PERSONAL.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14139, 15 July 1916, Page 4

PERSONAL.

. General Monro's delayed despatch mentions Chaplain T. F. Taylor, of Nelson, for distinguished services at Gallipoli.

A Perth Press Association cable reports the death of Mr Charles McDowall, Labour member for Coolgardie of the State Parliament, and a native of New Zealand.

Mr Charles Begg, general manager of Charles Begg and Co., Ltd., died on Thursday at Dimedin. The Nelson branch of the firm was closed yesterday as a mark of respect to the memory, of the deceased.

Second Lieutenant William Benzies (son of Mr. Henry Benzies, Benachie Orchard, Aporo, Nelson) was wounded on the 4th inst.

Among soldiers recently admitted to hospital are Private Charles Edward Grooby (son of Mr. E. Grooby, Motueka) and Sergeant-Major Lawrence George M'Murtry (son of Mx. C. C. M'Murtry, Templemore, Richmond, Nelson).

Mr \V. lv Taylor, assistant-secretary of the V.M.C.A., has been promoted to the secretaryship of the Wanganui in-.-•.itution, and will leave Christchureh to-'hiv. Mr. S. J. Gilbert, of D:::iedin, will succeed him.

The Rev. W. A. Sinclair, well-known m Dimedin as superintendent of the Methodist Central Mission for eight years, has completed 25 years' ministry in the Methodist Church. Tho Dunedin Mission workers have forwarded a letter of congratulation, signed by the minister and circuit stewards.

At a social gathering of parishioners and friends in the Wood Mission.Hall, Milton street, on Thursday evening, a presentation was made to Miss Gray, who had been organist at the hall for a number of years. The Rev. Dr. Week's asked her to accept a prayer and hymn book in a suede case as a token of appreciation of her services. Th.? vicar also toe k the opportunity of thanking Miss Sloan for her valuable services in the' Sunday School, and Mrs Heaps, Miss Scaly, and Miss M. Rogers for the beautifurcovering for the Communion table and frontal for the lectern. Mr and Mrs H. P. Haase have received news that their son Gecrge has been missing since July 3rd. SecondLieutenant Haase (says a Wauganui paper) took part in the early stages of the war, being put out of action by frostbite, incurred through the severe winter conditions prevailing at the time. He was subsequently attached as second-lieutenant to the I 9th Berkshires, a regiment which has! been badly cut up during the present gi^eat offensive. _ He was well-known in •Wjangan-ui, having interested himself in all branches of sport, and also in military matters.

Cable messages have been received from lieutenant T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., 2nd Brigade Canterbury Battalion, and Lieutenant Stuart Seddon. R.H.A., that they are both well. The cables have come since the German attack on the New Zealand trenches, and the great offensive. The 'brothers meb in France. Lieutenant Stuart Seddon 1 had just served three months in the deadly trench mortar work in the front trenches, and had come through safely. Word has also been received "iron; Mr 5 "Wood (nee Rubi Seddon), that hen Inisband, Fleet-Surgeon Wood, who is wellknown to many New Zealanders, was transferred to H.M.S. Zealandia as fleet surgeon, and served in her in the Jutland battle.

Sergeant S. E. P. Vernon, of Coal Creek Roxburgh, whose death was recorded during the past week, was a. member of tKe Tunnelling Corns, and left vith that bedy in December. lie was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs E. J. Vernon, "who for a large number of years lived at the' "Whitecombe. Sergeant Vernon went to the West Coast, where he acquired considerable experience in deep-lead -mining. Returning to Roxburgh, he readily obtained employment in the coal mines, eventually becoming working manager of the Perseverance mine, which position he relinquished in order to join the Tunnelling Corps. He was .a"man. of noble character, and most popular with everyone, and his enlistment was what might have been expected frorr. a-man cf his stamp (says +he "Otago Daily Times")-: He was for some time a member ;and secretary of the school I committee at CoaT Creek. He was also a. past officer of the Loyal Roxburgh Lodge. M.U., 1.0.05F.,-'and a member of Lodge Teviot.

Captain Hammond has been privately advised by-cable from Franca that his brother, Sergeant B. L. Hammond, has been wounded.' A previous cable reported hint missing, hut ho was afterwards picked' np wounded. The i^ature of the wound is not started though it has since been learnt that he 15 doing well. Sergeant Hammond is well known in Nelson, and was for some time m the Magistrate's Court office. He enlisted -with the Eleventh Reinforcements from Wellington.

"The death of Mr George Wf Smalley mdutiably the best known of the long list of American correspondents in London, recalls the changes which time has made in the status of the correspondent at our own and at foreign capitals," says the "New York Post." "If it was. true that Mr Smalley had outlived his reputation, the fault was by no mean? altogether-his own. Many causes have conspired to make seemingly impossible to-day "the influence once wielded by men like Mr Smalley. First of all, there is, of course, the free use of the cable. Its lowered rates have led managing editors and press associations to cover the foreign field so freely as "to cut the ground out from under the feet of "any who would send news letters."