PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1924, Page 6

PERSONAL.

Mr. C. E. Ma.ttliews, Under-Secretary for Justice and Controller of Prisons, is at present in. New Plymouth. He is staying at the Criterion Hotel. Mr. A. R. Thompson, manager of the New Plymouth branch of the Union Steam Ship Company, leaves this morning, for. Wellington. He expects to return on Saturday. Mr. Ernest Marquardt, whose healthcompels him to take an extended, holiday from his duties as geologist to Taranaki Oil Fields, Ltd., left New Plymouth by the Rarawa on Tuesday, accompanied by Mrs. Marquardt. From Auckland they will go to Australia. Mrs. Elizabeth Bennett died at the residence of her sister-in-law, Mrs. F. Hall, Henui Street,: Fitzroy, on Tuesday at the age of 80 years. Mrs. Bennett, came to New Zealand from Melbourne - about 20 years ago. She lived for a short.time in Auckland and then came to reside at New Plymouth, where she has lived ever since. Mrs. Bennett had only been indisposed for a short time, and her death will be regretted by- a wide circle of friends.. She leaves one son, . Mr._ George Bennett, whose- home is in Melbourne. Mrs. Martin, who is retiring from the position of headmistress of the Courtenay Street Infant. School, received a presentation from the teaching staffs of the Central School and the Infant School on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. D. P. Evans, the headmaster, gave Mrs. Martin a handsome toilet set for which the teachers had subscribed as a tangible evidence of the very great esteem in which they hold the-re-cipient. In doing so Mr. Evans referred in glowing the interest Mrs. Martin had taken in her • work and the excellent results achieved during th® long period of her control of the infant department. He made it clear that one could not say anything too good of her teaching career and of the respect in which' she was held by pupils, staff and parents. He extended the best wishes for he* future happiness and prosperity. Miss Elley and Mr. E. G. Smith also spoke on behalf of the teachers, and Mrs. Martin replied feelingly. At the conclusion of the breaking-up ceremony at the Central School this afternoon Mrs: Martin is to receive further expressions ctf appreciation from present and past pupils and from th® parents. Recent successes achieved by bkl boys of the New Plymouth High School were mentioned by the principal (Mr. W. H. Moyes) at the breaking-up ceremony last night. Mr. Moyes said; —“At the four university colleges ex-pupils of the school continue to distinguish themselves, thus proving that the foundation laid here is solid and enduring. Special mention may be made of Ronald Syme, who was'the winner’of three senior scholarships; of M. Barak, who, in addition to winning the Sir George Grey Scholarship, was also awarded the Hayden Prize for literature; of L. Richardeon, who was awarded the 1851 Exhibition Research Scholarship; and of M. Hughson, who at Canterbury College took the college prize in physics. I have also to congratulate D. DennyBrcwn, B. Johns and N. Waddle on having completed the degree of Batchelor of Medicine. Our congratulations are also extended to H. Brown, a member of the 1()24 All Blacks, and to J. Brodie, who was chosen to represent the N.Z. University in football.”

The death of Mr. R. H. Rockel, first assistant at the New Plymouth Boys’ ■High School, was referred to by the principal of the school (Mr. \V. H. Moyes) in his annual report read at the breaking-up ceremony last night. “To Mr. Roc-kel’s untiring energy must he attributed a large part of the success achieved by the school,” said Mr. Moyes. “Since 1913 he had /been responsible for most of the senior language work, and his thoroughness, his attention to detail, and (his capacity for hard work, established a standard which has been reflected in the work of those under him. But it is Iperhaps a® a man of strong character and high ideal® that his boys and the masters with whom he was associated will remember him. Whatever the future of thi® school may be, we feel -that bis work will endure, and that the hundreds of boys who were privileged to be under him will, in the years to come, look back with thankfulness to the training they received at his hands.”