PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

All Cabinet Ministers were in town yesterday, with the exception of the Hon. H. D. Bell, who was on his way south to Dunedin. The Hon. A. L. Herdman goes to Christchurch to-night. Captain Estcourt, late A.B.C. to Lord Islington, has taken up the duties of staff-captain to the Commandant, in succession to Captain Spencer Smith, who is leaving for England'on December 20. Mr. Charles Eobinson, custodian of the Parliamentary Buildings, will leave on a trip to England, by the Moeraki this evening. Sir John Findlay will leave for Sydney to-day by the Moeraki, to meet Lady jindlay,. who.iisi returning from a visit to England. Mr. Marcus Marks, Hansard supervisor, lias left on a holiday visit to Melbourne and Sydney. Mr. Sidney Parkes, proprietor of the Captain Cook Hotel, Sydney, for tho shooting of whom a youth named I!aborts has been sentenced to death, was formerly a resident of Wellington, being a son of the Into Mr. Samuel Parkes, at one time licensee of the Newtown Hotel. Mr. Sidney Parkes was at one time on the staff of tho A.M.P. in 'Wellington. The >;outh, Rotats, was convicted of ■ feloniously .wounding with intent to murder. Mr. J. M. King was yesterday appointed Commissioner of Taxes to succeed Mr. G. F. C. Campbell, now secretary of the Treasury. Mr. King has been for several years chief clerk of the Department, and lately has held the office of Deputy-Com-missioner. To call of the Hot. J. M. Simpson from Knox Church, Auckland,' to the Gore Presbyterian Church, was read at a meeting of the Auckland Presbytery on Tuesday. Mt. Simpson announced his intention of accepting the call. He said he did not believe in a protracted ministry in any one place, ino matter what t a man's ability was, it was better for himself and- for the Church that he should not bo too long in any ono place. Ho added that in each of the charges _ to which he had ministered he had just reached the Wesleyan limit of five years. Several' members of tho Presbytery spoke in eulogistic terms of tho excellent work done in Auckland by Mr. Simpson, and a motion expressing appreciation of his work was carried unanimously. The call to the Rev. Angus Mac Donald to the Waiapu charge was sustained. Tho call of the Eev. W. Marshall from Balfour, Mataura, to tho. Avondale charge, was also sustained. Bishop Julius, of , Christchurch, is stated by a Pross Association message to have arrived in Sydney, from which port lie will sail on December 28 for New Zealand. Members of the staff of Messrs. Sargoodj Son, and Ewon held a smoke concert at the Hotel Windsor last evening, a thoroughly enjoyable evening being 6pent. Tho chair was occupied by Mr. C. G. Wilson (+raTehou96 manager), who took an early opportunity of congratulating the promoters on organising the function. He hoped it would prove the forerunner of many like gatherings. The chairman was supported by Mr. J. P. M'Gowan, secretary of the company/for New Zealand. During the, evening songs, recitations, etc., were contributed by Messrs. Humphreys, J. Philpot, J. Eobinson. Partridge, P. E. Green, A. E. Lambert Lilly J. Forrester, H. Bedford, Moult, Jolly, Millar, and Mortonson. Mr. and Mrs. H. Beauchamp (Kodak, Ltd.), who have been oil a lengthy trip to Australia, returned on Wednesday by the Manuka. Tho Eov. S. J. Mogridge, of the Methodlist Church of Australasia, is gazetted an officiating minister under tlie Marriage Act. Before leaving New Zealand, Mr. Oscar Asche, the well-known actor, presented Mr. Harold Ashton (manager), Mr. John Parroll .(touring manager), and Mr. Otto Sudholz (treasurer) with handsome souvenirs in the form of a silver cigar-case, a silver jewel case, and a silver tobaccoholder respectively. Tho heads of tho back of the stage staffs were tho recipients of very tangible forms of Mr. Asche's appreciation m the shape of substantial cheques. In making the presentations, Mr. Asche expressed his appreciation of the excellent manner in which tho arrangements had been conducted, both before and behind tho curtain. A further indication of tho cordiality which is felt for tho distinguished actor and his talented wife was furnished when Mr. Ashton, on behalf of Messrs. Earrell, Sudholz, and himself, asked Miss Lily Brayton to accept a greenstone bracelet set with pearls and amethysts, and Mr. Asche to accept a set of greenstone links, as tokens of the very high esteem in which both wore held by tho J. C. Williamson reprsSelitativcs who wero associated with them on tho tour, and as suitable souvenirs of the Dominion. In yesterday's Dominion it was stated that "Mr. Martin Chapman, K.C., had retired from the legal firm of Chapman, Skcrrett, Wylie, and Tripp, and was now practising on his own account. As a matter of fact; Mr. Chapman is transferring lii 9 interest in tho busines to his partners, but is retiring altogether from the practice of the law.