PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2914, 28 October 1916, Page 8

PERSONAL ITEMS

Major J. h. Sleoman, director of military training, is paying an official visit to the Auckland district. Whilst tkere he is inspecting the Maori and tunnellers' reinforcements camps at Narrow Neck. He is also inspecting the instructional camp for. territorial officers and noncommissioned • officers at Narrow Neck. He will likewise inspect numerous companies of territorials and cadets, and in this connection he. will make.a.prolongeditour of the Dominionto ascertain the exact standard "of efficiency and discipline attained by both corps-under the new training schemes I recently inaugurated. ' The sad news has-been received of the death from wounds of Gunner L. Or. Cullen, on of-Mr." J.-'Cullen, Co'mmissioner of Police. The deceased, it appears, was wounded in the chest in- action on September 13, and died two days later: '. Gunner Cullen was' 23 -years of age, was educated at thp Sacred Heart College,' Auckland', and on' leaving that institution entered'the warehouse of John Burns, Ltd., of Auckland. When his father was transferred to Wellington as Commissioner of Police,-the deceased was employed here by Messrs.. Briscoe and Co., but later rejoined the staff' of John Burns, Ltd., and. was there when he enlisted in the New Zealand Field Artillery. Commissioner ■ Cullen will havo many sympathisers. The following have (says a Press Association telegram) been selected from Otago University as candidates for the Rhodes scholarship:—Albert Martin. Rhinesmath, 8.5.C., John Wilkie Hinton, B.S.C. ■ ' ■• .-.. '. '.' The Mayor'of Eistboume (Mr. J. P. Kelly), who leaves on a holiday visit to Rotorua on Sunday, has been granted a month's leave of absence by the Borough Council. Mr.. Thos.. Pilcher. will be tho Acting-Mayor during Mr.' Kelly's, absence. ..i .. ' .. ' "■-.

The late Actuig-Sergt.-Majorll, Cal-. man, who was killed in action.in France on October 1, wns the eldest son of Air. and Mrs. G. Caiman, of Wanganui. He was educated at the District High ■and Collegiate Schools. By profession he was a civil engineer, and for' some. Tears held an appointment under tho New Zealand Government.in the Lands Transfer Department. At the outbreak of tho war he offered his services, hut owing to an old accident to one of his knees, ho was turned down,, but, persisting, he eventually succeeded in entering Trentham as a non-com., and w;as made sergeant. His intention to sit for a commission was upset owing to an outbreak of measles amongst his company. Although offered the chance of remaining. bohind_ to sit, he declined, 'preferring to sail witli his company in the Eleventh Reinforcements. "His visit to Egypt was very brief, as he left the next week direct for Franco. On the ship in which he sailed from Egypt there were no officers, and ho had charge of the Otago division, to' .which he was transferred. Out of his lot ho lost one man at Marseilles. Just before going into-the trenches lie Was appointed an acting-sergeant-major.' His home had been--in ' Wellington' for some years, and ho took a keen, interest in all outdoor sports, being very fond of boating in particular.

■ The Hon. G. W. Russell left yester-< day morning for Wairoa, Hawke's Ba.yj

.Private advice has bean received that •Sergeant Douglas Mackersey, late of •Alastorton, has been wounded in. France.

Mr. R. W. Dalton, H.M. Trade Commissioner, who, accompanied by Mrs. Dalton, has been touring the North! Island, returned to Wellington yesterday.

Mr.S. H. Dickinson, who has severed his connection with Scots College, was met on.Thursday evening by a considerate number of parents and scholars of the college and presented with a purse of sovereigns. A presentation of a, hand-bag was also made to Mrs. Dickenson. General regret was expressed at the fact that Mr. Dickinson had terminated his association with the college.

" At the meeting of the Wellington, Branch of the New Zealand Education Institute, reference was made to the recent death of Mrs. C. F. A. Francis,, formerly od the staff of the Mount Cook School,- and the'following resolution, was passed:—"That this institute has learned with much regret of the death' of Mrs Francis, who - in bygone years did so jnwm .valuable work for education in Wellington, and desires to convey to Miss Francis and the members of the family its sympathy with thenr in tneir bereavement.' ■" '