PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1772, 10 June 1913, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Vice-Regal. Their Excellencies the Earl and Countess of Liverpool, who are at present the guests of Mr. H. D. Vavasour at iigbrooko Station, Blenheim, will return, to Wellington by H.M.S. New Zealand to-morrow. Tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes, who is tho only Cabinet Minister absent from Wellington, will leave Tauinarunui for l'ipiriki this morning. The Hon. Jas. Allon will probably leave for Christchurch on Saturday evening, and during tlio week-end will visit some members of his family at Little River. Tho Prime Minister will leave for the south on Monday ■ evening, and both Ministers will reach Dunedin on Tuesday, attend a public gathering there in tho evening, and another at Milton on tho following evening. Speeches will be delivered by tho Prime Minister and Mr. Allen both at Dunedin and at Milton. The Primo Minister and tho Hon. J. Allen, who are expected to arrivo in Dunedin on Tuesday week b.y tho first express), will bo accorded a civic reception on arrival. Tho local branch of the Reform League has arranged a meeting, to l>e hold in, the Garrison Hall in tho evening, when both Ministers will give speeches. They will aftorwards attend a function in the Art Gallery, to bo terntaed to local niembexs of Parliament by the Dunedin Expansion, League and tho vanouß Railway leagues.—Press Association, Mr. C. E. Mackay, ex-Mayor of Wangahui, was vestorday presented with an, illuminated address and a gold albert, and Mrs. Mackay with a gold necklace, to commemorate their seven years term of office—Press Association.

A Press Association cablegram from London announces Miss Eileen Ward'B engagement to Mr. Bernard B. Wood, of Now Zealand.. Tho Mayor of Auckland (Mr. C. J. Parr) has accepted tho presidency of tho Now Zealand Cness Association. Tho annual championship tournament will bo held at Auckland next December. A Press Association telegram from New Plymouth States :-Thoro died hero Buddenly on Sunday night Mr. Richard (fliing, who was ono of tho Otago goldfields pioneers, afterwards going to tne West Coast, whenco he went to Dunsnndel, in Canterbury. He was subsequently storekeeping at Opunake, and when the Native lands wero opened he took up COO acres, which ho farmed until .recently, when ho retired to Now Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Dftvira, of Wellington, intend leaving for the Northern Territory on Friday next. Mc. T. Hugo, Inspector of Firo Brigades, left for the south last oveuing by tho Maori. Mr. C. Harbottle, of the local ofhee of tho Union Company, -has b«n appointed to tho position ot accountant in tho Melbourne office of the oompany. , Mr. Harbottlo will leave to take up Ins now duties this week. Mr. C. W. Govott, of New Plymouth, will bo a passenger from Wellington for London bv tho Athenic, which leaves hero on Thursday. Dr. Otto Wernicke, a German tourist who has been visiting Now Zealand, will return to London by tho Atheuic. The Rov. I r . W. Walker, of Auckland, intends to leave for London by the Athonic. Tho death occurred in AucMan'd on Saturday of Mr. Wm. Thomas Hildroth, sen., father of Mr. W. T. Hildreth, ot Wellington, Government nominee on the Wellington Haibour Board. Tho latei Mr. Hildreth, who was one of Wellington s early settlors, wns in his eighty-first year. The body is to bo brought to Wellington for interment.

The New Zealand Club will entertain Mr. J as. Allen, Minister for Defence, at luncheon to-day at the Y.M.C.A. rooms, Mr. E. A. James, editor of the newspaper "Town and Country Life, in Auckland, has been appointed general secretary of the Reform league.

OFFICERS AT HOME.

TRAINING PERIODS EXTENDED.

It has been known for some timo past that eome of the New Zealand officers who are undergoing a oourso of instruction .'with the Imperial Forces have bcoil granted an extension of tho timo which they were originally intended to spend in England. A reporter who made inquiries on the subject yesterday gathered that Captain E. J. S. jScddon is under instructions to return to Now Zealand. These instructions, it is stated, wore issued some months ago, but Captain Soddon became ill and was granted siok leave for a time. Another officer, Major T. \V. MDonald, would have returned in. ordinary oourso' at about the end of lost year, but was granted a year's oxtension of time, CO that ho will now roturn to tho Dominion at about tho end of this year. _ i Most of the officara sent Homo, it is understood, will probably have their training period extended by twelve months, the authorities taking tho view that it would bo poor economy to restrict the officers to a short period of framing. In tho caso of tho Now Zealand officers attending the Camberley Staff Collego, it is stated that another proposal has been mooted. These officers will probably have thoiT training period extended by nine month 9 in order that they may spend that time in gaining practical cxporionoe to supplement tho theoretical instruction they are Tooeiving at the Staff Collego.