PERSONALS.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 14958, 4 January 1919, Page 4

PERSONALS.

The friends of Mrs I. Stafford will.bepleased to. learn that she has completely recovered from influenza, contracted while nursing patients during the epi~

Messrs. G. Robertson, A. Haldane, G. A. Harkness, and A. Crawford leave Jus morning to take part in the Dominion bowling tournament to be nlaved at Auckland. * J

The death tok place at Hokltika this week of Mr John F. Suisted, formerly of Westport and Wanganui, at the ace of 82 years. Deceased leaves a brother at Westport. He was a cattle dealer and commercial traveller in his younger days.

Mrs M. H. Chatfield, editor of theladies' column of the "Evening Post" returns to Wellington this mornin^ by the Mapourika after a fortnight's holiday spent in Motueka.

Sir Samuel Griffith, who hy S beeix Chief Justice of the Federal High Court since its constitution 15 years ago is about to retire, and a special Superannuation. Bill has been put throuo-h Parliament to meet his case, granting him a retiring allowance of £2000, or twothirds his, salary Sir Samuel has been m very bad health for some time past

_In a list of honours and awards to New Zealanders on active service issued by the Base Records (Mcc appears the following:—Military iViedai—Cor??S?m ills ' S0I! of Mr and Mrs Stephen Mills, Inomson street, Gre> mouth- Distinguished Conduct Alectal—Sergeant Ecelesheld, son of Mr Hobert J^ciesneld, Hokxtika-.

The death was recently announced oi' the famous Alpme guide, Mattias Zurbriggen, who spent some years in New Zealand as guide to Major E. A Fitzgerald in the Southern Alps. Zurorrrgen was born in 1856 at Saas-Fee, and after trying his hand at several trades Megan his professional career as a cim'ber m 1889. He had experiences in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, and the Southern Alps, and was one ox the most famous of Alpme guides. '

_Cabled advice has been received by Mr J. H. Skinner, of Auckland, that his second son, Lieutenant A. H. Skinner -Koyai Air Force, arrived in England from Germany on December 17, and is well. Lieutenant Skinner was shot down from a height of 6000 ft on September 16, 1917, and was interned afe Holzminden. He left New Zealand as a pnvae m the Main Body, Canterbury; infantry, and after serving on Gallipofi qua-lined for the air service.

Among those who returned to NewZealand on duty furlough recently was Major Thomas Farr, D.5.0., M.C of Wayerley, who left New Zealand with the Main Body as a second-lieutenant m command of a section of the Third Battery. For distinguished service on Gallipoli he was awarded the Military Cross and, after the evacuation of the Peninsula, he was given command of tho Ihirteenth Battery, tie won Ms D.S.O ;n the taking of Bapaume, when his battery did excellent Work. Major Fan-. is one of the very few Main Body officers who have been through all the campaigns without once having been evacuated from his uirTfrior sicluiess or on account of wounds.

Mr H. D. Skinner, 8.A., D.C.M., who has been appointed lecturer on Mhonology at the Otago University, is the only son of Mr W. H. Skinner, Lrown Lands Commissioner for Canterbury. He was born in New Plymouth. U years ago- and educated at^Nelson College. Ho attended tEe law lectures at\ictona College, Wellington, but later abandoned law and graduated B A at the Otago University in 1912 He also won the Geoffrey Parker Memorial 1 nze. At the time that 'war broke out hewaateaching at the Palmerston"North aign-bchool. He joined the N.Z EF as a private and left 'New Zealand" with the Jb ourth Reinforcements. He landed on Galhpoh at the end ot May, was wounded, and received the DCM Tfe was m the August fighting that he'waa •'knocked out." After talcing his S£ ChriS m r Wand ipi9l7 he entered Chnst 8 College, Cambridge, where h© was awarded the Charles Darwin prise 4H-»n'w Sa? °n "An Afipect of Maori Art. He took a course hi anthropology, and submitted for the diploma the awarded of which Las not Yo t been announced a dissertation oil "The Material Culture of the Moriori." Mr Skinner kept terms for » KesearcH B.A. for which fie has to submit another dislanfXntly 116 "^ to *°". Ze-