PERSONAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1962, 20 January 1914, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Tho Prime Minister (Right Hon. W, F. Massey) lias been greatly benefited by .his rest in Auckland. Ho will prob> ably return to Auckland in a month's time to turn tlio first sod of the branch railway to Wniuku, which will branch off the main lino near Pukekohe. Construction work will be commenced this year both at Waiuku and on tlio liiio eoniweting tho Whangarei railway with tho Main Trunk. Tho Bight Hon. W. F. Massoy, tlio Hon. W. 11". Hcrrics, and the Hon, F. !U, U. Fisher arrived in Wellington by tho Main Twnk train yesterday afternoon. The Hon. H, I). Bell will probably return from Auckland to-day. Tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes has eonc. to Tarailaki, but ho intends to return to-mor-iow. Tho Hon. Dr. Pomaro returned from fho Wanganui district fast evening, The Hon. J. Alien is in Welling" ton, but lie leaves for Dunedin tomorrow night. Tlio Hon. W. Fraser will remain in Wellington for some days. Sir John Duncan, of Cardiff, Wales, part-proprietor of the "Sonth Waled Daily News," "South Wales Echo," and "Cardiff Times," and noted for bis special interest in educational matters relating to Wales and Cardiff, is dwd (states a Press Association cablegram). Ho was chairman of the .Press Association (1890-91), and organised (with Baron do Router) Renter's special ser- •• vice of foreign ami colonial telegrams. -■ He was <J»o of the early Fellows of tha ' Institute of Journalists. Mr. A, F. Wilding, the well-known . tennis player, has become Continental director of a motor tiro company.— Press Association. I The following changes in tho Cus> 'toms Department are announced: —Mr. F. Davies, examining officer at Wanganu:i, to bo Collector of Customs at Greymouth, succeeding Mr. T. 11. Herd, chief clerk in the head office; Mr, G. P. Priehard, examining officer at Christ church to bo examining officer ivf Wanganui; Mr. J. H. 13. Norm, clcrl at Cnrisicliureh, to be clerk at Wanga. mii; Mr. J. P. Eager, searcher at W<4 Imgton, to.bo searcher at Port Chalmers; Mr. P. W. Pisk, searcher at Lyt- ' telten, to be searcher at Wellington; Mr. S. H. Wood, looker at Cliristeliuroh, to be Kearchor at Lytteiton; Mr. F. H. Bos-ley, watchman at Wellington, to be locker ttt Auckland; Mr. C. Galley, watchman at Lyttelion, to bo watchman at Wellington. Detectivc Snow has been transferred from the finger-print branch of th' 9 Police Department to take charge of the Waipiro police district. ' / Mr. J. J. Mallard, who has been promoted to the position of secretary 'of the National Insurance Company, will leavo to take up his duties in the head office at Dunedin on Thursday. I Mr. E. Clifton, who has left for San ■ Franftisea to -act as the Now Zealand, representative for the Panama Exhibition, was presented by his colleagues in tha Agrieultwral Department with a dress-ing-case on the eve of his departure from Auckland. Mr. G. Girling Butcher, organising secretary for the Dominion of the New Zealand Catholic Federation, has begun a fortnight's lecturing tour in the Auckland diocese. Colonel Hugh Boscawen, of tho C'rown Laiids Department, returned to Auckland on Thursday night from Great li.-irrier Island, where he spent a week in investigating tho various resources of the island— it-j timber, gumfie'ds, hot springs, and. minerals. Mr. G. J. Garland having resigned from tho position of secretary to tha executive of tho Auckland Provincial Reform League, Mr. Gilbert Beckett has been appointed to the vacancy. Mr., P. AV. Henry, a,student at tha Hnivlc&sbu'fy 1 Agricultural 'College, Xw South Wales, and Mr. Valentine Duff, of the Union 'Steam Ship Company's Dunedin staff, have been appointed by tlio Taranaki Education Board to the staff of the Technical College. Tha greater part of Mr, Henry's time will be spent in travelling the district and giving advieo to any farmer who. wants it, and in conducting classes for fanners, find superintending agricultural inj struction in the. primary schools.

Mr, A. A. Hint*, wlw was formerly in t-ho service of the South Canterlmry Board of Education, lias returned from Singapore, whoro lie lias been in charge of technical education during the past voar, Ho Ims boon compelled by i! - licaith to resign his position. Mr. Pureell Welib, who lias for ninny tenrs lit'cn organist at Knox Church, Silastorten, left on Saturday to take up the position of organist at a church in Tiniaru, Mr. A. A. Marryatt, of Wellingtons clmirraan of the executive of the Kew Zealand Amateur Athlctic Association, proposes, if possible, to visit Dunedin on tijo occasion of the New Zealand championship meeting, jdiieh is to bo held thero oil February 7. The Rev. James Flanagan, who is vis* iting New Zealand Co)' the benefit of liis health, leaves the Dominion in about, a week's time -and rocs 011 to South Africa and eventually back to tho Old Count rcr. An old and rcspccted resident of Westport, Mr, Augustus Webster, died iu the Hospital on Friday last. Beceased was horn in. Sweden, and was 73 years of ago. Ho was a carpenter iiv trade, and has been on tlic 'Coast for 50 years, for the last 40 as ji resi-. dent flf Westport, and for some 18 years in tile employ of the Westport Harbour Board. So was one of the party with Mr. Dflhsoii, Grey County Engineer when the latter was murdered by the.' Burgers g.tne. Decoded is Mirvivod by a family of four, Messrs. Gas. Webster (Wellington)» Geor® Weljstej (Grevmouth), Mrs. Frank alfhjtob' den)', and Mrs. 31. Buddeii OVcllmg. ton).

Reference to the death 'of Mr. J. B. Holt was made at last night's nieofc'tag of the Council of the Now Zealand Amateur Athlctic Association. Tho chairman of tlvo council (Mr. A. A, ajarryatt) said that Mr. Holt had btscn a very strong; man in amateur athletics in New Zealand, and ra Australia. Kvorywhcro he Wnt lie did his best ; for amateurism, and was the means of establishing a club at Blenheim, Ho camfi over to New Zealand as a eom•potitor to the first Australasian championship meeting held iu New Zealand. As a iudae of walking tho lato Mr. Holt had, perhaps, a better knowledge ,of this pastime than any man in Now j Zealand. . On the motion of Mr. Marrvatt tho council expressed its snscefo regret at Mr. Holt's death* and deemed to" send a letter of condolence to Mrs. Holt. . ..