People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20310, 21 May 1934, Page 6

People and Their Doings .

An Old Christchurch Lady who Will be Ninety-seven To-morrow Missed the 111-fated Cospatrick by a Strange Chance : Hindu Doctor of Calcutta is on Leave from the Narbada.

r pilE NARBADA’S ship’s company has lost the services for at least one trip of Dr S. N. Sinha, a young and popular Hindu doctor of Calcutta, while he takes his annual leave. Dr Sinha was medical officer on the Narbada for about four years and made many friends both in New Zealand and Australia among the medical fraternity. The ship’s new medical officer. Dr C. B. Gibbon, of Calcutta, is also an interesting personality. As a ship’s surgeon he has during the past five years travelled all over the world. He possesses a remarkable record of militarv service. He is one of the “ Old Contemptibles ” His military decorations include the rosette emblem of the Contemptibles, the British Victory and Allied Victory medals. He landed at Marseilles as a member of the first contingent from India. He was slightly wounded, and at the conclusion of the war, on returning to India, still in military service, he went to the hills to recuperate. Later he set up in practice in Allahabad. Leaving his practice, he became a railway medical officer and a planter’s doctor, making a special study of tropical diseases, including plague, cholera and small-pox. Dr Gibbon is making his first visit to New Zealand.

sS? JjMGIITY MILES south-east of Port Hedland on the north-west coast of Australia, about a thousand miles north of Perth, two prospectors, E. Piesse and C. Olsen, struck a rich patch of gold-bearing ore. They filled three petrol tins and dollied it for a yield of 66 ounces, which, with previous dollying, brought their weight of gold up to 148 ounces, worth about £1246 in Australian currency. Olsen and Piesse had to carry water from a creek four miles from their ground and built a 25-mile road to a battery. The country has since been flooded by phenomenal rains. At Higginsville, 65 miles south of Kalgoorlie, W. M’Keown got 44£ ounces of gold from 52 cwt of ore at a depth of 50ft. lie previously recovered 15 ounces from 173 lbs. A prospector near Coolgardie won 145 ounces of gold from 3cwt of ore.

3j[ RS CHARLOTTE NICHOLSON, of

Sherborne Street, St Albans, who will celebrate her 97th birthday to-morrow, has had a unique experience. Born in London in 1837, about the time of the celebrations in connection with Queen Victoria’s coronation, she was booked, with her first husband, Mr J. E. Hasell, to leave England towards the end of 1874 in the ship Cospatrick, but owing to some misunderstand-

ing at the shipping office, her departure was delayed till the next boat. On the voyage out to New Zealand the Cospatrick was burnt at sea off the West Coast of Africa, and of the 470 souls on board onlv two survived, reaching the island of St Helena. With her husband and family Mrs Nicholson arrived in New Zealand by the ship Star of India in November, 1874. She was

very active in social circles half a century ago, particularly in connection with the Edgeware Road Methodist Church, of which to-day she is the oldest living member. Old residents of Temuka will also have kind recollections of Mr and Mrs Nicholson. Apart from her hearing, Mrs Nicholson enjoys good health, both mental and physical. ' She has vivid recollections of London life nearly ninety years ago. She comes of a long-lived family. A sister in England is aged 90 years, a brother in the North Island 79 and a brother in Christchurch 86. Her family of six are all living—Messrs S., E. J., C. and G. Hasell, of Christchurch, Mr A. Hasell, of New Plymouth, and a daughter, Mrs E. Henley, of Auckland, who is at present on a visit to her mother. Mr E. W. Hasell, the well-known All Black Rugby player, is a grandson, and Mrs A. E. M’Phail, his sister, is a granddaughter of Mrs Nicholson. gIXTY YEARS AGO (from the “Star” of May 21, 1874) Avonside coach advertisement.—This coach will commence running on Friday next, the 22nd. Leaving Morton’s Hotel, Christchurch, at 8.30 a.m., 9.30 a.m., 1.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. Leaving Cowlishaw s Comer, Avonside. at 8.45 a.m., 9.45 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4.45 p.m. Parcels and passengers booked at Morton’s Hotel, High Street. E. W. Millett. proprietor. London, May 5. —The Pope has raised Melbourne to an Archbishopric, under Dr Goold, the present Bishop Ballarat is formed into a Bishopric, under Dr Portune. Dr Redwood is appointed Bishop of Wellington. New Zealand. A seagoing monster.—At Philadelphia the largest ship next to the Great Eastern has been launched. The sea monster is intended for the Pacific Mail Company’s line. Her tonnage is nearly 6000. and she has accommodation for 120 first-class, 250 second-class and 1000 third-class passengers.