PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3115, 20 June 1917, Page 5

PERSONAL ITEMS

. Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool and party will bo present at the ißnglish. Pierrots' performance to-night. . Sir James Allen came back from Auckland and Kotorua yesterday Afternoon. He goes north again to Auckland on Saturday. , Sir John Grice, chairman of directors Of the Dunlop Rubber Company of Australasia, Ltd., aind a member of the legislative Council of Australia, was amongst, thoso included in the recent birthday honours list. , A Press Association cablegram from 'London states that Lieutenant H. E. ■ Speight, of the New Zealand Field Artillery, has been awarded tho Military Cross.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Mr. M. J. Kilgour has been appointed ti member of tho Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board during the temporary absence of the chairman. Lieutenant T. B. Riordan, of the N.Z.D.C., has reported at Trentham Camp.. ' ■ Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Petone, yesterday, for .the soul of the late Chaplain-Captain M'Menamin, the celebrant being. Monsignor M'lCenna, asfisted by -Chaplain-Captain Connolly as 'deacon and the Rev. Father Quealy a 9 sub-deacon, the master of ceremonies lieing tho Rev. Father O'Connor. A choir composed of, the clergy sang the Gregorian music of the Mass. The sermon, which was an eloquent eulogy of the deceased, was preached by the Rev. Father Hurley from tho text, "Thou are a priest for ever." Archbishop O'Shea gave his benediction at the end of the Mass, which was closed with the organist playing the Dead March in "Saul." The church was, draped in black and white. ' Lieutenant-Colonel Murray Menzies 'Gard'ner (awarded the D.5.0.) is tho third son of the late Mr. Maitland Gard'ner, well known in musical circles, and a brother of Miss Helen Gard'ner (who sang the title role.music in "Maritana" here on Saturday evening). He was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. On leaving college ha, joined the Christchurch City Guards. Afterwards he obtained a cadetship in the Permanent Artillery. He next gained an exhibition for a' Staff College, and was two years at Camberley and about a year at Aldershot. He was recommended- for promotion to colonel before the war broke out. Lieutenant-Colonel Gard'ner, together with other officers, was, at tho request of the Lnperial authorities, sent Home, where he was engaged on coast defence, and also acted as organiser of military colleges. .Ho then went to Egypt as' brigade-major of the New Zealand Staff,' and later to France. Mr. Richard Stewart, of the managerial staff-of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., is, manager of the "House That Jack Built" Pantomime Company. For the past two years he has been the film's representative in South Africa, where he succeeded the late Mr. Harold Ashton. At the conclusion of tho present tour Mr. Stewart is.to settle permanently in Sydney. The Rev. G. T. Brown, M.A., of Knox Church, Masterton, has passed the Medical Board, and will.join the Twentyeighth Reinforcements as chaplain of tho .Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Robert Inglis, M.A., formerly of Parnell, Auckland, has agreed to act as his locum tenens. • Mr. W. White, one of the inmates of the Home for Aged Needy, celebrated his 101 st birthday on Monday. Iu honour of the event, tho ohairman of the Board of Trustees (Mr. W. Allan, J.P.), together with Messrs. George Pctherick, J.P., and J. E. Evans, paid a visit to the home, and dined with the veteran. Mr. White is one of. a family of seven, and was born in London, his father being a stonemason. A good deal of his life has been spent iu Australia, but the last forty years in New Zealand. Tho late Mr. Charles Avery, who died at Pahiatua on Monday, was born at Lower Hutt in 1851, being the eldest son of the late Mr. Georgo Avery. Ho was educated at tho old Provincial Government School, Taita. At tho ago of 21 Mr. Avery was managing one of his father's farms at Taratnhi. In 1882, with his brothers Georgo and Thomas, ho went to tho Forty-mile Bush, and took up land, on the farm whero ho remained for so many years. The land was all in standing bush, and Mr. Avery entered upon its subjugation with the experience born of a practical and life-long attention to the details of tho business ho had in hand. Mr. Avory was a member of the first Road Board and of tho first County Council in Pahiatua. At the time of his death ho was the representative of tho IConini riding on the Pahiatua County Council. Ono of tho chief promoters of tho .Pahiatua Farmers' iSaleyards Association, ho was a. continuous director of that body, ami for a form also w'as chairman. In his younger .days deceased had a. reputation as an all-round athlete. II o was ono of tho chief movers for the formation of an athletic society in Pahiatua, being elected a vice-presidout and a trnstoo of the association. Ho was also a vice-president of tho Woodlands Hunt Club, and used to rido at all hunts in the olden days; he was also then a member and steward of the Pahiatua Racing Club. The lain Mr. Avery was ono of tho first to foster the dairy industry in the Pahiatua district, being a director at different times of the pesent Ballance Dairy Company. In tho Farmers' Union Mr. Avery took a lively interest, having l>een a member of tho executive. As president of tho Pahiatua A. and P. Association ho was very well known. Threo yoars in succession he was elected unopposed to Iho office of president, only just recently retiring from (ho position. Deceased lonviw :i, widow and a family of four. The daughters are: Mrs. Cross (Wanganni), Mrs. J. C. Swainson and Miss Avery fPaiiahia), and his son, Mr. Norman L. Ave— (Pfttuatna).