PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 515, 24 May 1909, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

His' Excellency the Governor will leave Auckland for Palmerston North to-morrow. It was arranged that lie was to leavo the northern port for Rarotonga by -H.M.b.Challenger on Thursday next, but -the, trip has been deferred owing to tho possibility of Parliament meeting in the early, instead of the latter, part of next month. Sir Joseph Ward, tho Hoij. J. A. Millar, tho Hon. Dr. Findlay, tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie, and the Hon. A. W. Hogg are in Wellington. Tho Hon. J. Carrol} is at l>wborne, the Hon. G. Fowlds is m' tho Nelson district, tho Hon. 1). Buddo and the Hon. T. Maokenzia aro at Rotorua, and tho Jlon. ■A. T. Ngata is at Port Awanui. ■<. Bishop Mules, of No)son, arrived yesterday byi-the Te Anau. . . ' Mr, Alfred Hill, tho talented musician, has recovered sufficiently to;take an airing, ; Mr. Reginald T. Evorard, of the Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, is. relieving at the Palmerston North branch, v The Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis) and Mrs. Wallis, who have been,.on a visit to Rotorua, returned to Wellington on Saturday. ;. , '! V ■.'■.'■ : .■' ' ' ''. '■ .■■' -.. The Hon. Dr. Findlay returned from Auckland yesterday.,. The Hon. J. A. Millar was a passorigerby the'Mapourika, which arrived from tho' West Coast and Nelson on Saturday night.. Mr. T. Rpnayne was also a-passenger .Dy" the sanic steamer.. '. . Mr. Barrington Waters, advance/'representative for Mr. Clement Jj. Wragge, who has just completed a highly successful tour of the North leaves for Chrietehurch today in connection with Mr. Wragge's season there, opening on June I.•..■■■ . ■. ■ Sir James Mills arrived from the south yesterday by \ tho Maori. Captains Platts, Stringer, and Bone- were also passengore by the same steamer.''. v A statement has boon circulated to tho effect that Mr. ;W. Fraser, M.P., intended, to retire from politics. Mr. Fraser, who arrived from the south yesterday, informs us that there is not tho slightest foundation for the rumour. ; : Mr. J. M'Padden, A.0.5.M., recently appointed director of the Coromandol School of Minos, is at present in Wellington. , Mr. M'Paddeu intends to visit Waihi and Thames bofore taking up his duties at Ooromandel on June 1. /■' ■•" . , .- ■; Mr. G. P. Williams, civil engineer, of Christehurch, whoso doath was recorded/on Thursday, was secretary of the Christehurch Savage Club. At tho korero of the AVcllington Savago Club on Saturday evening it was resolved to forward a letter of condolence to his relatives. Mr.; George Bectham was the victim of a motor mishap recently. Ho was : touring in South England on April 3, and alighted from tho car, which, on being backed down a lane, knocked Mr. Bcetham down and one -wheel passed over his hips, but fortunately no bones wero ( broken. A cablegram received in Mastortbna few. days, ago stated that ho bad uot yet recovered from the effects of tho accident. '. \,\ . .■/. Madamo Melba attained her fortyrfpurth birthday at Auckland on Wednesday. . Sho celebrated it in receiving numerous friends and acquaintances at the Grand Hotel. Melba was ako inundated with congratulatory telegrams from air parts of the Domin"ion,, and with cables from various parts of tho world, including messages from- distinguished people in Groat Britain, Amorica, Europe, and Australia. By post she received a lnrgo quantity of letters wishing hoi tho- oustomary "many happy returns," and numorous little gifts. The great artist was deeply touched at finding amongst her mail little billets and flowers from children. These did not all contain the addresses of the senders j so that, she Will bo unable to acltnowledgmcnts, Auckhndcrß by no means forgot the occasion, as Madamo's room full of floral and other tokens bore witness. Tho health of the diva was proposed by tho Hon. Dr. Findlay in a highlycomplimentary speech, and was responded to on behalf of Melba by Mr, M. Ross,