ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 20495, 25 May 1928, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

MINISTERIAL. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, visited Stratford yesterday, states a Press Association message. He visited Mountain House and conferred with Reform Party delegates from the district, received a deputation from the Egmont National Park Board asking for a grant for a metal road to Mountain House and gave a sympathetic reply. He leaves for the north this morning. Two members of Cabinet in Eltham on Wednesday evening, the Hon. A. D. McLeod and the Hon. O. J. Hawken received deputations from the County Council on the question of recovery of rates on abandoned Crown lands and from the Borough Council and Lake Rotokare Domain Board on unemployment relief in the district and matters in connection with Totokare reserve. Yesterday Mr McLeod continued on northward. Mr Hawken remains in the Egmont electorate till the end of the month.

Messrs A. Russell and J. Armour returned to Invercargill by the express last evening.

A number of local, university students returned home on vacation by the express last evening. Mr H. Cecil Aloo, of Owaka, has been admitted by Mr Justice Sini as a barrister of the Supreme Court.

Mr C. A. Masters, of the local branch of the National Bank of New Zealand, has received notice of transfer to Wellington. General Andrew left for Gore yesterday morning. In the evening he met scoutmasters and others interested and gave a most helpful address. Late last night it was announced that there was no improvement, in Sir Charles Skerrett’s condition. —Wellington Press Association message.

Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., president of the Invercargill branch of the League of Nations, will represent the branch at a conference to be held in Wellington early next month.

Mr J. Snell, Deputy Commissioner of Rural Credits, Wellington, who arrived in Invercargill by last evening’s express, will deliver an address on rural credits this afternoon.

A Carterton Press Association telegram states that Mr William Arthur Kitchen, aged 65, died suddenly on Wednesday. The deceased was a resident of Carterton for thirtyfive years, and took an active interest in all matters for the welfare of the town.

Mr H. H. Matthews, formerly chief engineer at the Invercargill Power House and more recently on the engineering staff of the Dunedin converter station, has been appointed electrical engineer at Rangiora. Mr Matthews, who has been in Invercargill during the last few days, leaves by car to-day for Rangiora. Mr Paul Longuet, son of Mr C. S. Longuet, at present in Australia, is appearing in an Australian picture entitled “A Far Paradise.” A recent edition of the Melbourne Leader contains several scenes from this picture and Mr Longuet is seen with Gaston Mervale and Miss Isobel McDonagh.

Reference was made yesterday in the annual report of the chairman of the Bluff Harbour Board (Mr A. H. Aitken) to the death of Mr John Fraser. The late Mr Fraser was a member of he board from 1907 to 1927—20 years—and occupied the chair in 1916. His passing was much regretted. The Rev. Father Reginald Patrick Finn died suddenly on Wednesday night at St. Patrick’s Presbytery, Auckland. He complained during the evening of feeling unwell, but chatted with his fellow priests till 11 p.m. and then retired. He was found dead in his room this morning, the cause being heart failure. He was born in Gisborne 42 years ago, and was ordained in Sydney in 1911. He returned from Sydney in 1927 to his parents’ home at Tauranga.—Press Association message. At the annual meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board yesterday afternoon Mr A. H. Aitken, of Gore, was re-elected chairman unopposed for the current year. In nominating Mr Aitken, Mr P. Reid said he had always taken an active and intelligent interest in the affairs of the board and had gained valuable experience in his past year in office which would be indispensable to them in the future, as there was a lot of important business still to be settled. Mr W. J. A. McGregor seconded the nomination. Mr Aitken, replying, said he would endeavour to the best of his ability to do his best by the board and so serve it that the members would not regret the confidence they had placed in him for another year.

A Whangarei Press Association message states.that Mr C. L. Grange, who has been appointed Town Clerk of Invercargill, was the guest at a farewell function on Tuesday evening, attended by over seventy representative citizens, including ex-mayors, borough councillors, chairman of the County Council, and local bodies, commercial interests and the farming community. The proceedings were very enthusiastic. Speakers with seven years intimate association with Mr Grange as Town Clerk described him as a man of outstanding ability and personal charm who was destined to go far. He was presented with a valuable gold watch and Mrs Grange received a set of dressing table requisites. Keen regret wa» expressed at the loss Whangarei was sustaining, but genuine pleasure that a man of Mr Grange’s qualifications was getting an opportunity in a big centre.