PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 706, 4 January 1910, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dr. Gibbs returned by the MapounU yesterday from Nelson, where ho had spent a fortnight's holiday. The Rev. Father O'Shea was a passenger for 'Nelson yesterday by tho rateena. . , ( i Mr, i^m H, 8 ' cd itor,of the Christohur,c,h, , Press > has been granted eight m u nt £ S 'Mve, and will procetd to She Old Country in March. Mr. John Moodie, headmaster of the North-east Harbour School, has been appointed assistant agricultural instructor to the\ North Canterbury Education Board (says the Dunedin "Star"). Mt Hoodie has exceptional qualihcations for his new post. Ho is tho holder of firstclass passes in the South Kensington liducation' Board's scienco and art examinations for agriculture, rural economy, tillage, and crops, and of second-class passes in chemutry, of plant and soil manure and crops, and animal husbandry./ In addition he has many years' practical experience to his credit in farm, orchard nursery, and apiary work. Mr. Moodie takes up his "new duties about the beginning of, February,

I The funeral of Mr. P. Lawrence, chief I engineer of . the steamer Anglo-Saxon, ■ took place at the Karon Cemetery yesterday morning. Tha cortege left the Missions to Seamen Institute, ". tho members of the crew of the AngloSaxon and representatives of piactically 1 every vessel in port being present. The Institute of Marine Engineers, and the New Zealand Shipping Company, the vessels agents, were also represented, iho servico at the gratesido was conducted by Mr. Jas. Moore, tho seamen's missioner. i i _ Another old identity has passed away in the person of Mr. Alexander Grigg, at i tho ago of 89 years. Ho arrived in New Zealand from Sidney in 1852 with his i parents. Hβ was ono of the kte Mr. P. Lamp's apprentices, and on completion i of his time started business for himbelf in the Wairarapa, ■ but retired through , ill-health some years ago. His father, tho late Mr. Eobt. Grigg, was in charge , of the Barrack stores in Now South Wales-from 1832 until he was appointed ■to the same position in New Zealand 1 (which was vacant thiough tho death of Mr. Lovel, who was killed by a very heavy earthquake in-Wellington). The deceased's eldest brother, the late Mr. E. I H. Grigg, was well known throughout New Zealand as o pioneer journalist* of I the Wairarapa, where ho and ' another brother (Charles) started the first paper in tho year 1807. He sold out, and was manager of the Auckland "Star" and Napier T 'Daily Telegraph." The late Mr. Grigg leaves six sons and one daughter, as well as a younger brother, Mr. Charles Giigg, of .Wellington. Oar Feilding correspondent states that tho Rev. C.i E. Beecroft, ex-president of the Methodist Conference, who is in chargo of\ the i Eeilding circuit, has ju&t entered on the forty-fiist year of his ministry. His first service,as a Wesleyan minister was conducted on the New Year Sunday of 1870, when he walked, four miles from Keighley in Yorkshire, over roads deep in snow, fo the manufacturing village of Oakworth. Since t then, Mr. Beecroft has only missed four Sunday services, through indisposition. It is a i fine record. . , '

V ;'A-party, consisting• of' Messrs. Newton, ;W.-Bendall,>.W.':-H.,-"Morrali; :Stano;Harconrt; iDuncan'-.MenziesY: Harry 'Anderson;; and; Dr. Gregg;(ofiiPalmerston, North),' most of 'whom ,, : -have'- inade'i-.a: habit ,of .visiting -the Mailborough Sounds at Christmas ■time'i"for:''tenVdr.. fifteen years past, havejnst. returned from a pleasant holiday;spent in.Miro;Bay,,ini.thei'pictii:' Tesqne v-Pelorus Sound. '. A imbtqr-lannch' jras:hired;:at Picton'; , .and;what with:fishing/ • swimming, ~ sight-seeing,: ;a'nd fruit eafang,;:.the:" pajfefivof achieved .■'•much' .joy;'. in H this';: modern' Arcady.L;Some''day,.say the -members , :-of' .charms ;pf : .the .Spunds.j'whichvarej-within.: three:.: or"four;': hours''. , ' steam;.from; iWel- , ' and', will"-people .ttheibays; in:'the i holiday-time. .Itiwill.not-besq.nice'th'enV but stiU'they;.will"continueito; spend:the' Christmas .''and - New- Tear.'. holidays' , ■ in/ purVqwn'i;fiord-!and.Vi: v Pne? standing ■• importance '.> which .-'■ occurred:: in: ithe:Sounds::duririg'the i: holiday^ 1 :was.;the'; motor-launch 'regatta,-;held'at iHavelock on .Boxing' Day. v As most'bf the^settlers 1 .own-, their,: own launches-^some. of-;v:them\ •very ;fine. ; ones—the'sport was,'guite : good, and , as a sight alone'it';was worth 'the ■!Tip;::■■:v:^;:■vl^:^M-v^^■;s:y;:'^:^! : :■-■, : ■i ! ;f,v■■