ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 22495, 4 December 1934, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

Mr and Mrs J. W. Smith and family motored back yesterday from Pembroke, where they spent a short holiday.

Senior-Sergeant W. E. Packer left by yesterday afternoon’s express for Dunedin, to which centre he has been transferred.

A Press Association cablegram from London reports the death at Belfast of Mr James W. Gyle, a senator in Northern Ireland.

Mr Howard Moody will leave Invercargill for the north to-day. He is to fulfil a five weeks’ engagement at the Regent Theatre, Auckland. Messrs H. J. Buck (Wellington), J. D. Cox (Christchurch), D. G. Bell (Dunedin) and L. Holden Mirams (Dunedin) are at the Grand Hotel. The promotion is announced of Squadron-Leader T. M. Wilkes, M.C., Director of Air Services, to the rank of Wing-Commander, states a Press Association message.

Mr Eric Froggatt, of Wellington, son of Mr and Mrs A. S. Froggatt, Gala street, and a former organist of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Invercargill, has been appointed organist and choirmaster of St. Thomas’s Anglican Church, Wellington.

The Stratford Hospital Board has appointed Dr William Brown, of Dunedin, medical superintendent from January 1. Ihe Director-General of Health complimented the board on the high standard of the applications received. Dr Brown, whose parents reside at Abbotsford, was educated at the Otago Boys’ High School, and, after attending tne Otago Medical School, graduated in New Zealand in 1931. He went to London for further study, and was awaraed the degree of F.R.C.S. He returned to New Zealand only about two months ago. He was recently married.

At least one member of the Duke of Gloucester’s staff will be on familiar soil when he reaches New Zealand on December 15. He is the private secretary to his Royal Highness, Captain Arthur Randolph Wormeley Curtis, C.M.G., C.V.0., M.C., 8.A., who was secretary to Earl Jellicoe during his term as Governor-General of New Zealand (192i»-24). Captain Curtis was educated at Eton and at Trinity College, Cambridge. During the Great War he served in the 11th Hussars, and was at one time attached to the Royal Flying Corps. When in New Zealand he was accounted a first-class sportsman, being a good polo player and golfer, and sharing with Earl Jellicoe a love of cricket. Among the clubs of which Captain Curtis is a member is the Marylebone Cricket Club. Others are the Cavalry and Royal and Ancient at St. Andrews. After leaving New Zealand, Captain Curtis served as military secretary to Lord Stonehaven, who was then Governor-General of Australia. The death of Mr D. A. Strachan, who was senior inspector of schools in Southland from 1924 to 1927, will be regretted by members of the teaching profession. Mr George Griffiths, secretary of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, in paying a tribute to the memory of deceased, said that Mr Strachan was a man of kindly disposition, a great worker and deservedly popular. He was an outstanding protagonist of the educational rights of all children and particularly of those who were not financially well placed, but had high mental endowment. In every such child he saw a potential Lord Rutherford, and was a strong supporter of the national scholarship system. Mr Strachan had a great love for New Zealand history and encouraged the awakened interest of children in their own country. .He showed his enthusiasm in a practical way by issuing his own brochure of history study suitable for use in schools, while he strongly urged young teachers to study for the degree examinations.

The death occurred at Invercargill on Saturday of Mrs Juliet Mary Christophers, wife of the late Mr Anthony Christophers. She had been a resident of Invercargill for almost 44 years, and was a well-known figure in the city. Mrs Christophers was. a daughter of Mr James Gillon, a station holder, and was born at Lake Waihola, Otago, in 1855. When Mr Gillon died the family lived in Milton and afterwards in Dunedin. In 1876 she was married at Dunedin to Mr Anthony Christophers, a member of the staff of the Bank of New South Wales in Lawrence. Mr and Mrs Christophers came to Invercargill in 1891, where Mr Christophers occupied the position of manager of the bank, a post which he held until his retirement in 1909. Of the five sons of the marriage, four, Reginald, Julian, Victor and Herbert, lost their lives in the Great War, and at every Anzac Day service Mrs Christophers was present and placed a wreath on the memorial in their memory. Mr Quintin Christophers, at present manager of the Bank of New South Wales at Lawrence, is the only surviving son.

The death occurred at Gore suddenly yesterday morning of Mrs Ethel Elizabeth Richardson. She was in good health on Sunday, but it is believed that a recent attack of influenza following on a stroke some time back weakened her heart. Mrs Richardson, who was a well-known and highly respected resident of Gore, was born at Tapanui 52 years ago, being the second daughter of the late Mr -and Mrs E. C. Lovell. She was educated at the Gore School, and with the exception of a few years spent most of her life in Eastern Southland. As a young woman she took up work as a dental nurse, being trained in this occupation at Christchurch, and on returning to Gore was with Mr Buchanan in the business now conducted by Dr Gresham. She then secured a similar position at Petone, but returned after about three years to carry on a bookselling business with her mother, and on the latter’s death she took this over. In 1922 she married Mr J. C. Richardson, who joined her m the business. Mrs Richardson was in her younger days a keen tennis player and golfer, and was a member of the Anglican Church choir. She was of a quiet disposition, but was an earnest worker for worthy causes. She is survived by her husband, a sister, Mrs E. I. Hicks (Gore), and a brother, Mr J. W. Lovell (Christchurch).