PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2460, 13 May 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Tlio Prime Minister (the- Right Hon. W. F. Massey) attendee ,a recruiting demonstration at Palmersion North yesterday. and returned ,*o Wellington in tlie evening by the Ne»v Plymouth ex- , press. file Minister of Defence (the Hon. Jas. Allen) left for the south last night, to address a recruiting meeting at Ashburton. He will be back in Wellington on Saturday morning. Mr. Tali Henare, member for Northern Maori, is at present visiting Wei- • luigton, 011 business' connected with bis constituents. Sir James Carroll is at,present on a visit to Wellington. Private S.yd. Dixon, of the Wellington Infantry Battalion, who has been wounded at the Dardanelles, Is a son of Mr. William Dixon, of Masterton, and a prominent Wairarapa footballer. Mr. Dixon lias sent three sons to the front. Councillor T. W. Pilcher has been appointed to represent the Eastbourne Borough Council on the Hutt Park Committee. Mr. T. C. Savage, surgeon, Auckland, will leave Now Zealand shortly for service at the front. The funeral of the late Mr. Percy Coombes Baker,, a member of the Sa- ' moan Expeditionary Force, took place yesterday afternoon. In tho cortege were between 30 and 40 of his Samoan comrades, who also supplied the firing party at the graveside. The service was conducted by Archdeacon Harper, and was brought to a • conclusion by the military three rounds blank ana the sounding of "Tho Last Post." M. do Martens, who is at present in Christchurc'h, is a major in the Belgian Army, and will leave Auckland by the Niagara on May 18 to rejoin his regiment. Private M. C. Marriott, of the 2nd Reinforcements, has been transferred to the Army Service Corps and promoted to the rank of corporal. Mr. W. E. Pearson, secretary of the Wellesle.v Club, was given a hearty send-oft' by members last evening. He ; leaves to-day for Sydney, en route to ■■e East, having booked an extensive tour through Cook and Sons. From Australia he goes to Japan, returns south to Singapore, tours Java, then goes to Colombo, and from that port proceeds to England via Egypt. The return trip will be made via America. Mr. Pearson expects to be back in Wellington in about nine mouths' time. Tlie following appointments are notified by the Wellington Education Board: —Assistant Master South Wellington, Mr. E. H. Bailacllcy; assistant master Grey town, Mr. W. S. Bowie; assistant Featherston, Miss C. Chatwin ; assistant master Britomart Street, Mr. J. Duggan; assistant mistress Britomart Street, Miss M'Scott: assist, ant mistress Britomart Street, Miss R. L. Ziman; assistant Newtown, Miss 11, M'Manus: assistant South Wellingtonj Mr. S. Jones. One of the events of yesterday's sitting of the Masonic Grand Lodge was the presentation to R.W. Bro. H. H. Seaton by the Grand Master of an illuminated address from the Wellington Board of Inquiry, expressing appreciation of his services as its secretary for the last ten years. With the gift was also a silver salver and tea and coffeo services for Mrs. Seaton.

At 5.30 o'clock last evening an interestiug little gathering took place at-' Messrs. E. W. Mills and Co.'s warebouse, Jervois Quay. This took the form of a meeting of the directors and the staff io honour Mr. E. W. Gibbs, who has been one of the travelling representatives of the firm for over fifty years. The directorate was represented by Messrs. A. Anderson,, W. J. Napier (of Auckland), J. l'\ Jlills, and Captain Gray, and Mr. Martin Kennedy, an exdirector, represented the shareholders. On behalf of the firm, the manager, Mr. C. A. Briggs, intimated that the company was recognisiug the very long and laithful services • rendered to E. W. Mills and Co. by Mr. Gibbs by giving him six 'months' leave of absence on full pay, and they took the opportunity of presenting him with a valuable gold watch (suitably inscribed), with 1 the wish that ho may long be spared to wear,it. On behalf of the staff, Mr. Briggs also presented Mr. Gibbs with a substantial leather travelling trunk, a. New Zealand-made travelling rug, and a deck chair. Following this, the staff, through Mr, J. F. Mills, presented Mrs. Gibbs with a silver oak tray, and Miss Gibbs with a pair of silver photograph frames. In doing so he dwelt on Mr. Gibbs's commendable and business qualities, and wished him'a happy and prosperous future and a safe return from the voyage he fa about .to take. 'Mr. Gibbs, in thanking the company and the staff for. their presents ? gave a most interesting resiime of bis career, relating the difference, ill travelling the country fifty years ago, when there was only wagon communication between AVellington and the Wairarapa, and now. aud the hardships which bad to bo undergone generally in comparison with the comfort afforded bagmen of to-day. Mr. Gibbs intends leaving on a trip to England shortly.