Personal

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 71, 26 March 1940, Page 4

Personal

The Rt. Rev. St. H. Barbe Holland: Bishop of Wellington, is visiting Wanganui. The Rev. L. K. Brown, of Titoki, North Auckland, has accepted a call i to the charge of the Presbyterian Church at Hunterville. ' The Rev. R. F. Judson, of the Popotunoa Presbyterian Church, South Otago, has enlisted with the Medical Corps, and expects to go into camp next month. Lieutenant W. G. Handley, son of Mr. F. Handley, Maxwell, is one of six New Zealand oflicers temporarily drafted to a British regiment stationed at Cairo, Egypt. Mr. E. P. Symes, of Waverley, has been appointed judge of the ponies and hacks at the Wanganui gymkana next Saturday. Mr. Symes has had wide experience with horses. Mr. W. R. Franklin, of Newstead. has been elected president of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Messrs. F. S. Veale, of Tamahere, and H. J. Finlayson, of Tuhikaramea, have been elected vice-presi-dents. Lieutenant-Commissioner J. Evan Smith, the new territorial commander of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, and Mrs. Smith accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel G. W. P. Grattan, chief secretary of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, left Wellington for the south on Thursday night, by the steamer express. An enjoyable evening was spent at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. N. Spurdie, Georgetti Road, on Saturday night, in honour of their son, Morris, who is at present on final leave from the Trentham Military Camp. Many friends, both old and young, were present and dancing and games continued until well after midnight. Mr. Spurdie was the recipient of several presents and messages wishing him a safe and happy return. Opportunity was also taken to congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Spurdie, who will shortly attain their silver wedding. Mr. W. G. Stewart, formerly of NewPlymouth, stationmaster at Frankton Junction and senior stationmaster in New Zealand, will retire to-morrow. He has had 40 years’ service with the New Zealand Railways. Joining the Department at Christchurch in 1900, Mr. Stewart served at Christchurch, Lyttelton, Rakaia and Invercargill. He was stationmaster at Balclutha until 1928, when he came to the North Island, serving as stationmaster at Pukekohe for two years, Otahuhu for two years, New Plymouth for five years, and Frankton for two and ahalf years. Mr. Stewart was well known in the South Island as a choirmaster in various centres, and in 1922 he conducted the Methodist choir which won the choir contest at the Invercargill competitions. Mr. C. H. Trask, stationmaster at Napier, and formerly in the railways district traffic office, Wanganui, has been appointed stationmaster at Auckland. Mr. Trask took up his position in Napier last year. He joined the service of the railways as a cadet in Wellington in 1904 and subsequently filled positions in Wellington and Taranaki districts. From 1913 to 1919 he was attached to the district traffic manager’s staff at Wanganui, and from then till 1925 was on the district traffic manager’s staff at Whangarei. In 1925 Mr. Trask was appointed to the district traffic office at Qhakune, where he remained till 1929. From 1929 onward he has held the position of train-running officer. An appointment to the district traffic office in Wanganui followed and in 1932 he was promoted to chief clerk at Frankton Junction. From 1934 to 1937 he was in the district traffic manager’s office at Wellington and was then appointed assistant-stationmaster at Wellington. In 1939 Mr. Trask went to Napier as staionmaster. His successor at Napier has not yet been announced. He is to leave in two or three weeks.