PERSONAL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13726, 15 August 1908, Page 5

PERSONAL.

The Mayor of New Plymouth, Mr G. Tisch, returned /rom Auckland this morning. ' * , Members of the New Plymouth ( Cricket Club and other local dubs are invited to meet at, the Red House Hotel on* Monday. next, a* « p.m., to bid farewel\ to Mr E. O. Ligbtband/ w.ho is leaving jjrhe "district. A Wellington [paper announces the promotion of Mr J. F. Fleming, of the * accountants* branch 'of' thS "Department of Agriculture, who bijs many friends in New Plymouth, haVing been 'clerk in the local office of the Depart- » ment for some years. Mr Fleming has su^eeedfed, Mi^Alex. ;M«iT»g^rt, who hate left Wellington for Canlftia, ta enter upon a course of study art tho On- j tario Agricultural College. .- - f From time to time paragraphs appear in tne Londpn papers announcing that Mr Chamberlain has considerably profited by his stay at A&4es-Bajns, more or less vaguely hinting »fc permanent restoration to health 'and return to active political life. Oftijhese reports Mr H. W^Liicy 'wrttisV "It, is .said th^at^hese things are, devise/1 witn tne 'amiable object of keeping up the patient's spirits, when, glancing over the morning paper, he comes upon the announcement. Mr. Chamberlain, even though broken down in health, is the last man to be deceived by these wellmeant .devices. Unhappily, there is not the slightest' hope beyond the desire that the remainder of- his life may be as comparatively painless as is his present condition. A member of the House o£ Commons, recently home from Aix, describes that condition as pitiful in its helplessness. He moves about only with the,*asitaace of the gracious lady who has demoted, the whole of her life ans energies to the comfort of, her hus- - band. He oan walk the fewest steps only with her assistance. He cannot write, and speaks with, painful difficulty. One, comfort left to him, perennial in its solace, is his cigar. He, has fairly, good appetite, sleeps wejl,, and never repines at his sudden tragic exile from the stage upon which he a few years agQ played a leading part. Mr Justice Cooper passed through New ' Plymouth this morning on his return from Auckland to Wellington. Miss E. Brown, matron of the New Plymouth Etospital is on six weeks leave. The assistant-matron, Misb O'Brien, is in charge of the Hospital during Miss Brown's absence.