PERSONAL ITEMS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16417, 10 January 1919, Page 7

PERSONAL ITEMS.

His Excellency tho Governor-General and suite will take up their residence at Elmwood to-day. Tho members of the French Mission will bo entertained at lunch at Elmwood to-day on their return from Akaroa. Tho Hon. J. A. Hanan leaves Dunedin to-morrow for Wellington. Mr James F>. Davenport, of Teddington, is at present an inmate of the Christchurch Hospital. According to the Westport '"limes, "the Crown Prince of Japan is to visit Westport after peace is signed. ' Mr E. Parry, Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Woiks Department, arrived from Wellington yestorday morning. Mr R. W. McYillv (Assistant-'Gene-ral Mann ger of Railways), who was laid up with influenza in November, is not well enough yet to resume duty. At present he is recuperating in the Whangarei distiict. Major-General Russell, and Mesj'-s H. M. Campbell arid Nat Beamish, are popularly mentioned as possible candidates for the Hawke's Bay seat at trio next general election. It is not known ■whether Sir John Findlav will seek reelection. Colonel R. W. Tate, C.8.E., Adju-tant-General to the New Zealand Defence Forces, will take over tho dution of Colonel I?. Logan. C.8., Administrator of Samoa, while that officor is on leave. Colonel Tate will leavo for Samoa at the end of this wepk. /A cablo message has been received by Mr Isbister, of Island Bay, Wellington, that his son, Mr Peter Seoct Isbister, has arrived at Lerwick, Shotland Islands, after being a prisoner of war in Germany. He was formerly an officer on board the Union Company's Waiiuna, which foil a victim to the German raider Wolf. On Monday evening the staff of Messrs Wilson and Fraser, of lnvoreargill, mot to say farewell to Mr O. H. Foothead, who is leaving Invercargiil to take up a responsible position in Christchurch. On behalf of the firm and staff Mr Fraser presented him with a handsome clock suitably inscribed, and also a travelling rug. With tho object of investigating the banking business methods in New Zealand, two prominent representatives of tho Canadian Bank of Commerce aie ut presont visiting the chief centros in the Dominion. They are Mr S. 11. Logan, supervisor of the foreign branch, and Mr G. H. B. Heathcoto, manager of the San Francisco branch. They were in Auckland for two or three days last week, and then left for Rotorua. After visiting Wellington they come on to the chief centros in the South Island. They will ultimately proceed to Australia. Colonel H. J. McLean, of the New Zealand Medical Corps, who has been made a Commander of tho Order of the British Empire, was brought up in Timaru, whore his father (Dr. McLean) livod for many years. After receiving his education in the South Island, he entered one of the banns, but later on studied medicine and . passed all tho examinations with credit. ! Wlion the war broke out he was practising in Wellington, and ho left for the front with an early reinforcement. He did excellent work -in Gallipoli. and Egypt before going to Europe, and . was very popular with all ranks. In , former years he was a member of ths Wellington Football Club's first fifteen, and he also took a great interest in yachting. Miss McLean, principal of Wellington Girls' College, and Nurse Agnes McLean are ,Ins sisters. Major E. N. Webb, of the 2nd Divisional Engineers, A.I.F. a son of Mr S. It. Webb, of Christchurch, has been awarded the D.S.O. for work done in connexion with tho operations near Peronne last October. Major Webb, who was awarded the Military! Cross about two years ago, was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatches on April 7th, 191S, for conspicuous services rondored in February. Early last year Major Webb was admitted a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers. In a letter recently received Major Webb stated that he was to have extended leave for a month, and would be assisting Dr. Chreo in preparing for publicatiQn -he records of the magnetic work done by Mawson's Antarctic Expedition; he also intended giving whatever attention he could to the subject of hydroelectric power whenever the opportunity occurred. 1 Mr A. Taylor, of Morningside, Auckland, has received notifications from Captain M. H. Oram, Base Records, that- his son, Private A. B. Taylor, of the Medical Corps, has been awarded a scholarship of £200 tenable for one year, at Merton College, Oxford, the donors being the Rhodes trustees. Tins scholarship is held - in conjunc- 1 tion with an exhibition' of the approximate value of £00, donors, Merton College. Private Taylor was one of those selected by Lord Selborne, president of the Oversea Sailors and Soldiers' Scholarship Fund. The reciV pient was educated at Mt. Albert ; public school, and from there went on : * junior scholarship to Auclcland -Grammar School. Two years later he ; gained a senior scholarship, and after another couple of years was awarded a. junior university scholarship. The following year ho took the first section for B.A. degree. At the age of 19 years he enlisted, and after being a short while in Egypt nassed to the Western' front, where ho was wound~| ed on several occasions. For the last! twelve months, Private Taylor has J beien on the headquarters staff at London. I

Advice has been received by Mr P. Robertson, of Avondale, Auckland, of the repatriation to England of his son, Lieutenant G. P. Robertson, R.F.C., after having been interned in Germany for over twelve months. Lieutenant Robertson's name came prominently bef9re the people of England as the result of a thrilling experience which ended in his capture by the Germans (says the "Star"). He was up in the clouds, aeroplaning at a height of 13,000 ft, when his machine was disabled by fire from enemy antiaircraft guns. He resorted to volplaning, and landed his machine safeJjV but in German territory, and was taken prisoner by the enemy. Lieutenant Robertson was unfortunate enough to tasto the severe treatment of German internment camp, life, of which we have hfeard so much. The early experience was such that it turned his hair grey, but as the war approached its end, the enemy, probably thinking of the future, meted out better treatment. Lieutenant Robertson enlisted in England, and at first was engaged as an inspector in an aeroplnne factory, afterwards joining ttp with his corps.