PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 126, 14 February 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Mr. Justice Herdman took his seat on the .Supreme Court bench for the first time yesterday. Mr. E. W. Alison, of Auckland, chairman of the Coalmine Owners' Association, is in Wellington at present. Mr. R: W. Dalton, British Trade Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., is visiting Wellington.

Mr. G. T. Milne, British Trade Commissioner in Melbourne, has been advised by cablegram of his •appointment as Trade Commissioner at Montreal, but ho will probably not leave Australia before Easter. Mr. Milne has not yet been advised of the name of his successor in Melbourne, nor of that of the junior commissioner to be appointed to Sydney. Mr. W. S. ltidlcr, staff superintendent of the New Zealand Railways, is leaving for the south to-night. Mr. A. C'olenso Kessell, lately secretary of tho Western Australian Government Offices in London, has been appointed Y.M.C.A. military secretary J on tho Perth headquarters staff, relieving Mr. A. S. Wilson. Mr. L. L. Lawrence, of the accounting brancli of The Dominion, severed his connection with the staff yesterday. Before leaving he was presented with a smoker's outfit. Lieutenant Seaforth M'Kenzie, who was just recently reported killed in action, was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. William M'Kenzic, of Marton. Tho deceased was only twenty-one years of age. Mr C. Kilgour, of the telegraph stall' of the Palmerston Post Office, has received notice of his promotion to postmaster at Otane. Mr. Kilgour will take up his new duties in about a month's time. On the eve of his departure for- Wanganui on promotion, Mr! H. R. Parker, of the Government Insurance Department, Timaru, was met by members and supporters of the Zingari Football Club, and was presented with a gold medal as a token (if their appreciation of his work whilo secretary of the club. .Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (Mayor of Petonc) has heen elected permanent chairman of the Petone branch of the Central Chamber of Commerce. Commissioner for New Zealand, is expected to return to Wellington tomorrow. He has been in the South Island for several weeks. Captain C. R. Orr Walker, Wellington military representative of the First Wellington Military Service Board, arrived in Wellington last week, and is staying at tho Hotel Cecil. Advice has been received by Mr. R. Stubbings, of Reikorangi, stating that his eldest son, Rifleman R. J. Stubbings, died in France on February 2; of lobar pneumonia. Rifleman Stubbings, who was a memher and one of the best shots of the Ngatiawa Rifle Club, rnlisted early in 1916. but was rejected owing to effects of a motor Occident. After two mora attempts he was successful in joining the Twentyeighth Reinforcements, and left with that body in July last. Mr. Stubbinps's youngest son, Lance-Corparal G. Stubbings, is also sprving with the Forces. At latest advices received he was in England recovering from wounds received at the Battle nf Passchendaele Ridge. The sympathy of a very large circle of friends will be extended to the parent? in their loss.

Mr. James T. Wilson, one of the few survivors of the party of settlers who arrived in Auckland from Scotland in tho ships Jane Gift'ord and the Duchess of Argyle, over 75 years ago, died at Warkworth recently. Mr. Wilson was bom at sea on board the Duchess of Argyle, on July 12, 1842, and thus was only three months old when he arrived at Auckland. His father, who was a blacksmith by trade, was engaged first at Kawau, and subsequently at the Great Barrier in connection with the copper mining on those islands. Mr. James Wilson carried on tho business of blacksmith and farrier at Warkworth for many years, and afterwards joined his brothers Nathaniel and John in the lime and cement business. He has lived in retirement for some years. At St. Mary's Church, Hawera, on Sunday evening, a brass tablet to the memory of the late J. A. Turton was unveiled by the vicar, Rev. C. H. Grant Cowen.

Tho Rev. Oliver Dean, retiring vicar of St. Andrew's, Port will bo succeeded by tho Rev. Frederick Burton Redgrave, if.A., who is to he instituted at the servico next Sunday by Canon Mayne. Mr. Redgrave is a native of New Zealand. After being educated at Nelson College, ho joined the service of the New Zealand Insurance Co Ho decided to study for Holy Orders, and in 1905 became a member of College House, Christchurch, and attended Canterbury College, where he graduated M.A. three years later.

Word has been received by the Bank of Australasia in Wellington by cable mcssngo of tho death of Mr. A. P. Webster, formerly inspector of the Bank of Australasia for New Zealand. Tho late Mr. Webster was very well known and respected in financial circles in Now Zealand and also recognised as an authority on Australasian banking and finance. He was deeply interested in philanthropic work, and was a member of the management committee of the Wellington Presbyterian Orphanage from the beginning, until his departure for Australia. For some years, (when a resident of Wellington) ho was an elder of St. John's Church, Willis Street. Mr. Webster was born in Dundee, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1859. He was educated at tho Church of England School. Ricoarton, and subsequently at Christ's Collcpe, Canterbury, where he gained tho Somes Scholarship. In 1876 he joined the Bank of Australasia as a junior clerk. Rising step by step, he served the bank as manager in various parts of New Zealand, including Feeding, Ashhurton. Patea, Palmerston North, and Wellington. In 1901 bo was appointed suTiinspector in New Zealand, and in 1908, inspector, succeeding the late Mr. H. K. Betbune. He spent a year m London at the invitation of the directors of the Bnuk of Australasia; and in October. Ifllo, was appointed chief inspector of the Bank of Australasia for Australia and New Zealand, removing to Melbourne. Mr. Webster had been operated on for appendicitis in January Inst. He died on Saturday, Februarv 9. Mr. Frederick Bennett, secretary and accountant, leaves bv the Maori on Friday for Cl'ristclmrcl).