ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 21851, 31 October 1932, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

Mr J. F. Strang was a passenger for the north by the express last night. Mr B. Scully was a passenger foe Dunedin by the express last night. Mr R. A. Anderson, C.M.G., left by; last night’s express for Wellington, where he will attend a meeting of directors of the Bank of New Zealand, Mr J. Danskin, who has been visit-, ing Wellington, returned by the ex-, press on Saturday night. Miss Evelyn Shepard and Miss Bertha Rawlinson, of Dunedin, have been engaged for the production of the “Messiah” in Invercargill in December. Mr W. Brash left by the express last night for Palmerston North, where he will act as judge of the Friesian section of cattle at the Royal Show this week. Mrs Ernest Drake (pianist), Miss Mary Pratt (contralto), Mr Maitland McCutcheon (violinist), Lex Macdonald (the boy soprano) and Mr Ernest Drake (director) arrived in Invercargill by, the express on Saturday afternoon from Dunedin for their concert that night. Mrs James Rutherford, mother of Lord Rutherford, of Nelson, the famous scientist, celebrated her 90th birthday on Saturday, states a New Plymouth telegram. She enjoys remarkably good health and clearly remembers when she landed at Auckland 68 years ago. She lived at New Plymouth till forced to go to Nelson to take refuge from the Maoris. She subsequently lived at Spring Grove and Foxhill, Nelson and Havelock in Marlborough. In 1887 she returned to New Plymouth. Their worships the Mayors of Invercargill and Bluff (Messrs John Miller and Doyle) returned from Wellington by Saturday night’s express after attending the conference of municipal bodies which have been protesting against the proposal made to the Government by certain power boards that the electric power supply of cities and boroughs that are at present acting independently should be brought under the control of the power boards. Mr A. C. Carman, city electrical engineer, was also a passenger from Wellington, while Mr H. A. Ferguson (Town Clerk of Bluff) returned by motoi - car yesterday. The secretary of the Southland High Schools’ Board (Mr Robert Brownlie) advises that, out of 12 applicants, Mr Henry W. Slater, M.A., B.Sc., at present on the staff of the Wairarapa High School, Masterton, has been appointed to the vacant grade A assistantship at the Southland Boys’ High School, caused by the impending retirement of Mr J. P. Dakin. The successful applicant, who has had 21 years’ experience in secondary schools was assistant in the Otago Boys’ High School for 12V years and than assistant at the Napier Boys’ High School for two years. He was assistant at the Wairarapa High School in 1926-27 and then went to England as an exchange teacher, later returning in 1929 to Masterton. Mr Slater, who in 1913 was the Otago nominee for the Rhodes Scholarship, is qualified to teach English, Latin, French, mathematics, history, geography, chemistry, and physics. He is keenly interested in athletics, and has an extensive knowledge of music. Mr Slater will take up his hew duties at the commencement of the new school year in February, The death at the age of 85 has occurred at Christchurch of Mr Charles Bonner, a Maori War veteran and officer of the New Zealand police force for 45 years. He was well-known to the older members of the force, having been instructor for the mounted police at Wellington for 14 years, and later drill instructor at different centres. He was born at sea when his parents were en route to New Zea-land-from England. His father had been in the Indian Army, and came to the Dominion to take up a block of land at Onehunga granted by the Government. After he left school Mr Bonner spent a short time on a coastal vessel, but on the outbreak of the Maori War he joined up with the forces and served as a despatch rider for Colonel Whitemore. He was present at the siege of Parihaka. When hostilities ceased he joined the police force as a mounted constable. Later he was stationed at Dunedin, Queenstown, Wellington, and Invercargill, and retired 20 years ago. He held the Maori War medal and long service and good conduct medals of the police force. During the visit of the then Duke of York to New Zealand he formed one of the escort of the Royal party. He was a first-class bowler, and about 15 years ago won the East Coast championship. He was also a crack rifle shot, and at one time was a New Zealand champion. An outstanding scholastic distinction has been achieved by Mr John Manton Butler, for the John Edmond Scholarship has just been awarded to him. The scholarship, which is among the highest distinctions open to New Zealand University students, has a value of £240 per year for two years and the holder is required to devote his whole time to chemical investigation of the natural products of New Zealand. Mr Butler, who is a son of Mr George M. Butler, of Don street, Invercargill, was a pupil of the Southland Boys’ Hrth School from 1922-26. He always took a keen interest in physics and chemistry, and has previously won distinctions through his ability in this branch' of study. In 1927 he was awarded an Invercargill Savings Bank Scholarship, and after entering Otago University continued to distinguish himself. The Smeaton Research Scholarship in experimental science was awarded to him in 1929, in which year he also graduated B.Sc. In 1930 he became Senior Scholar of the New Zealand University in Physics, and since then has graduated M.Sc., and has been taking a post-graduate course. Besides his studies, Mr Butler has taken a prominent part in the affairs of Otago University, and last year was elected president of the Students’ Association. Since the winning of the John Edmond Scholarship opens up the prospect of distinguished achievements in the field of research, Mr Butler’s career will ba followed with interest.