PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2246, 4 September 1914, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

j Tho Hon.. J. A. Millar has been granted seven days' leave of absence from Ine Tousc of Representatives oh account of illness. Tho position of headmaster of. Onrist s College Grammar School has, saj f s a Press Association telegram from Cnristchurch, been, offered to arid accepted by Mr. George Ernest Blanch, ALA., Melbourne. Mr. Blanch will take up Ins duties at Christ's College at-the beginning of next year. Mr. IJ anch was a "junior student" of Cjhnstchurchj Oxford, and took his degree with first-class honours in Natural Science in 1887. Subsequently ho was appointed senior mathematical and science master of Sydney Grammar MliooJ, and was acting-headmaster for the year 1896. In-1899 Mr. Blanch was appointed headmaster of tho Church of llnglaud Grammar School, Melbourne, which position lie still holds. Under his leadership the school lias reached its fullest limits of. numbers. Mr. Blanch is a married man, aud has three' children. There was a large attendance of city and Hutt Valley people at the funeral of the late Rev. Joshua Jones at the Lower Hutt yesterday afternoon. Prior to the interment a service was conducted in St. James Church by Bishop Sprott, who also officiated at tho graveside. Dr. Eric Mackenzie, son of Dr. Wallace Mackenzie, who has been studying medicine .in Great Britain for seven years, is at present resident 6urgeon to the hospital at West Hartlepool, England. . The Rev. A. B. Todd, 8.A., till recently in charge of the Presbyterian |- Church at Geraldine, was last night\ inducted into the pastoral charge of ' St. David's Church, Petoue. The Moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, the Rev. J. K. .Elliott, 8.A., presided, and there was a large attendance of tho congregation. The Moderator preached, and inducted Mr. Todd into office, and the Rev. J. Cumming, M.A., addressed the minister and the-Rev. J. Paterson .the congregation. Among the retirements on superannuation from the Public Service, notified in a supplement to the Gazette, issued last evening, are the following:— Mr. J. H. Holmes, resident agent for the Government Life Insurance Department at Napier; Mr. Geo. Webb, cash clerk, Government Life Insurance Department. Wellington; Mr. W. J; Fuller, chief warder Napier Gaol; Mr. Wm. Shaw, postmaster at Duvanohelle; and Mr. J. W. Davies, of the Printing and Stationery Department. Captain M. Stentiford, of Auckland, died there on Tuesday last at the early age of 44 years. Deceased was very well known in the northern port, having at different times been president and secretary of the Auckland Coastal Masters' Association. "■ Captain Stentiford brought the yacht Matangi to Wellington some two years ago for-its owner, Mr. Henry E. White. Immediately preceding Sir Ernest Rutherford's lecture at the Town Hall this evening the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), will accord the lecturer and other visiting scientists a welcome on behalf of the City of Wellington. It was intended that there should have been a separate function, but phe .restriction as to time precluded' the possibility of assembling the visiters at any other time. . ' An improvement is reported in the health of Mr. M'Carthy, the wellknown West Coast journalist. Mr. F.-Rasey leaves for Sydney today bythe s.s; Ulimaroa. ■'ov The Gazette announces tho appointment of Major Charles M. Gibbon, of the Imperial General Staff, to be Chief of the General Staff during the absenco from New Zealand of Lieutenant-Col-onel W. G. Braitliwaite, D.5.0., and whilst 6o employed, to have the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Captain John F. Rockstrow (unattached list) is attaches to the General Staffat Headquarters. The Rev. Archibald M'Neur (Presbyterian) ha 3 been appointed an officiating minister under the Marriage Act.-' Mr. W. W. Samson has been appointed Deputy-Registrar of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks. Dr. William Evans, M.R.0.5., has been appointed police surgeon at Dunedin.' Mr. G. Crook, chief -warder at thef Terrace Prison, has been transferred to Invercargill, and left for the south last night. His place in .Wellington has been filled by the transfer of Mr. T. Vincent, chief warder at Invercargill.