PERSONALS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1339, 29 May 1918, Page 2 (Supplement)

PERSONALS.

Mr E. AV. Relph, manager of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, )ms returned to Christchurch after a visit to Australia. 'Mr Donald Fry, of Islington, has been advised that his eldest son, Private Donald Fry, of the 7th Reinforcement, is very ill in hospital in England as a result of gunshot wounds received in France. Mrs .1. Meikle, of Dampier's Bay, Lyttclton, has received advice from her son, Engineer-Lieutenant Edgar V. Meikle, stating that he had come safely through the Zeebrugge raid, and had since received promotion. A pupil of the Sisters of Mercy, Colombo Street North, named Miss Norm Middloton, aged 13 years and nine months, gained one of the two senior exhibitions awarded to New Zealand by the Trinity College, London.

Lieutenant E. T. Olds, of the Rifle Brigade, who has been severely wounded, was a Methodist theological student prior to leaving for the front. He is a brother of the Rev. C. H. Olds, who shortly leaves for the front as a chaplain.

Lieutenant C. F. Johnston, son of Sir Charles Johnston, Speaker of the Legislative Council, returned to Wellington yesterday. He is on sick leave from his regimeut in the British Army, with which he has been serving on the Western front.

Owing to the illness of his mother, the Rev. E. W. Walker, Presbyterian minister at Leeston, left yesterday on a visit to Tasmania. The Rev. G.' Lindsay, of Riccartou, late of Southbridge, has undertaken to arrange for the carrying on of the services during Mr Walker's absence.

Mrs Tod, of Doyleston, has received cable news to the effect that her son, Private Charles Tod, has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in the field. Private Tod, who enlisted with the 23rd Reinforcement at the age of 19, was born at Doyleston, and educated at the local school.

Mr F. M. Drewitt, of the United Service Hotel, has received advice that his son, Captain 11. Drewitt, flight commander, Royal Flying Corps, was awarded the Military Cross on April 12 for carrying out especially valuable reconnaissance work during the recent heavy fighting. Captain Drewitt, who is 23 years of age, is an ex-pupil of the Auckland Flying School.. Mr E, T. G. Ford, of Amberley, has received word that his brother, Private John Ford, of the 13tji Reinforcement, has died of wounds. Private Ford was 28 years of age, and was educated at the Amberley High School. He was wound.ed at Messines, but rejoined his unit, and had served continuously since. At the time of enlisting he was employed by Mr W. A. Nicholls, at Amberley. Mr P. Selig, president of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of New Zealand, left last night for Wellington to preside at a meeting of the executive to-day, when names will be selected for submission to the Government as representatives of the Dominion newspapers to visit the Western front. Mr George Fenwick, managing director fof the "Otago Daily Times" Company, also went north last night to attend the meeting. •* Mr David McClelland, of "Dalkeith," Southbridge, has received word that his son, Private David McClelland, who went into camp last July, and left with the 31st Reinforcement, I had been killed in action in France on May 8. Before leaving for the front Private McClelland was farming in partnership with his brothers at Doyleston, where he had resided for some considerable time. He was born at Killinchy, where he received his education.

A mission is proceeding to Australia to advise the Government as to the latest developments in aviation. It consists of Lieutenant-Colonel E. H. Reynolds, formerly Officer in Command of the Australian Flying Corps and now Staff Officer for Aviation with the Australian Imperial Force in England; Major Grace, a leading British authority on aerodromes and engines; eight Australian officers from the Royal and Australian Cprps, and experts in all branches of aerial activity. Advice has been received by Mrs Harper, 44 Randolph Street, Woolston, that her eldest son, Private Frank W. Harper, was wounded in both legs on May 9, sustaining a compound fracture of the right thigh. Private Harper was educated at the Prebbleton and East Christchurch Sc-hools, and prior to enlisting was in the employ of the Christchurch "■ Press" Company. A younger brother, who left with'the St'h Reinforcement, is still on active service, and has been awarded the Military Medal."

Mr W. S. Cobham, recently manager of the Bank of Australasia at Perth, West Australia, has retired from the bank's service. Mr Cobham is well known in Christchurch, having been appointed manager of the local branch in 1898. He was born in Melbourne in, 1856, and joined the Geelong branch in 1872. Three years later he was transferred to New Zealand and attached to the Wellington branch for about three months. When only 18 years of age he was appointed manager at the Marton branch, and from that time held many important posts in both New Zealand and Australia.