PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1383, 8 March 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Sir Joseph Ward is to leave for Auckland by the Main Trunk express to-day, and on Monday lie will turn the first sod of the section of the East Coast railway, which is being commenced at Waihi. On Tuesday lie will turn the first sod. of the Waipa Company's line at Te Afcatea. The Prime Minister is expected to return to Wellington on Saturday. ' The Hon. D. liuddo is at Christchurch, Stf Jus. Carroll ami the Hon. It. M'Ken--7,i0 ill Wellington, tho Hon. T Mackenzie at nunedin, and the Hon. A. T. .Ngata at l'ort Awnnui. Tho Hon. J. A. Millar left for Auckland yesterday. • Mr. Harold .Ijeaucliamp, chairman of tho Bank of New Zealand, leaves London to-day by the s.s. Malwa on his return to the Dominion. Mr. W. C Buchanan, M.P. for the Wairarapa, is In bo presented with a portrait of himself, in nils, by the delegates of Ili3 various local authorities in tho Vallev in recognition of his gift of n homo for incurables lu the Wairarapa Hospital district. Mr. William Ferguson has been elected a member of Mm Vicloria College Council, vice Mr. 11. Von- lluast, who has resigned in order In visii Knglaml. Mr. Ferguson will be the. I'ailianicntnry representative on the council. Mr. llouert llannnli. of Boulcolf Slreet, leaves for Sydney, cu route In Fngliind, From (juconslalid enmes the news nf the death of Mr. IK B. Iluddlcslone. at cine lime slock - inspector of I lie West Coast of Hie South Island, but nl the lime nV his death in charge of the Te Kuiti district. The deceased was a grout walker, and on his ollicial lours rarely, used a linr.se, even when on the roughest of bncklilncl; journeys.

On leaving the eniplov or the "Taranaki .News" In lake up Hi lilorship nf Hie Auckland "Observer.'' Mr. Claude .lewcll, formerly of Wellington, was pre-entcd liv Hie 4alf with several volumes of poetry, handsomely hound,

Mr. Colin Macintosh, who went Homo with his father (Mr. Alex. Macintosh) last year, returned to Wellington by the Tahiti yesterday. Notification of tho appointment of Oivaliero 0. Fcrnindo as Vice-Consul for llnly in Melbourne appears in the current Gazette. Lieut-Colonel Kenneth Mackenzie, Df tho Keserve of Officers, 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment, has been awarded the Colonial Forces I.ong-scrvico Medal. Mr. G. X. Morris is gazetted clerk of tho Magistrate's and Warden's Court at Cromwell, and Mr. John Dawson, of the Magistrate's Court, Gisborue. The Rev. Hugh Beggs (Presbyterian) fliitl Mr. .Tames Macfarlaiio (Christian Brethren) are gazetted officiating ministers under the Marriage. Act. Mr. C. JO. Fordham, who has been connected with the 11 rm of W. and G. Tiirnbull and Co., Wellington, for the past 27 yiars, is resigning his position in order to enter tho firm of A. R. Hislop and Co., Wellington. Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Chambers, of Brisbane, who have been touring New Zealand, return to Sydney by the Maiingnuui today. Misses Mufi'lin, of Sydney, also leave ,Welliii2ton by the same steamer. Mr. E. A. Batt, of Sargood, Son, and Ewen, leaves Wellington tor Sydney today on a month's holiday leave. Mr. James I). Turner, Mayor of Suva, is on a visit to Wellington, and leaves for Fiji to-day. Mr. H. A. Riclnrc'.s, who has been appointed eonsill for Great Britain at Tahiti, j,s a through passenger by tho Tahiti to Papcots. One of Auckland's old identities, in the person of Mr. Win. Singer, of Parnell, passed away on Saturday evening. Mr. Singer and his wiifo came out by tho John Wesley in 1851, as Weslcyan school teachers, and for many years conducted schools in Auckland, a • goodly number of their pupils being still resident in the neighbourhood. They, then removed to Iho Wellington district, where they carried on teaching work for several years. About 25 years ago they returned to Parnell, where they resided until death. Mr. Singer was the oldest Methodist local preacher in the Auckland district and "as much esteemed by those who knew him. The only survivor of those who arrived by the John Wesley in 1851 is now Mrs. Collie,.who resides at Epsom. Mr. J. F. Atkins, the manager for Walker and Hall, is leaving for Sydney to-day on business. Whilst in Sydney, Mr. Atkins, who is chairman of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimimng Association, intends conferring with the X.S.W.A.S.A. respecting the sending over to Wellington next season of some of their prominent' swimmers.' Also, as president of tho Lyall Bay Surf and Life. Saving Club, Mr. Atkins will get some particulars for the .carnival to be held at Lyall Bay on the 30th inst. A Press Association message received from Sydney last night states that Mr. J. H. Witheford, formerly of Auckland, has arrived in the Moldavia, en route to New Zealand, after seven years' absence in England. Mr Witheford returns as representative of a financial group in London who, he states, have arranged to provide nearly a million capital for a New Zealand project upon his being able to adviso that satisfactory arrangements have been made in accordance with his instruction's. During his stay in England, Mr. Witheford had interviews and communications with the Admiralty, resulting in his receiving thanks for certain actions which lie had initiated in connection with British Pacific interests. He sails for New Zealand ou Monday,