PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2975, 12 January 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Tho Hon. Janios 'Allen Teturiied from tho south by the Mararoa yesterday morning. '•,„.' His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) will leave for Auckland on Saturday.

The Hon. Dr. M'Nab is. recovering from his recent indisposition. He proposes to go to his farm in Southland early next week to rest there for a few days before joining the Hinemoa to make n voyage round Tine lighthouses on our coast.

Mr Charles Houldsworth, managing director of tho Union Company, was a passengor from. south by the Mararoa yesterday morning. Tho Bishop of' Melanesia (the Right Uev Dr. Wood) arrived in Wellington from tho south on Tuesday, and is the cvnest of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Henderson, of Karori. His Lordship,'who will bo hero until about the middlo or next week, will return to tho Islands by tho mission steamer Southern Cross, from Auckland, early . next month, and ho intends to remain in Ins dioceso for a year before paying another visit to Now Zealand. The Colonial Auxiliary Forces' Long Service Medal has been awarded to Lieut S. W. B. Brooker, N.Z.E., Sergt-Major W. Middleditch, N.Z; 'Garrison Artillery, and_ Sergt-Major B. 0. Johnson, N.Z. Garrison Artihery.

Dr Deck, who has been in dmyge of Victoria Military Hospital, We ington South, for some time past, will leave for Auckland next Monday, to undcitako duties in connection with the Medical Board for that district, and it is understood that he will be succeeded by Dr. Mqrice, at P«senfAct-ine-Meclical Superintendent of tho Wellington Hospital, when Dr. Barclay, who has been nt the front with the Royal Army Medical Corps resumes tho position of superintendent of that institution and its auxiliaries. Tho many friends of Mr. . Bentle? Russell, wcirknown in amateur theatrical circles and lately a member ot tho Allan Wilkie Co., will regret to learn ithat ho lies seriously ill in a private 'hospital in Wellington. Captain J. A. Sliand, N.Z.E.F.. who has been company commander on the training staff at "Sling Camp, Salisbury Plain, has been appointed Assistant Provost Marshal, X.Z. Rcservo Group. Mr Mric Lyon, LL.B., solicitor, of tho firm of Messrs. Franks, Hunter, and Lyon, youngest son of the late. Mr W. D. Lyon. went into camp with tho' Cliristclmrch draft yesterday. .

The Rev. George Gibb, _ of Queenstown, has been elected minister of the Presbyterian Church, Nelson, as successor" to tho Rev. J. If. Mackenzie, retired. ,

One of the recruits of the £4tli Reinforcements, who enlisted at I'eliding, is Mr. G. Smith, the well-known athlete, rider, and shot. His record for shearing, is 260 sheep, for the hop, step, and jump 44ft. Oin., and high jump sft. 6.i in. At thft last Paim'erston show his services as a rider were in such keen demand that he rode eight out of 14 horses in olio competition,>and throughout the jumping contests lie rode over L' 96 fences without; accident.

Mr. C. P. Hanson, proprietor of Waiouru Station, of 92,000 acres, has gone into Featherston. Camp as ft trooper in tho Twenty-fifth Mounted Rifles.

Mr. J. H. Kirby, well known in the teaching and journalistic professions,, died at the Hospital ou Wednesday night, aged 74. Tho deceased came to New Zealand from Victoria about 45 years ago, and was associated with various newspapers in New Zealand — editor "South Canterbury Times,' editor "Evening News" (Napier), and: editor "Marlborough Express." He. was also in the earlier days headmaster of All Saints' School, Dunedin, an<J sometime secretary of the South Canterbury Education Board. Latterly he had bsen sub-editor of the "Wairarapa. Age." Tho late Mr. Kirhy is survived: by three sons and four daughters, his eldest son,.Mr. Fred Kirby, foe many years chief sub-editor of our morning contemporary, and later associate editor, is now on the staff of the Sydney "Bulletin." Another son, Mr. S. Kirbv, ie a member of the operating Btaff of TheDoitiniok; a third son, Mr, A. 11. Kirby, is at the front.

"The late Mr. Ernest Graham,A.0.5.M., who died at Melbourne on, Sunday last (says the "Otago Daily Times"), was one of tho many Otazo. University graduates who have made good in other countries. I After trying a commercial life for some years he entered Otago University with a younger 'brother, and they both graduated A.O.S.M. in three years: Leaving for Queensland, he was for a timb engaged with mining companies. Hβ Wen, in conjunction with Mr. Donald Matheson, and later with his brother,- Mr. A. Tl. Graham, started the firm of Graham and Matheson. Ltd.,. assayers and ore buyers. This business he successfully managed up to tho tnrm of his death. He was well known on Charter;; Towers and among mining men m North Queensland. Hβ married Miss Katie Keam. of Dunedin, and tnero is one son of the marriage. ( Mr. H. P. Hopkins has been unanimously re-elected chairman of the Canterbury Underwriters' Association asr 1917.

AVord has been received (stales the Christchurch. "Press") «that Captain Ivan Stuart Wilson, R.A.M.C., has received the' Military Cross. - Captain. Wilson is au old Otago High School boy, and passed through, the OtacoUniversity, obtaining hie radical degreo there. He also took the M.D..0? New Zealand, while ho was superintendent of Napier Hospital. Hβ afterwards went to London and obtained the Fellowship of the Royal Collegeof Surgeons, and when the war com-menced-he was Resident _ Surgeoni of the London Chelsea Hospital for Women's diseases. He was amongst the first lot of British doctors to volunteer for the war, and went over.fa France with the British Expeditionary Force in August. 1914. He wtolbW'' the right lnng ou September 10. 191 - and is at present on convalescent lear? in the south of England. If fit for service again he expects fa go back to W». unit in France. , :

A letter from the'Ven. Archdeacoc! Slocker received hy a friend in Invercargill contains some details of tie circumstances under which Lieut. \alSfacker won the Military Cross, as reported in the cables recently. It appears that Lieut. Stacker was near his. captain when a shell burst, and the concussion caused the captain to bo sent fa the hospital. Lieut. Stacker thereupon took command. He was talking fa a subaltern and a telephonist when a shot killed tho two and sent, Lieut. Stacker flying. ■ A sergeant tied up his , head, and though tho colonel appeared and ordered him to rear* Lieut. Stacker stuck to tho guns until they wero blocked. A gunner then helped him to the doctor, who sent hurt off in au ambulance. It got dark and the road was blocked, so Lieut.-Stacker cot out and found his way fa the Basa Hospital, and recollects nothing imttl lie found himself in a French hospital. Hβ was'sent to England, hut is now at the front again.

Mr. John Smith, for many years inspector of schools m Ma,rlborough, who. died in Blenheim last week, at the ace of 82, was horn in London in March, 1834, and was educated at MarlboroU«h, in Wiltshire, under hia brother-in-law. Dr. Badhanr. In October, ISoa, he arrived in Nelson, and during the* ensuing nine years was engaged in surveying, teaching, and farming. In 1864 ho was appointed headmaster of the Nelson Boys' School, and elevon years later lie accepted an appointment as secretary and inspector to the Wostlaml Education Board. Afterwards he went to Blenheim as secretary of the Marlborough Education Board; and between 1904 and 1907 he also acted as inspector of schools. He was succeeded as secretary in the latter'year by Mr. E. S. Hylton, of the staff of tho Wellington Education Board, who "•. «««* ?™ amalgamation of the. Wellington and Marlborough Educational XHstricts, once more in,the service of tho Wellington Boatd. Mr W. Hoif, who has had first-class experience in Dunedin. has •been appointed: manager of the Mount Cook Hermitage, and went lip yesterday to take charge for the tourist season, 1 which so far has heen good. Accommodation af the now hostel was overtaxed at tho Christmas and New Year holidays, hut the special demand has now ceased. Some climbing parties aw there, but nothing hns been heard o. their doings.—Press Assn.