PERSONALS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 872, 25 November 1916, Page 7

PERSONALS.

Sir Robert Walker arrived in Christchurch from Wellington this morning. Licut.-Colonel Bovd was a passenger by this morning's forry steamer. The lion. 0. 11. Mills arrived from Wellington by tho Mararoa this morning. Professors Blunt and Salinond return«d to Christchurch from the north this morning. Father McCarthy was a passenger from tho north by tho forry steamer this morning. Mr J. B. Murphy, of Christchurch, has been appointed South Island manager for tho Colonial Motor Compauy. Dr. P. A. Ardagh who is going on active service for a period of twelve mouths, leaves for Awapuni Camp on November 25th. Messrs F. Meredith (Wellington), E. Lewis (Melbourne), and D. L. Caldwell (Auckland) are among the guests at Warner's Hotel. Yistors to the Clarendon Hotel include Messrs l'\ S. Woodhouse (Sydnev), K. Da vies (Manchester), and R. G.'Rainger (Auckland). The appointment is announced of Mr | H. 11. Allen, at present agricultural master at the Waitaki Boys' High School, I to a similar position in the Ashburton! High School. Tin' following officers have been elected as tiie result of a ballot by the NewZealand Miners' Federation:—President, Mr J. Jones; secretary-treasurer, Mr R. Arbuckle; workmen's inspector and agent, Mr R. Scrapie. Mr YV. 11. Barker, a student of the School of Art, who is home on final j leave, was presented with a luminousfaced wristlet watch, as a token of es- j teem from his fellow-students and the, staff. I Lieut. A. ('. Clayton, of Auckland, of, the Royal Sussex Regiment, has according to private advice, been appointed j aide-de-camp to Major-General J. C., Young, the officer in command of his regiment. The resignations of Mr U. 11. Green, dental surgeon on the honorary^'staff,' Drs B. F. Aldred and G. B. Isdale, house surgeons. Sister Skene, and Senior Nurses I. Burt and B. Wallace have been received with regret by the Wellington Hospital Board. ' i Mr .1. Coyle, secretary of the Wellington Hospital Board, who has joined the Forces, has been granted temporary leave of absence during his military service. His position during his absence will be filled by Mr S. Robinson, the accountant, and the latter's position by Mr R. Brown, chief clerk. , The Admiralty Recruiting Committee has selected the following Christchurch candidates for commissions as sub-lieu-1 tenants in the Royal Volunteer Reserve: C. J. Denham, G. L. Hancock, J. S. Hines, S. P. Simpson, S. I'. Dalton, 11. W. Harris, H. N. Jarvis, I>. E. .1. Macbean, H. A. Rhiml, and R. M. Watson.! The successful candidates will leave for England shortly. Another well-known New Zealand, boxer has laid down his life for his country. Private Alfred Gault, of; Auckland, who has died of wounds, was j at, one time professional light-weight I champion of the Dominion. He was sue-' cessful more by virtue of his hitting power than by reason of cleverness. A man of sterling character, and very; modest, Alt' Gault was highly esteemed by all who knew him. . Mr Job Wilton, one of the oldest j settlers in the Wellington district, pass- j ed away at his residence in Wadestown on Thursday, at the age of N2 years. Mr j Wilton came out to Australia in the' ship London (subsequently wrecked in! the Channel) at the age of live, ami in j or about 1800 arrived in Now Zealand from Bendigo, and took up land at! Wadestown, then covered with bush. He was a member of the Wellington District Highway Board, afterwards merged into the Hutt County, but with this exception took no part in public affairs. For over 50 years he reserved and pro tooted a portion of the bush, known as Wilton's Bush, from fires and damage. The late Mr S. Brain, whose remains were interred at the Sydenham Cemetery, was actively associated with the Rugby Street, Methodist. Churcli for a number of years, and at the time of his death occupied the position of circuit steward. At. the grave the service was conducted by the Rev. A. C. Lawry. The pall-bearers were the Rev. Percy Battey and Messrs R. T. Tucker, A. D." Hassall, W. Hindle, F. M. Brown, and T. Harrison. Wreaths were sent by the St. Albans Methodist Ladies' Guild, the Rugby .Street choir, Mr W. Jones and family, Mr and Mrs J. E. Woodham, Mr and Mrs Swann, Mr and Mrs T. Harrison and family, Messrs G. and W. Simpson, the Nairn family, and Mr F. W. Dudney and family. Second-Lieut.' Melville Herbert Kay, of the Durbams, a New Zealand farmer (killed in action), was the vounger son of the Rev. Walter Herbert "Kay. Born at Hawera, he went with his parents to England at an early age, and was educated at. a school for the "sons of the clergy" at Leatherhead, in Surrey. Returning to New Zealand, aged 17 lie engaged in farming in Banks Peninsula and Jlawke's Bay. He offered his services when war broke out. bat was rejected, as he did not reach the height standard. He proceeded to England and joined the Officers' Training Corps, received his commission, and was appointed to the Durham Light Infantry. He had been about a year in France. Lieut. Kay was 25 year's old. Mr Joseph Bicknell, of "Willow Brook," Puketapu, a well-known settler of ITawke's Bay, died on Thursday, at the age of (ill years. Born at the Hutt, Wellington, in 185,'!, the deceased was the son of Mr John Bicknell, an old settler, who arrived in the late 'forties, and settled at Puketapu on a property adjoining "Willow Brook." After leaving school Mr Bicknell commenced farming with his father, but subsequently sold his interest to his brother, and in ISS2 bought the present property. Mr Bicknell has held several public positions, having been a director of the Jlawke's Bay Farmers' Co-operative Association, steward of tho Napier Park -Racing Club, -and a member of tlte local School Committee. He married a daughter of Mr .lames Murray, an old colo nist of Auckland, and had two sous and three daughters.