PERSONAL ITEMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14453, 27 May 1911, Page 5

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Acting-Major -Foci™ and Captain Wain (Waimate) sat for an examination for the majority in Timaru last week, before Colonel Beckingham and Lieut. Andrews.

Major-General Godley, Commandant of the Territorial Forces, passed north yesterday, en route for Wellington. He was met at Timaru by Lieut. Andrews.

Mr H. von Dadelszen, of the. National Bank staff, left yesterday for Napier, where he takes up the position of accountant. Mr A. L. Clowes, of Christchurch, has been appointed to the vacancy at Timaru.

Mr J. Proudlock has been asked to undertake the leadership of the Temuka Band and has accepted the position.

The death occurred suddenly at Blenheim on Thursday evening of Mr AVilliam Benoni Parker, J.P. Deceased, who was born in London in 1537, canio to New Zealand in 1861. After spending three years on the Otago goldfields he settled in Marlborough. He was one oi the founders of the Mothodist Church at Blenheim, and at the time of his death was trustee and senior circuit steward. He was also chairman of the Wairau Hospital Board aid Oniaka Cemetery Board, and a member of the Omaka Road Board for 26 years. He was a member of tho Meilborough Education Board, and was an ex-Councillor. On Wednesday '.vening he delivered a public 'traire o-i his early experiences in Wt'-na. where for some years he had residni :-e r ore he came to New Sealvi-J. Ho luves a wido v and five sons. Mr Joseph Lewis, whose death at Blaunant farm, Winchester, was recorded yesterday was the first farmer to settle on the road between Winchester and Geraldine, and therefore was indeed an old identity of the district. He -was an unassuming and . generally respected settler.

On Thursday evening at Teimika about -10 members of the Catholic Club and Athletic Footballers assembled to bid good-bye to one of their most prominent and popular members, Mr Percy Gillespie. Mr John Scott, in presenting on behalf of the clubs a handsome travelling bag, referred to the loss to sport in South Canterbury through their guest's departure. Mr Gillespie is well-known in the, ring and on the cycling track, and was one of the first to don the iersey for the Green and Whites. He is also a meiulcr of the management cf the local Catholic Club. Mr Gillesoie left bv the first express yesterday for Palmefston North.

c la our Supplement to-day will bo '?£,*?• very readable story entitled 'The. 1< izzer." A few lines at the bead of it state that Harry Y. Beckham '•i'lio liWr," was born at Geraldine. tlio older residents of Geraldine and the negaoourhood no doubt remember his father, Harry Peekham, who was woh-kiiuwn m his day as a clever horsebreaker at Baukapuka and other stations He at one time owned and lived m a cottage ou tl',3 land in the corner round ivl'iieh the coach turns into t.ie AVuiclioster-Gw-nldina ro-d irom Qran which was long familiar! v cnllcd "Peekhams corner/' 1 and the river crossing was still earlier called "Pc-.-kliam's crossing." Harry Peek--151,11 v;ls "'so known as a jockey "id at least once rode the winner '„f t"i- 0 •.-I'.caoant Valley Cup," in'ih? days Jinan J feasant V alley contained 'a linger population than Gerald : ne a (jood proportion of them ■ 'sports," win held an annual race meeting It is probable that if the registers vere preserved ihey would show that "Tire Viz.zer" attended tho Geraldine school m its early days. At the meeting of the Timaru Poultry Society last eveniuy, a present at.on was made to -Mr J." Thomson, who has recently entered the ranks of the Benedict.;. Th-e presentation, which took the form of a handsomely desh'iied couch, was made, by the president, air S. U. Burns, who in a breezy s P® e I tu .,<J ,vi!lt on t]l ° sterling qualities ot 31r i liiimani. Mr Thomson was we'd known as one of tin? most enthusia.stic. members or the society, and they felt that they could not let this ha»py occasion pass without giving some"tangible token of their esteem for bin. He voiced the opinion of the soeHy in wishiu-r Mr and Mrs Thomson the Verv oestor bealtii and hoped that both would long remain members Vr l.ionisoii expressed comnlete «urni ; i=o at the presentation and m .',^ Y th.-a-ked the members on '.-ehali of'Sl-s Thomson and himself