PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 169, 6 April 1918, Page 8

PERSONAL ITEMS

i His Excellency the Governor-General and the Countess of Liverpool will attend the performance at the Grand Opera House this evening. Cablo news has been received by Mr. S. It. Lancaster, of Palinerston North, convoying the sad news that his son, Rifleman G. C. Lancaster, had been killed in action. Rifleman Lancaster was among the first to respond to the call at the outbreak of hostilities, and was a member, of the force-which took possession of Samoa. He returned to New Zealand in time to join the Main Body, and had since seen considerable service in France. The deceased soldier was only 23 years of age. Mr.' Charles Hill, Chief Postmaster at Timaru, who is in ill-health,. has been granted leave of absence prior to retiring on- superannuation at the end of June next. Mr. R. D. Kelly, Senior Inspector of Post Offices in the South Island, is at present, in charge of the Timaru Post Office. - • Lieutenant Godfrey Holdsworth, M.C.,\who is'attached" to one of the British artillery corps, has been wounded in France and taken to London. He is a son of Mr. Charles Holdsworth, of the Union Steam Ship Company, and a grandson of Mr,' Holdsworth, of Ujiton Terrace. " ' . At "the conclusion of the meeting of the Movable Committee of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, ' M.U.,. very complimentary references were made by . soveral of the delegates to the work which had been done by the Grand Master (Mr. I. Salek) during the_ two years he had occupied the position. On behalf of \ the delegates, Mr. Salek was presented with a handsome solid silver cake basket, as a token of tho esteem in which the Grand Master was held from one end of .New Zealand to the other. In mnking the presentation tho incoming Grand Master, Bro. F. Watt (of Ashburton) referred to the harmonious feeling which had prevailed . during the conference, the''excellent spirit in which , the business of the Order had been approached; i and the good results that had beeni achieved. As P.G.M., Mr. Salek remains a member of the Board of Directors for the next two yea'rsl Mr. H. E. Pacey, of Auckland, who has been seriously ill, is now progressing favourably. It is anticipated, however, that ho will be confined to his home for some little time. The Rev. K. J. M'Farland, who has been curate of All Saints' parish, Prilmerston Northj for : tlio -past two and a half years, and has been appointed vicar of the Mangaweka parish, was' tendered a valedictory social' in All Saints' Clubhouse on Wednesday. There was a largo assemblage of parishioners and Boy Scouts,' and at- the conclusion of the programme Mr. E. H. Morrah, on behalf of the parish, presented Mr. M'Farland with a substanial cheque, as a small appreciation of his splendid work in the parish, and the great esteem m which he is held. Sydney-' papers record the death of Mr. J. P. West, who was probably the I oldest Australian-born actor living. I Mr. West -supported many of the old j Shakespearean stars, and visited New Zealand oh many -occasions in years gone by. ;He was a sound actor oi the old school, devoted to Shakespeare and tho classical English comedies. At the gathering of 'members of the Brooklyn Miniature.' Rifle Club on Thursday evening, Sir., W. A. llamsay (vice-president) asked those present to stand up as a mark 'of respect to a fallen comrade—Lieutenant'' Mollinson, M.C.—whoso death at the front ' had been announced. The deceased; had been one df those who assisted in forming tho Brooklyn National Reserve, and took a great interest in the work. Before going into camp he. was ser-geant-major of tho unit, was very popular. • . -.V ! -Air,-. J. W. ,Br6die ; - who has. just returned from- a business visit ,t'o...iAmerr. ic'a, has been appointed geiieral manager for New Zoalaml for the British Empire Trading Company. News lias been received that, Corporal Fred Doidge, who before ho enlisted Was chief reporter .of.-'the . Auckland j'.'fttar," is seriously ill in London. Ho belongs to the Now Zealand Headquarters. Staff. at Home, and" recently returned from a mission io,Bolgium and France. Mr. 0. J. I. Alpers, barrister, of Christchurch, is at present on a visit to -Wellington. At the Thorndon ( car cleaning yards on Tuesday Mr. Dawson, stationmastor, on behalf of the women car cleaners, presented Storeman G. B. Cornfoot .with a pair of military hair brushes, as a token of appreciation of Mr. Cornfoot's; sympathetic instruction and control as their overseer, and to mark the occasion of his departure to CI Camp. ' Mr. Dawson mentioned that perhaps this was the first occasion of its' kind in New Zealand, and | he was pleased to have been asked to make the presentation, and for the opportunity to express to the women, his satisfaction with their work,,and to. his officers for their successful efforts in organising this 'branch'of the work to the mutual benefit of the Department and the women workers. Mr. Cornfoot's kindly nature had . assisted him and his officers in this direction, and he was asked to convey to the departing soldier every good wish from the women workers, and a speedy roturn. Mir. Cornfoot, in responding, asked those present to overlook any apparent official harshness 'that was necessary to have orders sat? j isfactoril.v carried out and tho standlard of cleaning kept up to the satisi faction of the stationniastcr and coaclijing foreman. ! Second Lieutenant John Niall Fox, Royal Engineers, the second son of tho late Colonel Fox, at one timo commandant of the New Zealand Forces, who married a daughter of tho late Sir W. R. Russell, is mentioned among tho recipients- of tho Military Cross. Lieutenant Fox must be one of the youngest officers to receive a commission in the Engineers, for ho was only in_ his seventeenth year when he was given his lieutenancy. Tho London "Gazette" states that lie' received the Military Cross "for. conspicuous gallantry and dovotion to duty when engaged in repairing bridges. His party came under heavy shell fire, and although wounded and knocked over- three times, he stuck to his duty and successfully carried out his work. It was dne to his fine example and gallant conduct that his men were kept under' control and successfully carricd out tlio repairs." Colonel Fox's eldest son, who was also born in New Zealand,, was about to come out to the Dominion, intending, eventually to settle on his father's property, Mount Mason, in" North Canterbury, when the war broke out. He was given a commission in Sir William Russell's old regiment, the Northamptonshires, which suffered so terribly in the retreat from Moils. He' is now serving with tlie regiment in India. " " - -