PERSONAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12244, 18 June 1909, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A cable from ..Norfolk Island announces the death "of Mr. Nobbs, Piyv $ident of the Executive Council. ' The death occurred at Wellington on Wednesday of Mis .Cowan, wife of Mr Jain?s Cowan, , journalist attached to the Tourist Department, a. well-known pressman, and one of the best known writers on- Maori subjects. . Tlie doceastd lady was 44 years of age. The Rev A. B. Chappell, M.A., arrived in Wanganui by the Main Trunk line train yesterday afternoon. Mr Chappell is tho organising secretary of the Methodist Bible class movempnt and the agent for General Baderi-PoweH's-boy scout movement and is in town for the purpose of holding meetings in coxinrction with these movements.

A*, press wire says that at the Government Buildings yesterday afternoon, Mr A. J. Willis, secretary to the Cabinet and Clerk of the-Executive Council, was presented by the; private secre-■■/ taries to Ministers with a! four hundred day clock and also with a silver mounted hand mirror for Mrs Willfe' as amark of the esteem, in which he.has been held throughout a long period of years. The presentation was made by Mr W. Crow, the senior, private secretary, who assured Mr Willis that he left the; servicerw/itheyery gp'edr wfeh. J ffoih, the eecretarlal staff, lyfo.:'Willis?:S..joined „ the iPublic Service of Tasmania, when 4 boy 69 yea-fes ago, entered"":; that 1 of New Zealand in,,the/early sixties and; with the except'on of a break of a, few years. >be has^had febntinu-ous' ~:0 service since the year 1840, a unique record. ; , -....-■ ...-.•.

. Ajb the Wes^land Land Board meet- . ing on : Wednesday^ "•.. <6petfial:;.refe/renco r was made to the retirement rf Mr G. J.-Roberts. Chief ConunisiioiierA of ; Crown Lands., = .All> members .of the ; Board,: Solicitors, and-land paid: .■■: • ;hlgh tribute to the zeal and - unfailing courtesy; and also for-, the.veminent. se.r- :/ > vices of fostering, settlement, since:.his -^ assumption of thft onioei Settlement in ; Westland Jias:-made enormops prides : and ground worl? has been; laid for fur- ■ ■thca* extension. It was.stat<id that -Mr Rfybei'ts was retiring.' ik^' because" ho PO had rea,ched the age limit, but because he feels his health is not robust enough to do ful'. justice to : his work. In acktiowledenVC^hG yot«, Mr Roberts: spolfe highly of the class of settlei*s on-... the West Coast and made pointed reference to the vast mineral resources. At some future time thee resources would yet prove the salvation of New Zealand. At the close of the proceedings .the new Commissioner, Mr G. H.. M. McClnre, formerly District Surveyor of Canterbury, was introduced and heartily welcomed. :