PERSONAL

Southland Times, Issue 23389, 22 December 1937, Page 4

PERSONAL

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M.‘ J. Savage) left Wellington for Auckland on a holiday last evening. He will return to Wellington on January 3.—Press Association.

Mr William Ayson, of Southbrook, Waikaka, celebrated his ninety-seventh birthday yesterday. Hale and vigorous, he travels about the country unattended, and recently visited Riverton, Balclutha and Dunedin. He has experienced all the methods of transportation in Otago, starting with a bullock sledge, and a year ago travelled by air to the . North Island. Reference to the death by accident last week of Mr William Lee, of West Plains, was made at the Lorneville stock sale yesterday by Mr A. Ross, chairman of the Invercargill Auctioneers’ Association He said that Mr Lee had been a regular dealer at Lorneville sales and had been of great assistance to the auctioneers. A motion of sympathy was passed in silence.

Mr R. A. Wilson, who has been appointed assistant manager of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Insurance Co., Ltd., leaves by car this morning for Christchurch eh route to Auckland. Yesterday afternoon the staff of the Invercargill office of the company met Mr Wilson and on their behalf Mr N. R. Driver, chief clerk, presented him with an inscribed silver cigarette box. Mr Driver said they all regretted that Mr Wilson was leaving, but all joined with him in wishing Mr Wilson further success. In his reply Mr Wilson said he was sorry to be parting from his Invercargill staff, with whom his relations had been exceedingly happy, and he thanked them for their gift. Messrs W. J. Atley and W. H. Blakie left Invercargill yesterday to connect with the Wanganella in Wellington for a tour of Australia.

Mr L. J. Schmitt, secretary of the Inductries and Commerce Department and general manager of the Tourist and Publicity Department left for Sydney by the Awatea yesterday.