PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 284, 20 August 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

The Acting Prime Minister. Sir-James Allen, went south yesterday afternoon to attend tho ceremony eto celebrate tho piercing of tho Otira Tunnel. Ho is due •back in Wellington 011 Thursday.

' The Eon. G. W. llusse'l w>nt to Christchurch -yesterday. Ho will return to Wellington in about a week.

The Hon. J. A. Italian left by the ferry steamer yesterday, for |he South Island. He will 'be absent from Wellington for about ton days,' ,

Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., was at one time a momber of the of Commerce, and at yesterday'f> 'meeting of the council of the chamber Mr. A. Leigh Hunt said that Mr. Barton's appointment to the Magistracy had the hearty approval of the' whale of tho ohnmber. Mr. Barton had been of great nsfrtstance to the chamber respecting tho establishment of a commercial defence fntil, and also had given some, excellent lectures.

A Press Association message from Wanganui states that Mr. H. S. G. Ilarper, well known in business circles and a partner with Mr, T. B. Williams in the auctionaering business, was found dead in bed yesterday morning. Mr. Ilarper was a keen Territorial officer, and occupied the position of major. Ho was aged 56.

Mr. C. M. Luko, who has been laid up for 6onio days, was unable to attend yiviiorday's mooting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, but he expects to bo about again in a few di,vs. Thn ihaniber decided to send Mr. I.'ike a letter expressing regret that he was ill, and expressing a hopo to see hin> about again very soon.

l'rbr to leaving tho Wellington Magistrate's Court staff to go into camp, Mr. Victor Joseph Thompson was presented with a number of articles which will bo useful to iiim in his military career. 'J ho presentation was made bv Mr. W. «• Riddcll, R.M., viho referred to tho esteem in which'Mr Thompson was hold by his associates and all with whom he came in contact. Mr. Thompson suitably replied.

At tho ago of 90 years one of New Zealand's leading contractors, Mr. J. J. O'lirien, died in Sydney recently. Mr. O'Brien was at the Thames in the early days, and later on was engaged in contracting work in various parts of tho North Tsland. For some time lie lived in Wellington, and was associated with Tc Aro reclamation works. .Mr. Arthur O'lirien, of Opunake, who is connected with local bodies in Taianaki, is his son, and one of his grandsons is Mr, Vincent O'Brien, of tho literary staff p of The DOMINION.

Mr. Alfred Bish, who has been ailing for somo time, died on Sunday at Greytown'. Tho Into Mr. Bish, who was 70 years of agc,i resided in Mas tor lon some years ago, and was on two occasions Mayor of' ;, that town. In jeeont years lie had tan in business in Carterton. He was a prominent Freemason and Oddfellow, an enthusiastic member of the Carterton Bowling Club, and a Justice of the Peace.

A presentation was made, by his colleagues oil tho stall' of tlio Jlouso of Representatives to Mr. M. O'licilly yesterday afternoon. Mr. O'ljoilly, who has been for somo lime chief messenger, and for long before that messenger to Mr. Speaker, is retiring from (lie Service. Tho presentation was mado .by Mr. A. 1\ Lowe, Clerk of tlio House, a'nU there was a full attendance of officers of the Houso and tho messenger staffs.

At the age of 58 years, Mr. John Lundon, manager of the branch of tho Bank of Now South Wales at Cambridge, died at that town last Wednesday. Deceased was born in Auckland, and entered tho services of the bank when seventeen years of age. He opened tho first branch at Charleston on tho West Coast in tho (lavs of, the gold rush. From there Mr. Lu'udon went to Naseb.v and was ill the service of the bank during the days of I lie gold escorts. He next opened and managed a branch of tho bank at Palnatua. and from thoro was transferred to Cambridge. Ho leaves four daughters and one son, Lieutenant D. .T. Lundon, wlio recently returned from the front.

Tho death occurred recently at St. Haitians (jays the "Otago DaiW Times ) of a very"old pioneer in the portion ot Mr. Thomas O'Dowd. Bom in Castleliiaiixe. County Kerry, Ireland, in 181)5, lie came lo Victoria, with his brother (tho late Archdeacon O'Dowd) in ISG2. Ho arrived in New Zealand in 18.11, and follnw'ed up 1 the Hartley and Riley, Dunstan. and .Skippers rushes, eventually settling in St. Batbans in 18G8, where he resided ever since.

One of the oldest schoolmasters in tho Auckland district, Mr. Charles Gribble, died on Thursday. Mr. Gribblo was born at Bruton, Somersetshire, in 1833, his father being a surveyor of taxes under tho British Government. In early life he was in the British' Navy, serving in the paymaster's dooartinent on a number of warships. About 1854, during tho progress of tho Crimean war, the ship on which he was engaged, H.M.S. Hannibal, took part'in an, engagement in the Baltic. His particular duty on that occasion was attending to tho woundedin the ward-room. and while 60 occupied ho was wounded on tho cheek by a wood splinter. About 18(18 Mr. Gribble. left the Narv. and came 'to Now' Zealand, going to the Thames almost immediately upon arrival. Thoro ho entered upon his educational career, and at different neriods tanffht in the noted Schofield School, in Kollcston Street, and in the first Knv.neranga Bovs' School.'which wan held in the old Volunteer Hall, in ■Richmond Street. Afterwards ho taught in varions country districts schools, til being Biinernnniiated in 10(10. Since then lie had made his homo in Auclc'"Vlie deafh occurred in the AucVlandThnmes train last week of Mr. Henry Gildswortl'v, ail »arlv resident of the Thames. Deceased was at o»e time man. ager of the Dnbltn mine at KiU'aiiga.ha.k<Y a'positiin he held for mam* venrs. He \rj)s also mine manager at Kuani'tinu and Coromandel. Mr. Gnldsworthy was a champion oarsman in. his younjer days.

.\ rrew Association caWf* mcssase from Melbourne sMw that Mr. -Tames R. T'nmid. fnrmorlv of Now Zealand. has boon aiinointcd lecturer and demonstrator in chemistrv Mid metallurgy at the Ballar.it School of Minos-