PERSONAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19036, 3 April 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

PERSONAL.

YICE-REGAL. There will be a civic welcome, and a presentation of an address to their Excellencies, the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe in the City Council Chamber at noon on Tuesday. Their Excellencies will arrive in Christchurch on Tuesday morning, and will stay at Warner’s Hotel, MINISTERIAL. The Hon G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, will leave for Wellington this evening. The lion J. Craigie, M.L.C., was a passenger from the north this morning. Mr Julian Foster arrived from Wellington this morning. Mr J. E. Ilenrys was a passenger from the north by this morning’s ferry steamer. Mr 11. T. Armstrong. M.P., is expected to return to Christchurch on Saturday next. Mr W. 11. V. Taine has been appointed president of the Auckland Advertising Club’, in the place of Mr P. E. Levy, who is resigning. Messrs 11. W. Duncan and L. W. Duncan (Wellington) are guests at Warner’s Hotel. Messrs 11. Desbrough (Wellington), K. J. Fulton (Dunedin). R. Abraham (Palmerston North) and T. Yamaji (Sydnev) are staving at the United Service Hotel. Mr Douglas Cox, of Christchurch, has returned from a motor tour of the Southern Lakes. Mr R. M. Doull, supervisor of the telegraph branch of the Auckland Post Office, has retired after forty years’ Mr L. A. Paish, his Majesty’s Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, will visit Christchurch from May 20 to May 23 in connection with Empire Shopping Week. Mr R. B. Bell, of the Timaru “Post,” and Mr James Hutchison, of the “Otago Daily Times,” passed through Christchurch last night. They are leaving shortly for London. Mr J. A. Flesher, who intends to go to California on a health recruiting trip, was granted five months’ leave of absence at yesterday's meeting of the Waimakariri River Trust.

Mr D. F. Moncur, general manager of the Canada Tyre and Rubber Company, Limited, is leaving Auckland by the Niagara next week on a visit to the Canadian factory.

Mr C. Robert Bignold, ‘a director of the Head Office Board, Norwich Union Life Insurance Society, who is on a Dominion tour, has been staying at the United Service Hotel. He left j-ester-day for Otago and Southland.

At the Canterbury Chess Club’s rooms last evening a presentation of a silvermounted cup was made by the president, Mr R. Lovell-Smith, to Mr H. J. Armstrong, who during the past season established a club record in championship and tournament games.

At the opening of the Arbitration Court in Wellington to-day a hearty welcome was extended to Mr Cecil W. Prime, the newly appointed employers’ representative by employers’ and employees’ representatives and by the Judge.

Mr E. A. Ernest and Nlr E. Wallisch, members of the Elbof party of geophysical investigators, who have for the past two and a half years been carrying otit investigations for petroleum and copper in the Taranaki, Dannevirke, and Woodville districts, leave New Zealand tomorrow on their return to Germany.

Mr E. F. T. Eldridge, secretary of the Christchurch Retail Fruiterers’ Association, has received advice from Hon W. A. Veitch, Minister of Labour, that he has been appointed on the committee set up to revise the Shops and Offices Act.

Mr J. W. Mawson, Director of Town Planning, left Christchurch yesterday afternoon for Blenheim and Nelson. He stayed at Kaikoura last evening when evidence on regional planning was given by the Kaikoura County Council. Evidence will be taken at Blenheim on Friday next Mr Mawson will return to Christchurch on April 11 to address a meeting of architects, surveyors, engineers and others, at which it is intended to establish a branch of the Town Planning Institute.

On Monday evening the members of the Richmond Methodist Church, met to bid farewell to Rev Harold Sharp, who for the past four years, has been minister of the church. Nlr Sharp is leaving to take up the ministry of the Lower ITutt church. Mr A. G. Williams, who occupied the chair, spoke of the progress made during Mr Sharp’s ministry, and on behalf of the congregation presented him with a Kaiapoi rug as a token of love and esteem, and wished Mr and Mrs Snarp and family every happiness in their new sphere of labour. Nlr Sharp suitablyresponded, expressing regret at leaving Christchurch.

On Tuesday evening the Wesley Schoolroom, Edgeware Road, was crowded on the occasion of a farewell function tendered to the Rev S. J. and Mrs Werren, prior to their removal tc: Auckland. A musical programme was contributed by the Misses Osborn. Turner, H. Smith, E. Fraser, T. Duff, W. Sprosten, A. Lucas, R. Lucas and Mr E. J. Johnson. Mr A. Williams, who presided, expressed his pleasure at the large attendance, which indicated the high esteem in which the guests were held. He stated that the six years’ min istry of Mr Werren had been one of constant activity. He had proved a tireless worker and would be much missed. The speaker congratulated him on being appointed to a responsibleposition at Auckland, where his gifts would be placed at the disposal of a larger membership of the Church. Brief addresses of an eulogistic character were given by the Rev F. T. Read, Messrs A. 11. 1 layman, 11. Ford. G. Woodham, Frank Thompson and W Simpson, representing various activities with which Mr Werren had been associated. Mr and Mrs Werren were the recipients of a number of useful pre-

The recently announced resignation of the Rev O. Fitz Gerald, vicar of Avonside, was the cause of something akin to consternation and disrnav

' among his parishioners. From half a dozen sources simultaneously requests were made for a movement to be set on foot to retain him in Avonside. This evidence of his popularity culminated in a vestry meeting on Tuesday evening, when a petition containing over 1000 signatures was presented to him. At the vestry meeting each member present spoke in support of the petition and Mr Fitz Gerald’s final intimation that after due consideration he had decided to accede to the request of the parishioners has been received with widespread satisfaction. lie made it clear in conveying this decision that his sole reason for at first accepting the Sydenham appointment, where he believed a. great work was to be done, was that he viewed it as a matter of rlutv, and he considered that possibly a change would be good for Avonside Parish.