PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 14 June 1913, Page 7

PERSONAL ITEMS.

The only Cabinet Ministers who are absent from Wellington to-day are tho Hon. A. L. Herdman and the Hon. It. H. Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes is at Awnkino and Will return to Wellington by tho New Plymouth express on Monday. Mr. Herdman will probably return, early next week. Tho Hon. Jas. Allen will leave for _ Christchurch this evening. He will visit Little River and will go on to Duhedin- ou Tuesday. The Prime Minister will leave for Christchurch on Monday evening anc\ will accompany Mr. Allen to Dunedin on the following day. The Ministers are to bo entertained at Dunedin on Tuesday evening and at Milton on Wednesday evening. They will return to Wellington probably on Saturday next.

The death is announced from Levin of Mr. Ivor James, an old and well-known resident of Wellington _ proyince. For very many years he resided in Wellington where for some yeaTs ho was in business as a builder and subsequently as o carrier. A few years ago he settled in Lovin, whore ho has resided ever since. Tho late Mr. Jame3 was born in Monmouthshire, South Wales, in 1842. lie ceme to the oolony by the ship Kairn Goran, landing in Auckland in IBG2. 'lie served in tho militia in Auckland, also at Wanganui. Mr. James, married the youngest danghter ,of . the- Into Mr, John Howe, of Wellington. ; The .was well knovrnthroughout tho. .Wellington province as a breeder of purebred poultry, and also ns 'a judge of stock. He was connected with tho Reehabites for nearly 40 years. > Ho leaves a wife, four sons, three daughters, 2(5 grandchildren, and several greatgrandchildren.

Tho Government Statistician (Mr. M. Eraser), who has l>eon in Australia during the last few weeks, making inquiries into the statistical systems in operation in the different States of tho CommonWealth, anil in tho Commonwealth offices, is expected to return next week by way of Auckland, arriving at that port on June 18. Sir Robert Stout is a passenger from the south by tho Mararoa this morning. Inspector Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades, returns to Wellington by the MaTaroa this morning. Mr. B. Robertson, late of the Sydney office of tho Union Company, has succeeded Mr. C. Harbottle as cashier at the Wellington office of the company. Mr. Harbottle left for Melbourne last eveninc to tako up tho position of accountant at that brunch. Mr. L. F. Ayson (Chief Inspector of Fisheries) left for Auckland yesterday to make preliminary arrangements in connection with the exhibit which tho Marine. Department is going to place on view at the forthcoming Exhibition. The exhibit, which is to consist of an aquarium containing such fresh-water fish as can bear the Auckland climate, and a selection of marine lights and other appliances, will bo housed in a separate building, which is to bo specially erected for the purpose.

Mr. Carlyle Smythe, of Melbourne, under whoso management Mr. Joseph M'Cabe has been lecturing throughout the Dominion, left for Sydney by tho Willoclira last evening. The next celebrity Mr. Smythe hopes to bring to New land is Mr. Douglas Mawson, the famous Antarctic scientist, now penned up for tho winter in Adolio Land, _ but who is expected to return to Australia early next year. Subsequently Mr. Smythe will reintroduco .Mr, Alexander Watson, tho capable English elocutionist and raconteur, who visited New Zealand over a year ago, but who was unablo to secure convenient dates for 0. season in Wellington. Later still Mr. Smythe will pilot Mr. Leonard Borwick, the English pianist, on a tour of the .Dominion.

Mr. Cuthhert East, who has been acting editor of the Timaru "Post" for the last twelve months, has been appointed managing editor of the paper, thus filling the position vacated by Mr. 11. W. Robson, who recently resigned the managership. Mr. Henry E. White, architect, left for Sydney last evening. lie is to inspect sites for theatres for Mr. Hugh M'lntosh (Rickards's companies) in Brisbane and Melbourne, with a view of preparing plans. Mr. Frank Foster, son of Mr. R. F. Foster, of Dnnedin, and a tenor vocalist known in Wellington, is making headway iii Loudon. Papers by tho last mail contain notices of his singing at Miss Lucie Milner's recital nt the Waldorf Hotel on May 1. "Tho Stage" says: "Mr. Frank Foster, a New Zealand tenor, shared largely in the honours. With its finel.vnioduiatod phrasing and pure and rich tonic strength, his voice is peculiarly well adapted to such operatic excerpts H9 ho gave. Mr. Foster is ft tenor of Hio 1 first rank, and his voice has the iuvalu- ' able advantage of having temperament and sensitive imagination behind it." From otlicr sources it is learned that Mr. Fester lias been for six months under Sir Henry Wood, who lins asked tho New Zoiilander to sine "Sound an Alarm" with the Queen's Hall Orchestra. Mr. B. H. Low, M.A., B.Sc., first-assist-ant at the Newtown School, has been appointed to tho position of headmaster of tho Blenheim Borough School, says a Press Association message. Mr. Low. who was selected from twenty-eight applicants, went to Newtown in 1000. He is graded B1 by the Department. Tho death is reported of Mr. M; B. Rtuld, president of the now Miners' Union at Waihi since (lie time of its formation at the end of the strike. Death was duo to pleurisy.—Press Association.