Tourist AND Traveller

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1528, 7 August 1919, Page 36

Tourist AND Traveller

HERE AND THERE.

Dr. A. W. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, is leaving on a trip to England next year to attend the Lambeth Conference. Mrs W. Nathan and Miss A. Nathan intend leaving for England by the Ruahine this month. It is stated at Rotterdam that that city is to be a regular port of call for Cunard liners. Mr. and Mrs R. W. Gibbs and Mrs Gibbs, of Dunedin, intend leaving for a visit to England at the end of the year. * * The “Daily Mail” says that the visit of the Prince of Wales to Australia is unlikely to take place until after his marriage. * * » • Mr. G. B. Bullock, manager in Wellington for the New Zealand Shipping Company, has left for Sydney on a three weeks’ holiday. « » • • Captain R. C. Abernethy, M.C., son of the Rev. C. Abernethy, Christchurch, has returned home after over three years’ active service. War bread and the lack of cheap sweets are given by Ramsgate (Eng.) medical officer as reasons for the good teeth of local school children. • • * * . Second-Lieutenant Fred S. Gordon, R.A.F., a son of Dr. F. Gordon, of Auckland, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His name appeared in the birthday honours. Mr. I. A. James, manager of the State Coal Mines on the West Coast, has been promoted to the position of General Manager of the State Coal Mines of New Zealand. • * » • Mr. R. W. Gibbs, of the Bank of New Zealand, Dunedin, will be leaving for London towards the end of the vear on an extended trip. Mrs. and Miss Gibbs will accompany him. Corporal G. Milkes (son of the Mayor of Richmond), returned from London by the Ruapehu after nearly three years’ service with a machinegun sect’on of the N.Z.E.F. Among those who returned to Wellington from active service by the Briton was Capta’n G. T. Kellaway, M.C., who left New Zealand with the Sth Reinforcement. * 9 * • Mr J. Whitelaw, formerly on the literary staff of the Auckland Star, is now occupying a responsible position on the editoral staff of the London Daily Mail. * * Mr A. H. Court, of Auckland, who returned by the Makura, is still suffering from the effects of the severe gassing he experienced almost at the end of the fighting on the ■Western front. Mr. G. W. W. B. Hughes, who has been general secretary of the Y.M.C.A. at Dunedin for over ten years, has taken a position on the New Zealand staff of the Y.M.C.A., and will reside in Auckland. The marriage took place at Bovey Tracey, Devon, on June 4th, of Captain W. A. Gray, M.C.. N.Z.R.8., son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Gray, Mount Eden. Auckland, to Ellen Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Pethybridge, Bovey. 9 * * * Lieutenant T. Herd, conductor of .the Natives’ Association Band, has been appointed judge for the band contest to be held at Granity on October 10 and 11. This will be the sixth band contest at which Lieutenant Herd has adjudicated on the West Coast.

Miss C. Rogers, a volunteer nurse, and a daughter of Mrs. Rogers, King Street, Rangiora, was accorded a great reception on her return home after four years’ service. The Rangiora Brass Band turned out for the occasion, and addresses were given by the Mayor (Mr. C. I. Jennings) and the Hon. D. Buddo, M.P. 9 9-9 Lands continue to change hands in this district (says the Te Aroha “News”). A fair estimate of the total turnover in farm land within a few miles of Te Aroha during the present year is approximately £400,000, and still there is more to follow. • • • • Albert Arthur Pritchard, whose death at the Gisborne Hospital is announced, was several years ago a well-known player of Rugby football, and was also popular as a referee. Mr. Pritchard, who was thirty-six years of age, died after a long and painful illness. * 9 9 *■ Colonel J. M. Christie and Lieuten-ant-Colonel E. E. Porritt have been appointed a travelling medical board to classify and board discharged soldiers and undischarged soldiers, in accordance with instructions laid down by the director-general of medical services.

During the war 2430 British, Colonial and Belgian soldiers and sailors have been nursed at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Dollis Hill, London, N.W., which has just been demobilised. A sum of £l2OO is required for repairs and alterations. • 9 c • Some of the soldiers who returned to New Zealand by the Briton are wearing the newly-issued “Allies” ribbon, a left-breast decoration which is easily recognisable, consisting, as it does, of tiny vertical strips of the colours of all the Allies. * ' - V Sir Peter Mcßride will probably have his term of office as Agent-Gen-eral for Victoria extended for another six months (says a Melbourne message). His present term is to expire on August 19, and Mr. McPherson, Treasurer, who is to report on the future working of the Agency-General, is not expected to arrive till the end of August, and may be detained till September.

Mr. C. M. Cox, who for the past twelve years has been the manager in Wellington of the “Mercantile Gazette,” has severed his connection with the company in order to commence business on his own account. * • ♦ • Corporal Roy Weston, only son of Mr. F. Weston, of the “Hansard” staff, returned from his service at the front by the s.s. Briton. In the early part of last year, Corporal Weston had a very narrow escape from losing his life. When his company was assisting to close the gap near Hebuterne, after the retreat of the Fifth Army, he was almost completely buried by a shell explosion. Captain Vercoe, seeing a pair of feet protruding from a mound, scooped the earth away with his hands, and dragged out an unconscious body, which proved to be Weston’s. For this act, performed under heavy fire, Captain Vercoe was awarded the Military Cross. 9 * * * The death occurred at Tauranga recently of Mr. David Asher, one of the best-known residents of that town. The late Mr. Asher, who was 68 years of age, was born and educated in Auckland, and was in business in Tauranga for a great many years. His wife died eight months ago, leav-

ing him with six sons and five daughters. All the sons have been prominent footballers. Mrs. Parata, of Wellington (widow of Mr. Charles Parata, ex-M.P. for the Southern Maori District), is a daughter. The youngest son (Private George Asher, who recently returned from the front after three years' active service) was captain of a very successful team of New Zealand soldiers. At a meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, Mr. C. H. Whitehead said there was practically a million ova on hand, and it was anticipated that in all there would probably be P 4 to 1% million fry available for distribution. The society was endeavouring to see that this year the fry would be distributed pro rata according to the amount of revenue received from each district. He pointed out that the rivers in the Palmerston district were becoming depleted, and they needed half a mil-

lion fry each year in order to restock them. Through depletion or some unknown reason last year they were unable to get much fish out of local rivers. It looked as if the fish were not there. The Wahine, an illustration of which appears on this page, left Port Chalmers on July 22, 1915, and took 53 days on the run home under the Union Company’s direction. On arrival at London she was taken over by the Admiralty, and on being refitted was sent on October 6, 1915, as a despatch ship to the G'allipoli forces. On her arrival at Plymouth after the evacuation of Gallipoli she was again refitted as a mine layer, which occupation she was engaged in until the Armistice was signed. During her service as a despatch boat she on several occasions attained a speed of 22% knots. Out of the original crew that left New Zealand only six “stuck it out” to the finish, viz., Acting-Engineer-Commander Lowe, D. 5.0., Acting-Lieutenant Milne, Acting-Lieu-tenant Hesketch, and Petty Officers John Kinavane, Alex. Robb, and S. Moore. 9 0 9 9 An official announcement states that the number of soldiers’ graves now identified and registered in

France and Belgium is 373,351. Other burials reported number 154,823. In many of these cases the burials took place under such conditions that afterwards the graves were not found, and in others all markings have been destroyed by shell fire. Recently, however, 9125 of these graves have been identified and registered, and it is hoped that many more will be traced. 9 9 9 » Fielding in a recent cricket match, Dr. C. H. Hibbert, of Marple, Cheshire (Eng.), ran after a boundary hit, jumped over a fence, and fell on his head, fatally injuring himself. * « « « It is expected that before the year ends the New South Wales Divorce Courts will have disposed of at least 500 suits. There is little doubt that the large increase in divorces in that State is a direct consequence of the war, almost every, second suit being in some way connected with men who had gone on active service.

Captain Stell Gleeson, an American officer who served in the Imperial Army from 1911 until the arrival of the American- forces, when he joined the American Flying Corps, is visiting New Zealand. * * * * The death occurred in London on July 26 of Mr. Nat Gould, the wellknown writer of turf stories. He was born in Manchester in December, 1857, and was resident for a number of years in Australia. ♦ • V » An exceedingly beautiful reserve of native bush, which covers an area of 375 acres, has, through the generosity of several Canterbury citizens, become public property. It is intended to take formal possession about the middle of August. The reserve is situated on the northern end of Kaituna Valley, and is traversed by one of the pioneer bridle paths known as the Port Track. Lieutenant W. Perry received a warm welcome in Wellington by his fellow members of the executive of the Moderate League at the Royal Oak Hotel. The president, Mr. D. M. Findlay, said that Lieutenant Perry typified the New Zealand soldiers who, having fought for national liberty, had also saved the personal liberty of the tolerant section of New Zealanders. • * * » One of the best-known shipping men in Australia, Mr. Walter T. Cox, acting-general manager for the Orient Line, died at his home at Wahroonga last month, after a short illness. Coming to Australia in 1914 the late Mr. Cox joined the Melbourne office as branch manager after Mr. D. L. Dowden had gone to England in connection with the Commonwealth line of ships. A few months ago, when Mr. David Reid, general manager in Australia, sailed for London, Mr. Cox was appointed acting-general manager, and was highly popular among all with whom he came in contact.