PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 5

PERSONAL ITEMS

A Press Association telegram states that tho Cliristchurch Presbytery unanimously nominated tho Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.0., for the position of Moderator, of tho General Assembly. The Hon. W. D. ;S.' Mac Donald left for Rotorua by the first express yesterday. He will not" return to Wellington until early next week. The members of the Board of Trado havo returned to Wellington from tho South Island, where they have been holding sittings and taking evidence in tho principal towns. Councillor Henderson, of Karori Borough Councji, was absent from last evoning's meeting of the Borough Council through illness. The members present sent him a message of sympathy, and >added a liope that he would soon bo -well again. Mr. S. J. Smith, private secretary to Colonel Logan, Administrator of Samoa, and the Rev. of the Methodist Mission, arrived in Auckland from Samoa on Sunday. Mr.■ Sigurd Lestrup, the Danish baritone, returned from Auckland on Monday after giving several successful concerts in. that city. Colonel C. R. Mac Donald, 1.G.5., Chief Infantry Instructor to the New Zealand Forces, has been gazetted temporary lieutenant-colonel 111 the Imperial Army. Colonel Mac Donald's regiment is tho Royal Wanvickshires.

There have been few men with a longer record of service in the Church •of England than that which 6tood to the credit of tho Rev. Canon Francis Knowles, who died at his' residcnco, Cliristchurch, on Monday, at the age of 86.' For 58 yoars Canon Knowles labourod in the service of the Church. Ho was bom in Limehouse, London, in 1830, and' was educated; at- Stebon Heath House School,.-' Stepney. He took the associate diploma of the College of Preceptors in 1848, and came to Lyttclton by the ship Tnavancore in 1851. In 1857 he was ordained deacon, and two years later he was ordained priest, at tho first ordination held by Bisliop Harper. His first offico in the 'Church was that of curate of Banks Peninsulii, but after two years there he'became first curate at Lyttelton. From 1860 to 1872 ho was vicar of Lyttelton, and for the next four years he was vicar of Morivalc. In the next few years lie had chargc of parishes in Otago and Southland, hut in 1879 ho returned to Chrisbchurc'h to tako'.'up tho positions of diocesan secretary, registrar, and treasurer,, and secretary of the Church . Property Trustees.',ln 1894 he bccanio an honorary canon of Cliristchurch Cathedral. Canon Knowles held the position .of diocesan secretary and. registrar until last year, when his great ago led him to resign. He was married in 1851, apd again in 1891. and had two sons. One of his sons, Mr. H. J. Knowles, who was chief accountant in the Lands and Survey Department in Wellington, died several years ago. The. remaining son, the Rev. "Walter F. Knowles, is vicar of Aniberley.

Caotain Weston, 'of New Plymouth, lias been promoted, to the position of major, according to private advice received from England.

At the annua] meeting .of the HuttTaller Trottine Club on Monday, evening the president referred to the departure for the war of Mr. H.. J. Palmer.. "This," lie said, "will,be our last opportunity of biddine au. revoir to our esteemed vice-president and steward, Mi . H.' J. Palmor, who, heedine; tho country's call, lias joined the colours, and I think'..you will all agree with me in asking , you to place on record' the club's esteemed thanks, for the valued services rendered by him during his term of office, and I am sure that .we can safely -say bo one lias done more than he for the club, and we can only wish' him a safe return from his mission;' and a speedy return to the management of our affairs." .