PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2821, 12 July 1916, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

Mr. J. H. Escott,. M.P., who lias l>eeti laid up with a serious illness- at the homo of his brother-in-law, Aurora Terrace, has now gone into Bo won Street private hospital to undergo an operation. Another old identity of tho Wairarapa in the person of Mr.'William J. Saunders, a woll-known settler in the Alfredton district, died oji Monday, at the age of seventy-four years. The deceased, who is survived by a large family of sons and daughters, .was one of 'the pioneers of the Alfredton district. Mr. 11.I 1 . A. Raymond has been appointed Deputy-Official Asigneo for South Canterbury, in succession to' the late Mr. Alex. Montgomery. , • The death occurred at Devonport, Auckland, last week of Divisional SergeantMajor William S. Joyce, R.N.Z.A. Ho had served in the Permanent Force for about 18 years, and become very popular among his comrades. Ho represonted the Auckland and Wellington Provinces at football. He played for Auckland against the 1901 English team. SergeantAlajqr Joyce was 40 years of age, and was sot ifaarriod. Advice has been received 1 in Wellington, from the War Office that Lieut. E. G. Haase, of the sth Royal Berkshires, has been posted as "missing" from July 3. Lieut. Haase was in London when war broko out, and enlisted as a private in Queen Victoria's Rifles. After two months' service in the trenches, at the end of 1914, he was eent back to England suffering from frost-bite, and spent seven months in hospital. He then took it oouree of instruction with the Oxford University Training Corps, was successful in the examinations, and was posted to the sth Royal Berkshire Regiment'as instructor in bomb and grenade throwing. Ho returned to Prance last April. Lieut. Haase was formerly on the staff of Messrs. Davis and Clater, and left for England to seek experience. _ He was very well known in hockey' circles in Wellington, being a member of the Pakeha Club.

Mr. ,r. Loan, nn old resident of Makotuku, died on Friday, aged 63. Mr. Lean was for 33 years ill the employ of the Railway Department, and retired on superannuation two years ago. Ho leaves a widow and grown-up family. Mr. W. R. Kirker is leaving on Thursday on ft business visit to Japan. The death is reported of Mr. Geo. Herbert Hawkins at the age of 71 years. The late Mr. Hawkins was born in Wellington, and wus the eldest ton of the late George Hawkins, Collector of Customs at Wellington. In his early days deceased was engaged in fanning at Karon, and later at Linton, Kereru, anil Ohau. For the ,past two years he had been residing at Levin He was one of the founders of the Levin Co-op. Dairy Company, and was a director of the company for rfevcral years. Mr. Hawkins leaves a wife and five daughters and two sons. The sons are Messrs. P. H. and H. Hawkins, and the daughters Mrs. E. Hooper, Waikanae. Mrs. S. Hooper, Levin, Mrs. J. Davis, Ohau, Mrs. H. J. Buckenburg, Wellington, and Mrs. H, Gorrie, Mangaroa. . Captain Herbert Ambrose Cooper, who met nis death while engaged in aviation duty on the Western front, was about 29 years of age, the youngest son of Mr. Justice Cooper, and was born in Auckland, where he was educated at King's College, His ambition was always bent on engineering, and/after leaving college, he was offered and accepted a position in \ the Manawatu Railway Company's workshops at Wellington. After being there for 18 months lie contracted pleurisy, and he was ordered by his doctors to relinquish engineering employment and take up farming pursuits. With that object in view he entered Lincoln College, where, having completely recovered his health, after 18 months of successful study, ho took up a fann at Waitetuna, where he was later joined by his brother, Mr. A. C. Cooper. Throughout that period, however, his engineering ambition could not be curbed, and at the end of two and . a half years of agricuJtural life he left New Zealand for England, where' ho entered tho aviation school at Hendon. That was over three years ago. He passed his aviation tests with the very highest honours, and was offered a position, in the school, But did not accept it, and returned to New. Zealand, where he remained for a period of three months, and again re-visited England. Immediately on the announcement of tho outbreak of war lie offered his services to the W\r Office, being* the very first Now Zealander to do so in- the capacity of an aviator. He was at once appointed as a sergeant-instructor, and occupied that position for;.some six months, when he -was ordered to the frpnt in Plunders. While on active service, after three months he was appointed sub-lieutenant, and later hiseffective aerial work came under the notice of Ge-eral fliv John French, who recommended him in one of dispatches tor his conspicuous bravery and „allnnt con duct, and in consequence he was awarded a captaincy. That was about l'ebruary last, since when hp had been actively associated with tho important aviation woA of the Allies on the Western theatre of war.