept his resignation. Mr Matheson has had forty years’ banking experience, and has been a member of the staff of the Bank of New Zealand for thirty-one years. He joined the Colonial Bank in 1886, and was manager for that institution at Feilding when the amalgamation with the Bank of New Zealand was effected, and he was one of the officials of the Colonial Bank when the Bank of New Zealand took over. He opened the Kimbolton branch of the latter bank, and was subsequently manager on its behalf at Feilding and Napier. In 1919 he was appointed manager in Dunedin, succeeding Mr R. W. Gibbs, who then became chief auditor of the bank.