PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2506, 6 July 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

[Vice-Regal.] His _ Excellency the Governor has is« sued invitations to t&r'whole of the official staff of tho New Zealand Hospital Shin Mahcno to attend at Government' House on Thursday evening next. On that evening His Excellency intends to entertain tho staff prior to theii departure from these shores. His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer returns to Wellington from the south' this morning. Councillor W. J. Thompson has received a cablo message stating that his two sons (Sergeant-Major R. L. Thompson and Sergeant W. H. Thompson), the two sons of Mr. T. S. Ronalaron (Deputy Public Trustee), and Private Chennails.' of Masterton, all with. the' New Zealand Forces, aro quite well;. Mr. and Mrs. Eric liiddiford havo booked passages for Honolulu by the Niagara, which leaves Auckland on July 13. _ . , Mr. AV,.S. La Trobe left for Auckland by the Main Trunk express last night. Mr. D. E. Leslie, of Masterton, liaa been elected president of tho Wairarapa branch of the Teachers' Institute for the ensuing year. ' . > Mr. R. Proctor, the well-known Christchurch artist, who has been appointed art masterat tho Elam School of Art, Auckland, in succession to Mr. Edward Fristrom, enters upon his duties at once. Mr. Proctor has been a, frequent exhibitor at tho annual exhibitions of tho Society of Arts in Aucklandand in other New Zealand cities. Mr. Fristrom, who worked for some years in Wellington, is revisiting the city. Ho leaves here for San-Francisco by the Maitai on July 22, intending to. settle permanently in the United States. ; An early resident of Wellington, in the person of Mr. H. L. Nicholas, 'died on.Saturday last at the age of 67 years. The late Mr. Nicholas arrived in Wellington from England with his parents in. 1853. He entered drapery, trade, and after being, several years with Messrs. Kirkcaldie and Stains, he managed a Nelson subsequently, opening a business oh his own account at Wanganui. Failing health, after several years, compelled him to give up business. He then commenced farming at Maxwelltown, and eventually, moved to Mokau. 1 Mr. Nicholas is survived by two daughters. Mr. T. S. L. Nicholas, of Hawfera, and the Rev. 0. E. Nicholas, of Dannevirke, are brothers of the deceased gentleman.

Mr. C. Gallin, of Dalefield, has been; / appointed manager of tho Belvedere Dairy Factory, in succession 'to Mr. P. Saxelby, who has resigned. '

Mr. Patrick Leahy Harnett, a well*' known resident of the Hutt Valley/ died on Sunday at his residence, Lower Hutt. . The late Mr. Harriott was attached to tho Police Force for many, years, having been stationed at various centres throughout the North. Island. He was at ono tiine,m charge at Lower Hutt, from where, on his, promotion to sergeant, he waa transferred to Patea.. The late Mr. Harnett, who retired from the Polico Force some fifteen years ago, was also engaged in the hotel business in Palmerston North and Fostoii for some time. For the past ten had conducted a land agenoy in Lower Hutt. He leaves a widow and a family, of four sons and two daughters.

Messrs. C. E. Webb and F. A. de E. >, Barclay, of Wellington, have been pro- » moted from the Decree of Associate to Fellow in the Institute of Accountants of New' Zealand, and Messrs. W. L. Wilson and F. 0. Austin, also of this city, have been admitted to the degreo of associate.

Mr. John M'Pherson, who was appoints ed City Forester Of -Wellington on January 4, 1913, and has since been employed in planting tho Town Belt, the Central Park, etc., with suitable trees, died suddenly yesterday. At about li a.m. lie. went up .'to' Nairn Street" to- inspect' some work thiit was heing done thero, tmder his supervision. On arrival.thera he complained of feeling ill, aud indicated that ho was suffering through having walked "quickly up'the hill from •the tramcar.: After drinking a cup.of hot" water, he returned to town, but was seen to be in a bad way on alighting at the Albert Hotel corner. Ho went into the'hotel, but a few. mingles later ho took very bad again, and Dr. Pollen was . summoned, but Mr. M'Pherson became worse, and died,an 11.45 a.jn. The late Mr. M'Pherson was 40 , years of age. He Was born at Benmoro, Kilmun, Argyllshire (Scotland), and , having lived , much in the open as a farmer he developed V love for tree cul- . ture, aud had made a study of it 'ever siuce ho was . a young man. His knowledge. of trees and soils in relation to climate was extensive. He : W;is for two years forester for Sir George Douglas Clark, of Midlothian -(Scotland), and spent 2£ -years planting the Bombristla Estate of the Earl of Moray. For two years he was similarly employed on the Dalmeny Estate of . the Earl of Rosehery, whore he had charge of what was known as the home nursery, where he raised a quarter of a million trees and' shrubs. Later lie became head forever for the' Whitney-oil-Wye Estate, Herefordshire, and still later was employed on Herd Brothers' Penrith estate, tlie Hon. Lewis "Johnston's estato ■ near 1 Ipswich, and Lord l'etre's Essex estate". Ho was residing at Masterton when he applied for the position of forester to tho City. 'Ho was regarded liy tho Mayor, council, and officers as a i"-.n with a thorough- knowledge of his duties, whose work would become lr.ore apparent ten years hence. Mr. M'Plk*son leaves a widow and a young dau c .- ter. His father is; also a resident- of the Dominion. '. , . 1 ' :

M. Verbrugghen,. who was farewelled in London by the, London Symphony; Orchestra prior to his departure for Australia (vido a cable message) is tho musician and conductor who Hias been appointed principal of the'new National Conservatoire of Music, Sydney. The quarters of the Conservatoire arc the old State Government House in-tlio grounds of tho Botanical Gardens.

Mr. Ti' F. /Warren, 8.A.-, who lias? been appointed an Inspector of Schools in the Auckland district, has been in the service of tho Auckland Education Board for 19 years.

The death is reported of Mr. John Murray, formerly general manager or tlie Bank of New Zealand, at Bathurst, on Wednesday last. Mr. Murray commenced his careor in a Glasgow banking house; he joined the Bank of New Zealand in 1863. and was for twenty-nine years connected with that Ho was with the bank during the crisis of 1894, and evolved the schcme by which the bank was, with tho aid ofc the Government, reconstituted and placed upon a sound financial basis. Soon after tho re-establishment of the bank tho strain of the crisis lie had passed through told upon his -health, and ho found it necessary to retire, when he settled in Sydney. He died at Bathurst at tho ago of 80 years—on tho anniversary of the passing of. tho Bank of New Zealand Bill. . Ho leaves. a, widow, two sons, and three daughters. The oldest son, Mr. Donald Murray, is the inventor of tho Murray multiplex telegraph printing machine, which lias been adopted by the postal authorities, and is being installed by the telegraph: authorities of New Zealand.