PERSONAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 74, 1 August 1913, Page 5

PERSONAL

Sir William Lyne, of Sydney, is dangerously ill.

Another- link with tho late Adam Lindsay Gordon (Australia’s poet) was broken by the death of his first love, Mrs Jean Lees, of Hollybank, Worcester, states a London cablegram. Her acceptance of bis offer of marriage would have prevented Gordon from going to Australia.

Mr P. C. Webb, tho newly-elected M.P. for Grey, was sworn in yesterday. afternoon, and took ius seat in the House. His sponsors were Messrs. J. Payne and J. Robertson.

Sir Robert Stout, Dr. Hay, and Messrs. Blair, Reece, Fenwick, Jordan and Kayle, members of the Prisons Board arrive in New Plymouth by to-night’s express.

Mr Cyril Asquith, a sou of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, has secured a first-class in classical Greats at Oxford, thus equalling tho father’s and his brother’s record.

Cyril Knight, of tho Waitaki High School, Oamaru, lias won tho Earl oi Meath’s Empire Challenge Cup for tho best essay upon a set subject dealing with tho Empire, states a London cablegram.

Mr Claude Haigh, representing Edward Branscombe, Ltd., was in Stratford yesterday making arrangements for the reappearance of the Red Dandies on Tuesday next. The company will also appear in Stratford on August 11th, on tho return journey from Now Plymouth.

“The King never drives a motor car,” says Capt. the Hon. Sir Charles Wentworth Fitzwilliam, the Crown Equerry, in an interview in the Motor, describing tho Royal garage. “That does not mean he cannot, because he has taken a turn at the wheel, just for the sake of experience, on several occasions. He never drives on the highway, and he has never driven other than for the purpose of merely trying a car. On the other hand, the Prince of Wales drives, at Oxford and elsewhere, quite frequently.”

Obituary: Mr John Milne, F.R.S., F.G.S., mining engineer and seismologist, states a London cablegram. Deceased was born in Liverpool in 1850 He worked in Newfoundland and Labrador as mining engineer for Cyrus Field, Sir James Anderson and others, and was geologist to Dr. Beke’s expedition into north west Arabia. For twenty years he was in the employment of the Japanese Government. He had travelled extensively all over tho world. He established the seismic survey of Japan and was engaged ir other important seismic work and instruments.

The oldest bachelor in the United Kingjdom is Mr Robert Crichton, o J Caterharn, Surrey, who is just 10 1 years of age. A native of Perthshire he went to Australia over 70 yean ago, and joined his brother and sister in running a sheep farm, or- “station,” as it is called in Australia None of the three ever married, am at the end of 20 years they had accu undated enough money to return i r England. Mr Crichton enjoys splendid health for a man of his great age He was able to play billiards at 97 He is a teetotaler, a non-smoker, and can never remember having taker medicine. He is descended from the family to which “The Admirable Crichton” belonged.

Sir Joseph Ward arrived at Auck land by the Niagara to-day from Sydney (says a Press Associatiox wire) and was formerly welcomed a 4 the Star Hotel by a large and repre sentative Liberal gathering. Speech cv were made by the Hons. Myers am Fowlds, Messrs T. W. Leys, F Lawry, A. E. Glover, W. J. Napiei and P. J. Nerheny, all extending r cordial welcome and the hope that Sir Joseph would long be spared tc the people in the interests of tin Liberal Party and the progress ol New eZaland. Sir Joseph Ward, ii reply, said that as far as the future was concerned he had no intentior of forcing himself upon any part} and asking or accepting any favour Replying to the more direct sugges tions that he should assume the lea dership of the Liberal Party, he spolo at some length, but gave no definit< indication of his attitude.

The death is announced from Dune din of Mr James Ha/Jett, aged 81 well known in commercial circles if connection with the old-establisher firm of Mackerras and Ha/Jett. De ceased was born in 1829, at Maghara Londonderry, Ireland. Ho came on to the Victoria diggings and stayer for some time in Gippsland, and cam< to Otago in 1861. Two years’ latei he commenced a business at Clyde, and conducted a large business till 1878 when he came to Dunedin ati<l joiner Mr MacKerras/ Ho was Mayor o ! Clyde for five years, and also a. mem her of the provincial council for thr Clyde district for sopic time before the abolition of the provinces. Foi a number of years he was presiden' of the Dunedin Hospital. Ho war also a trustee of the Benevolent Institution, and a member of the Chari table Aid Board. He was well knowr in connection with racing, and ir partnership with Mr Stephenson, own ed several well-known horses, includ ing Occident, who won the Lxhihitior Cup in 1889 arid the Dunedin Cup i” 1892, Tempest, who won the Dunedin Cup in 1893, Gypsy Grand, who won the Dunedin Cup in 1896; Hippomeues. Outpost, etc. He married in 1867 a daughter of Mr Thos. Coleman and his family consists of five sons and .throe daughters.