ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 20199, 9 June 1927, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

Mr D. W. Stalker left on a visit to Dun* edin yesterday afternoon. Mr A. H. Mackrell was a passenger by the express to Dunedin yesterday. Mr A. Hogg, Auckland, is at present on a visit to Invercargill. He is staying at the Grand Hotel. A British official wireless message states: The Foreign Secretary, Sir Austen Chamberlain, is spending a short holiday in Haute Savoie from where he will proceed to Geneva for the League Council meeting which opens on June 13. At the monthly meeting of the Mataura Presbytery on Tuesday, the Rev. S. E. Hill, Tapanui, who has accepted a call to Ellerslie, Auckland, wrote tendering his resignation as clerk of the Presbytery. Several members made appreciative reference to the manner in which the Rev. Hill had carried out his duties at Tapanui and expressed regret at his impending departure. The Rev. Hill suitably replied. The Rev. H. Van Stavern on Saturday completed the fiftieth year of his ministry as rabbi to the Jewish community of Wellington, which arranged a special testimonial to mark the occasion, but owing to a bereavement in the Van Stavern family this was presented privately. As a further recognition the chief rabbi of the British Empire, Dr. H. J. Hertz, has conferred on the Rev. Van Stavern the title “Morenu,” or teacher (teachers being the priests of Israel). This title is the highest honour in the Hebrew faith, and confers upon the bearer the right to decide all matters of right or wrong amongst his people.—Press Association telegram. A private message received in Dunedin from Sydney announces the death there on Thursday of Mr James W. Watson, of St. Clair, manager of John Mill and Co.’s coal department. He went to Sydney for a holiday, accompanied by his wife and daughter. When he left Dunedin he seemed to be quite as well as usual. Mr Watson was in John Mill and Co.’s employ for about eight years. Prior to that he was with McClatchie and Co., of Christchurch. He was known as a good business man, and during his residence in Dunedin he identified himself in the social life of St. Clair as a playing member of the Bowling Club and in other ways. The staff of the Government Valuation Department, Invercargill, met yesterday afternoon to make a presentation to Mr C. de R. Andrews, formerly officer-in-charge, who has been promoted to a similar position in Dunedin. Mr George Martin, district valuer, expressed the congratulations of the staff to Mr Andrews, but stated that they greatly regretted his depart unv While in Invercargill, Mr Andrews had discharged his duties with credit to the department and to himself. He had at all times been courteous to his staff and had rendered the public valuable assistance and advice in their dealings with the office. During his six years’ stay in Invercargill, Mr Andrews had given ’gratuitously of his musical ability for the benefit of hospitals, schools and other institutions, and for this the public of Southland owed him a debt of gratitude. The speaker then presented Mr Andrews with a a leather attache case and a gold-mounted fountain pen suitably inscribed, on behalf of the staff. An opportunity was then taken to welcome Mr F. Tucker, of New Plymouth, who has been appointed to the position made vacant by Mr Andrews’ departure.