PERSONAL ITEMS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16159, 13 March 1918, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Mr Geo. Gould left for Wellington last night. The Hon. W. D. S. MacDouald, Minister of Agriculture, arrived from Wellington by the ferry steamer yesterday. Mr H. H. Jackson, Chief Mechani-' cal Entrinper, N.Z.R.. was a passenger from Wellington by yesterday's ferry steamer. Mr Henry Bussey, stationmaster rt Ellerslie for tho past seven years, has 'retired on superannuation. He had been in tho railway service for L' 9 years. Mr Maughan Barnett, whose engagement as city organist in Auckland expires this month, has been re-appoint- ] ed by tho City Council for a further term of five years, upon the same conditions as formerly. . The Rev. L. C. 31. .Donaldson, minietiv of Erskine Presbyterian Church, Rathdown street, Carlton, left Melbourne a few days ago for a visit to New Zealand. He has been granted six months' leave of absence,, owing to illhealth.

At a special meeting of tho Rangiora High School Board, held last evening, Mr A. J. Ferguson. M.A., first assistant master, Tomuka District High School, was appointed assistant master at tho Rangiora High School, in place of Mr F. R. Callagnan, resigned, and Miss Ada Stringer, of tho Maerewhenua School, Oaniaru, was appointed second assistant.

• Mrs llobt. Stewart, of Kingsdown, Timaru, has received word that her son, Captain J. Garfield Stewart, who left as second-lieutenant with the Main Body of tho N\Z. Expeditionary Force, is now captain in the Imperial Flying Corps, and has received seven weeks' leave in New Zealand from the War Office. He arrives in Lyttelton shortly.

Sergeant-Major Alex. Adair McMaster, M.M., N.Z. Engineers. Main Body, British Section, youngest son of the late Alexander Anthony McMaster, Tokarahi, North Otago,* has gained his commission, and is now lieutenant. Lieutenant McMaster has been at the front since the outbreak of war in 1914. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. He enlisted a- corporal after the death of his father in London.

News has been received from Gunner William Wiggins, son of Mr W. Wiggins, of Wellington, announcing that he has been selected to superintend the training of the New Zealand boxers and footballers, which work he finds most congenial. Gunner Wiggins actually had his pack on his back ready to march to the train, en route for France, when he, with others, was pulled out for' tho training work reierred to.

Prix-ate 11. H. Hanna, who is returning to New Zealand with tho next batch of invalided soldiers, has been on active service since September, 1914. Private Hanna served through tho whole of the Gallipoli campaign, nnd also the battles of the Somme and Messines. He is one of six brothers who have served their country. Four are at present at the front, and one. Private George Hanna. died last year from an illness contracted while on active service.

Mr William John Mountstephen, of the Registration Department, Chief Post Office, Wellington, has received notification that he has been awarded til'- 1 Gray Memorial Medal for his suggestion (which has been ucJoptucl) thai; the letter bill book be printed ill n form to enable duplicate copies to ce taken bv the carbon process for retention at the forwarding office, for reference purposes, thus enabling a registered letter register, written up separately, to be abolished. In forwarding the medal, the Secretnrv of the Postal Department (Mr W. R* Morris) congratulated the winner of the prize, and expressed the hope that he would regard it as "a badge cf honour in the service.''