PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2653, 27 December 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

The Prime Minister, the Right Hott. W. F. Massey, left for Auckland by, last night's Main Trunk express. Ho will return to Wellington in the coursa of s, few days.

The Minister of Defence, the Hon. J, Allen, left for the south on Friday night in order to be present to welcome tlis wounded soldiers arriving at Port Chalpiers by the hospital transport Tahiti.

An arrangement lias boon mads whereby Lieut.-Colonel (Dr.) Morice, medical officer in charge of the Victoria Hospital (now being used by returned wounded soldiers) will aot as medical superintendent of the Wellington Hos' pital duriug the absence of Dr. Barclay/ who is to join tile medical staff of tha Hospital Ship Maheno about the middle of January. '

Madame Boeufve,' of Wellington, has received a letter from , her brother,-Brigadier-Goneral Jameson, in which the news is conveyed that Lieut. lau Jame-son,:-of the Seaforth Highlanders, fcba Brigadier-General's eldest son, has heerf wounded in action in Flanders, how' seriously the writer was not aware when' )>o wrote. The same letter convoyed the news that Madame's cousin, Captain Durnford Greenaway, had had his right lag shot off, but was still alivo. The latter misfortune was particularly, regrettable, as the young man had jusK been recommended for his majority. Mr. J. Samson, late of the Chathan/ Islands Fishing Co., and now of Gisj borne ( is at present on a visit.to Well/ ington. Mr. Robert M'Connell, barrister anrf solicitor, of Auckland, is at present on a visit to Wellington.

The ordination of the Rev. J. E. Tip« ler, «6 minister of St. Andrew's Presby terian Church, Carterton, took place ort Tlmrsday aftemoon. The Rev. G. Tv Brown, M.A., of Masterton, preached the ordination service, and the P.ev* John M'Gregor, of Martinboroucli; ad« dressed the minister. The Rev. T< Halliday, of Lansdowne, Mastertoii, ad< dressed the congregation.

The Rev. J. A. M'Niekle, headmaster of Te Auto College, Hawko's Bay, and Mrs. M'Niekle, who have been in Wellington for some: <lays, left by tlia Manuka for Sydney.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hiorns, of Wanganui,. are on a brief visit to Wol< lington.

Mrs. W. M. Bolt, senr., widow of tlid late Hon. W.. M. Bolt, 'M.L.C.. died suddenly on Saturday evening at the r©« sidenco of . her son in Nelson. The derf ceased,lady, who was 72 years ofleaves five sons and three daughters.

Private advice has been received that Sergeant Frank Dyer, A Company/ Canterbury-JBattalion, New Zealand Main Expeditionary Force, is returning to New Zealand on the Rotorua. Ha was wounded at Gallipoli on May 8, and was for a considerable time in hospital in Malta, and also in England.

Sergeant Clarkson, of the Christ churcii Police Force, has received information that his son, Sergeant E. Wj Clarkson, who has been in the Nov*. Zealand Hospital, Pont de Koubbeh, Cairo, since the middle of. September* suffering from a dilated heart and Egyptian influenza, is returning invalid-, ed, by the hospital ship Malie'no. Ser-< geant Clarkson was attached to the No., 3 Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery, Which was operating with the 29th English Division at Cape Helles.

Mr. P. J; L. Kenny, of Sydney, hafl been appointed to the position of general secretary of the Auckland branch or the Young Men's Christian Associa* tion, which was left vacant by the re* cet resignation of Mr. J. B. M'Kinhcyv The new secretary, who is 35 years of age. is the son of a New South Waletf Methodist ministor. Prior to his _ap< pointment ho 'held the position of assist* ant-master at a commercial college a{ Granville, in the suburbs of Sydney. Mr w Kenny is well known, in Australia by, reason of the valuable social work whichl he has been carrying on for some years past. Five years ago Jie initiated a brotherhood movement at Granville, and the membership is at present well ovei! 200. Ho was also the founder <.f a social among the senior boys of. the Sydney "technical schools. Tht "Sydney Morning Herald" describes Mr< Kenny as "a born organiser." Prior trf the outbreak of war he was asked by. the Y.M.C.A. authorities in Australia tai organise an institution at This project had to be cancelled whea hostilities/broke out.

What will happen when all the own*. ers of passenger steamers liavo tlieii vgeecls handed back to them? says London "Fairplay." There is not at aH likely to be any boom in the passenger trade. At present the Government are operating so many of their vessel that the very much cur< fcailod, but, even, then, they are finding that the accommodation provided is more than sufficient for tho demands of the trade. Steamers are sailing for the Uhited States with less than a . quarter of their passenger tion booked, ana of their passengers very few are genuine emigrants; as tlitf term was understood before the war. Alany of them are American munition workers, returning home on the conclusion of tlieir engagements in this country. Others are men who have come across in charge of horses, while there are always a few returning Amorican tourists and business men. _To Canada, Australia, and' New Zeataid there is practically no passenger trade, and there »re uo ?:}. n is of any revival. So long as so many liners are retained by the Government this does not matter very much, but it is quite obvious that there will be an excess of tonnage oil the nrimipal paiioncor rc.ites fat some, time after the war is over, anq that the shipowners concerned will not have their sorrows to seek.. . 'At pre< sent some of the companies are ooik verting passenger accommodation ofl their laTgo steamers into cargo spaces, and devoting one deck, instead of tw« or three, 10 pnssenE-3**s. In all>piob« ability this process will be extended considerably, l; r rlio imnii-iliate fMUtci ef shipping lies more in cargo than in passengers, and the day of the "cargo linor" is with us more than ever. It was coming rapidly enough, but it has been hastened greatly by the war, ana I tho purely passenger liner is not now - I the great boat it once was;