PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

■The Prime Minister is-at Rotorua to-day, the Hon'. J. Carroll at Kaikobo (north of Auckland), Hon.- It. M'Kenzie, Maungakaramea (north of Auckland), Hons.; G. Fowlds and'T. Mackenzie in Dunedin, Hon! A. T. Ngata at Gisborne,. and Hons. J. A. Millar, D. Buddo, and Dr. Findlay, in Wellington., . : Tile Hon. D. Duddo left Eangiora for: Wellington last, night:. Mr. ,T. P. has returned from a visit to Napier and Gisborne. •/ Mr. Wm M'Lean, of Wellington, , has left, bn a holiday visit to Auckland | and Rotorua: • Mr. T. Ron'ayne, General Manager of Railways,* returned yesterday from :Wahganui. The : Very Rev; Father O'Shea ,is at Meanee. Ho will bo away from Wellington for a week. The Hon. J. A. Millar returned, from Wanganui yesterday, He will'leave for the south to-night. Mr. and-.Mrs. Charles Seagar, of bilvoNstream, intend visiting Rotorua short'y. It was inadvertently mentioned , that they -n ere about to visit the Old Country. Dr. Inner, Consul-General for Australia, who resides at 'Sydney, arrived frojn the north on Monday evening, and leaves for the south to-morrow. '. -.Y '

The Hon. G. Fowlds left Christehurch for " Gore yesterday. He. is expected: to be in ' Dunedin to-day, and will arrive back in ;Wel-. lingtori on' Friday. . ;. ; The Very Rev. Fathers Vannon, Provincial , of the'Redemptorist Order, who been i visiting Now Zealand, .returns to: Australia; by Friday's steamer. ■ Mr. J. M. Ritchie, of Dunedin, managing director, of .; tho National'. Mortgage _ and Agency . Co., accompanied by his wife, is re-, turning .to. New Zealand:by the Shaw : Savill, liner Athenie. •" : The Rev. A. M. Johnson,' of St. Mark's Church, who has been confined to bis room .through..illness- for the. past week, is reported to bo slightly better, but is not expected to be about for 'a .'week or two. .' • . ' A Press Association message from .Nelson states that Mr. H. Eyre Kenny, S.M., has received intimation that he will be-retired from the service on. superannuation: as from March 31. v- \. :. . ... ' * Mr. R. A. Ranking, 1 S.M.,' of Brisbane,_ who is making inquiries into New Zealand liquor , legislation oh behalf of the Queensland: Government, and Mrs. Ranking left.for the;south. :on Monday evening. . • Mr. M'Grath, .who has been promoted from the position of Chief .Detective - :in:this ! city-to be Sub-Inspector of, Police, at Christchurch, leaves : for. . the, southern .city im: Friday. . Judge: Fisher, Under-Secretary, of /- the Native Department,- went to Wanganui yesterday to preside at a meeting of the Aotea Maori Land: Board. Ho. is expected back to-morrow night. . !. ■, ' , ' ■. Lord Stanhope," the iyoung English Nobleman, .who is at present touring New, Zealand, , arrived in Taumarunui from Rotorua on Monday evening, and: : yesterday morning- proceeded down the Wanganui River en route to Wellington. ; v ■ ; l; v-''. , Mr.. G. M. .Thomson, M.P. for Dunedin .North, yas entertained by his supporters last night (says a' Press • Association • message from Dunedin) and presented with a purso of Nsovcreigns,;:the\ sum: running; into three figures. ■>. ../■ ■:: v.- !■ . The Hon. T.'. Mackenzie, who' ,iyas', k): : have returned, from Dunedin yesterday,, altered his , plans at the last moment,'; aha .paid, a . visit to Balclutha. Ho is expected' to bo in | Dunedin, to-day, and ho will remain in tho . south for another week. •. It is. understood that an effort:; will bo made to induce Dr. Newman to contest the City Mayoralty. Dr. Newman, who at :- one time was, one of the city's; representatives in parliament, has always taken; an active in-; tcrest' iii public affairs. ' J - 'c : . Mr. P. Hally, who will take up his duties as Conciliation... Commissioner almost immediately, was met by: a number of representative! citizens yesterday afternoon: and presented with a silver tea. and coffee , service, and a suit case as a mark of appreciation of _the manner in\which ;he',carried out his duties at Dunedin, as Inspector of Factories.—Press Association. ■ : Captain Reed,' of Auckland (formerly connected with the well-known Tyser Line), iso is'one of. the nautical assessors appointed on the inquiry as to the wreck of the ' Pen- . guin, : arrived in Wellington last night by the Auckland-Wellington, express. - Captain Reed ; was lately one of the. assessors who'sat to inquire into the wrecks ;of the Charles Edward and the scow Ururoa. It is two; and a half years since ho, last visited Wellington.. His last command .was the Australia. i

The services which have been rendered to local cricket by' Mr. E.' W. Ashbolt, who is leaving to take up an appointment, with Pearsons Unlimited, Melbourne, ,i received special mention at last night's, ineeting'of tho committee- of the Wellington Cricket Association. ■ ■■ £ resolution congratulating himl upon obtaining such a splendid ■ appointment and regretting the loss of his services to tho associationwas passed.lt\wa.s.ralso decided: to placo on record the committee's appreciation of his valuable services. />: '

.. Mr.' George Arthpr Walstab, a well-mown journalist, died last .week at his residence at. Elstornwipk (Victoria) at the age of seventyfive years.. Deceased in liis time, was con-nected--with the Calcutta "Englishman" fs sub-editor, and later on as editor. Coming to Australia hewas. associated with: many leading Melbourne papers right up to the time of his .death.. Ho was: author of .several novels; among, them being at Lastj" "Pierce Charlton's Wives," "Looking Baok," and "Standing at Bay"; also many ,short'stories and sketches. For some: years Mr J AValstab's'liealth had not been good, but. he bore tho infirmities of age with great fortitude;