PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2663, 7 January 1916, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

His Excellency the Governor paid a visit of inspection to the King George Seamen's Institute at Lyttelton on Tuesday afternoon. The Rt. Hon. W. P. Massey, Prime Minister, returns this morning from Palmerston. The Hon. J. Allen, Minister of Defence, came back from Auckland yester r day. The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward is expected back from the south this ingMr. Justice. Cooper wa6 a passenger by the s.s. Rarawa which arrived at Oneliuuga from New Plymouth on Wednesday morning. Mr. Allan Thomas, formerly Mr. Justice Der.niston's Assooiate, who left for England some time ago to ennst in Kitchener's Army, has been given a commission in the Royal Field Artillery. Mr. George H. Whitcombe, managing director of Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., and Mr. Louis Whitcombe, left for Auckland by the first express yesterday. Mr. Gerald Grace, a very old colonist, died at Auckland on Tuesday last. He arrived .in tho ship Gertrude in 1863, and was for a number of years employed in the Railway Department, retiring on superannuation' a few years ago. He leaves a widow, one son, three daughters,. and tw;elve grandchildren. Tlie deatli'occlirrid ' at Tokomairiro, on Friday last, of Mr. Robert Peattie, M.A., in his seventy-seventh, year. He came out to New Zealand many years ago and almost immediately entered the service of the Otago Education Board. After some years of useful work in minor capacities he became rector of what was then the Oamaru District High School. He ultimately gave up teaching, and turned to farming in the Tokomairiro district. Private George Greife, of Rangiora, who left with the Main New Zealand Expeditionary Force, has'been promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and is still with the 13th North Canterbury and Westlan.d Regiment. • Dr. G. Graham Russell, formerly of Londoii, recently commenced practice in Auckland. On Tuesday he undertook tho duties of port health officer, a position he will occupy during the* absence on active service of Dr. E. W. Sharman. Mr. Peter Young, who arrived in Dunedin by the ship Sevilla in 1860, died at Christchurch on Christmas Day in his 87th year. He fought through the Crimea, Indian Mutiny, and Maori wars. ' News has just been received of /the death, by drowning ill Burmah, of Mr. Colin Stuart Campbell, A.M.1.C.E., eldest son of Mr. Neil Campbell, of Masterton, and 122 a Coromandel Street, Wellington. Mr. Campbell lost his life in attempting to save one of his native trollymen. He was a graduate of King's College, London, and a highly promising officer of the J3umah Railways Staff. Mr. TJlt'an M'Cabe, _ Consular agent for Russia, together with Mrs. M'Cabe and the members of his family, who leave on a trip to tho Old Country by the Corintbic on January 20, anticipate being absent for about a year. Mr. Horace Bastings, of Greymouth, formerly an art instructor at the Wellington Teclinical School, is a visiter to Wellington. Mr. Ashcroft, a nephew of the late Mr. James Ashcroft, arrived by the Remuera on a six months' health trip. Tho Minister of Defence has telegraphed to Mrs. Beresford Wilkinson, Rcefton, that her son, Ernest. Charles Wilkinson, was killed in action on Christmas Day, in Egypt. The young soldier was 24 years of age, and was well known in Wellington, being in the Post and Telegraph Department, and later' being moved into tho Justice Department, Paoroa. Mr. George Fleming, of Napier, died at his brother's residence, Owen Street, yesterday at the age of 49 years. The late Mr. Fleming was on a holiday visit to tho City, and following a slight accident toliis foct blood-uoisoning set in, causing death. Deceased was very well known°in business circles in the North Island, having been a resident of Napier for over 30 years. He was a representative footballer for Canterbury in the early 'eighties, and later for Hawke's Bay. His death will bo regretted by a wide circle of friends, Lieutenant T. E. Y. Seddon was presented with a revolver, sword, and compasses, by his friends on the A\ est Coast, prior to his departure for the front. ' Dr T Burns, who went through the South African War, and who for tho past twelve years has been m practice on tho West Coast, left by tho Paloona last evening on his way to Samoa, where he will take up the appointment of chief medical officer. Mrs. Burns accompanied her husband. Three members of tho Petono Football Club, Messrs. E. ltyan, H. Parrant, and G. Cotton, who leave shortly to go on active service for the Empire, were tendered a farewell social last evening at Palmer's rooms by tho club. Ilio Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan), on behalf of the club, presented each guest with a set of hnir-bruslics.

The relations betiveen commissioned officers and the ranks are being broken down. A young northerner, who had just Rained his commission, turned up at a soldiers' hostel. It took some lime to explain lo iiim why he should not sleep 011 barrackbeds with some ten score privates,