PERSONAL NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 11, 15 September 1909, Page 5

PERSONAL NOTES.

Mr. C. Hickson arrived from Welling ton on Thursday and is staying at “Cargen.” Mr Richard Hobbs returned last week by the Atua after a six weeks’ trip to the Islands. Mr. John Rowe. Mayor of Onehunga, left by tlie express train on Thursday on a visit to Rotorua. The Hon. Thomas Fergus, of Dunedin, and Mr. T. K. Harty came up to Auckland from Rotorua on Thursday. Mr. David Bell, of Feilding. came up by the Main Trunk train on Friday, and is stopping at the Royal Hotel. Commander Glossop, of H.M.S. Prometheus, made an official call on his Excellency the Governor on Wednesday. Captain Sewell, of Gisborne, who arrive(j from the south by the Main Trunk train on Friday, put up at the Star Hotel. Mr.’B. V. Wood, of Christchurch, was a passenger by the Maind’iunk train on Wednesday, and is putting up at the Grand Hotel. Mr. Barry Coney, of Auckland, was awarded two silver medals at the last examination of the Royal Academy of Music in London. Mr. Justice Edwards left by the Main Trunk train on Friday for New Plymouth, where the Supreme Court sessions opened on Monday. Mr. W. S. Cedarwell, manager of the Gisborne Freezing Works, is at present on a visit to Auckland, and Is a guest at> the Star Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. T. T. McCarthy, of Wellington, who have been staying at the Royal Hotel, left for Rotorua by the express on Friday. Dr. W. C. Mumford, an English tourist who is visiting the Dominion, came d >wn 'by the Rotorua express last night, and is staying at the Central Hotel. Madame Melba, in the course of M

interview, stated that it was her intention in about two years to retire, and settle on the land in Australia. Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Omerod, of Christchurch, and family, arrived by the Main Trunk train on /Thursday on a week’s visit, and are staying at the Star Hotel. Mr. T. E. Bassett, who has been visiting interesting places in the Dominion, arrived by the express last evening, and is at present staying at the Central Hotel. Archbishop Redwood leaves Wellington for Sydney this week to attend the Roman Catholic Congress, to be held in Sydney under the presidency of Cardinal Moran. Bishop Lenihan will leave for Australia on Monday next to attend the triennial Roman Catholic Congress of Australasia, which will be held shortly in Sydney. Mr. N. A. Winter, 8.A., who has resigned from the headmastership of the Thames High School, intends to spend a year in Europe studying languages and educational methods. Colonel John P. Watt last week handed over to Major Hughes command of tlie Wanganui Volunteer Battalion, with which he has been associated for 43 years.—Press Association. Mr. T. W. Whitson, secretary of the Union Steamship Company, who has been in charge at Auckland while Mr. Irvine has been away, returned to Dunedin via the Main Trunk line last week. Before his Honor, Mr. J us tice^-Ed-wards, in Chambers last week, Mr. C. B. Buddle was, on the application of Mr. H. P. Richmond, admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court. Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., the Royal Commissioner in the police inquiry, returned from the 'Thames on W’ednesday, and put up at “Cargen’’ for a day or two before proceeding to Wellington. Dr. Trevor, of Ashburton, who has been dangerously ill at Auckland for several weeks past, is reported to have taken a turn for the better, and is expected to return to Ashburton before long. Messrs. Chas. Brodie, of Wanganui, and The Rev Canon Jordan was a passenger by the Rarawa for New Plymouth on Sunday. Mr. F. E. Baurne, M.P., left on a brief visit to New Plymouth by the Rarawa on Sunday. ' Messrs. H. G. Didsbury and D. M. Beere, of "WelMnston, came up by the through train on Sunday, and are staying at the Star Hotel. Mr. A. S. Biss, of Wellington, was a passenger by the Main Trunk train on Tuesday, and put up at the Star Hotel during his stay in Auckland. Mr. T. Harle Giles, Conciliation Commisioner, returned on Sunday from Taranaki, after a most satisfactory settlement of dispute in the daiiying industry. Mr. A. R. Seccombe and Miss Seccombe, of Whangarei, who have been spending a holiday in Australia, returned by the Mowoia on Sunday, and proceeded home On Monday, Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Omerod, of Christchurch, and family, who have been staying at the Star Hotel, went up on a visit to Rotorua on Monday, whence they will return home. The Minister for Justice (Hon. Dr Findlay ) is expected to officially open the new post office at Huntly on the afternoon of Friday. Mr. Thompson, who for several years has been on the Auckland telegraph staff, will be the first postmaster. The death occurred to-day of Mr. Harry Shine, a well-known comedian, who last year toured New Zealand with the “Mother Goose” Pantomime Company.— Sydney cable. • A unique gathering took place in Gore on Wednesday (says the “Standard”), when the of the Mac Gibbon family assembled to celebrate the centenary of the late Mr. John Mac Gibbon. There were present some 40 members of the family, which, with their children and grand-children, now number 81. ...easts. A. H. Casey (Wellington) and T. Deehan (Dunedin) will attend the forthcoming Catholic Young Men’s Societies’ Conference at Sydney as the representatives of the Federated Catholic Clubs of New Zealand. Mr. Casey is the president of the federation, and Mr. IJeehan is a vice-president of St. Joseph’s Club, Dunedin. Professor Ernst Carroll, who represented the Tasmanian University at the international celebration of the Geneva University, met Sir Robert Stout, Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, who was attending the celebrations. “He is,” says Professor Carroll, “about the most indefatigable battler New Zealand has got, and deserves credit for

the way he speaks for his country. There is no stinking fish about him ” The death has occurred at his late residence, Brown-street, Ponsonby, of Mr. Chas. Bater, an old veteran of the Maori Wars, and a colonist of long standing. -The late Mr. Chas. Bater served in H.M. 18th Royal Irish Regiment through the Waikato and Wanganui campaigns from 1863 until 1868, and he was also in the New Zealand forces as bugler, and afterwards sergeant for over 20 years. Recently he got the V.D. decoration from the War Office for long service and good conduct, and he also had the medal for the New Zealand War, and the Colonial Long Service Medal. He had been an employee of the City Council for over 34 years, and was foreman for the North Ward for over 25 years. A man of genial and kindly disposition, his numerous friends will generally regret his death. He leaves a devoted wife and a large family to mourn their loss. Mr. G. Bater, the well-known Rugby footballer, is one of his sons. The late Mr. John Gibb, the artist, whose death occurred last week at Christchurch, was a prolific producer, and exhibited no fewer than 500 pictures at the various exhibitions of the Canterbury Art Society. Examples of his work are to be found in various galleries in Australia. One of his most notable works: “Will She Weather It?” was acquired by the Auckland Art Society as far back as 1887, and is now in its permanent collection. One picture exhibited by the late Mr. Gibb at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition at London was reproduced by the “Art Magazine,” which gave it a full page engraving, and a particularly favourable notice. The deceased artist was a native of Scotland, having been born in Dumbartonshire in 1831, so that he was in his 78th year of age at the time of his death. In his young days he studied in the studio of the late Mr. John McKenzie, the prominent Scotch artist, and arrived in New Zealand with his family in the year 1876, settling at Christchurch, where he has ever since resided. He was a life member of the Canterbury Society of Arts, and had been a constant contributor to that Society’s exhibitions since its inception, having shown no less than six pictures last year. He was also, up to about ten years ago, a regular contributor to the exhibitions of the Auckland Society. The late artist’s son, Mr. W. Menzies Gibb, follows the same profession as did his father.