Personal

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 255, 28 October 1936, Page 6

Personal

Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P. for Wanganui, was a visitor to Raetihi during the Labour Day week-end. Mr Lawrence Graham, of Wellington, spent the week-end with his parents, Mr and Mrs Hugh Graham, Keith Street. The Rev. W. G. Bird arrived in Hamilton from England last week, and has taken up Ids duties at St. Peter’s Cathedral. Mr Owen Meredith, late of the Cook Hospital laboratory staff, is not taking up his appointment in the pathological department of the Auckland Hospital. He has accepted a position in the private laboratory of Dr. Philip Lynch, of Wellington. The Hon. Minister for Lands, Mr. F. Langstone, and Mrs. Langstone, together with Mr. A. W. Mulligan, private secretary, were visitors to Raetihi and Ohakune during the weekend. They were guests at the Argonout Hotel and left by express on Tuesday morning for Auckland. •Mr S. J. Lamorna Birch, a Royal Academician, accompanied by his wife, will arrive at Auckland by the Rangitata, which is due on November 18. Mr Lamorna Birch is also a member of the Royal Water Colour Society. New Zealand’s National Gallery has some of his work.

Flight-Lieutenant S. Wallingford, of the Hobsonville air base, left for England by the Rernuera. FlightLieutenant Wallingford will undergo an extended course of instruction at rhe Royal Air Force Staff College at Andover, and expects to be away for from 18 months to two years. Mr. W. H. Gummer, of Auckland, is expected to leave England on his return to New Zealand at the end of the month. He has spent several months in Great Britain, France, Holland, Czechoslovakia, Germany, and other European countries studying all phases of modern architectural design. Mr R. E. Alexander, Government Veterinarian, has taken up his duties in South Taranaki. Mr Alexander has been only 18 months in New Zealand, and until last year was employed by the Department of Agriculture in England. In England he was mainly engaged in efforts to stamp out or check foot-and-mouth disease. A very old resident, of Wanganui, Mrs Grace Wright, formerly of 53 Bell Street, passed away recently. The deceased, who was in her 95th. year, had lived in Wanganui for 80 years, and was the widow of the late Mr John Wright. At the funeral two | grandsons and two great-grandsons acted as pallbearers. There are 24 grandchildren and 25 great-grand-children. Mr W. L. McEvoy, manager ot the Eastown Railway Workshops, who has been transferred on promotion to the workshops at the Hutt, was farewelled by men of the Eastown shops during the lunch hour yesterday. He was presented with a silver tea service, the presentation being made by Mr H. Barnett, foreman carpenter, who conveyed to the guest the men’s high regard for him and their appreciation at his promotion. Messrs C. Boss, P, Hill, G. Nalder, A. Anderson, C. Kaye, S. Beswick, J. McDougall and several others added their tribute, Mr McEvoy briefly replied, and referred to the many happy associations he had formed while at Eastown. In many respects he regretted leaving Wanganui, but it was a case of moving on. Mr McEvoy leaves by the noon express to-day for Wellington. Mr. G. L. Stedman, who has been pilot-instructor to the Wellington Aero Club since it was inaugurated, and who has resigned, served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the war, and in 1917 was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. When hostilities concluded, he continued his association with aviation, and was one of the original members of the New Zealand Air Force, which was formed in 1923. When the force was reorganised in 1930 he was made Flight Commander in No. 2 Squadron, and for his work during the Napier earthquake was promoted to Squadron-Leader. On the transfer of Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor to the reserve, he assumed command of the unit, which position he still holds. During his association with the club, Mr. Stedman trained 100 pilots.