PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 25 September 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Yesterday, during the sitting of tho Appeal Court, His ""Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir llobert Stout) stated that Mr. Justice Edwards, who is now in .Sydney, recuperating, would not bo back in Wellington until the nnd of October, as he was far from well, and bad been granted an extension of leave. Captain Malcolm M'Gregor, cccoiid son of Mr. and Mrs. Ewan M'Gregor, of Hamilton, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Captain M'Gregor, who holds /a position as flight commander, entered the fighting zone early in May, 1917.

Sergeant J. W. Clayson, M.M., who has been killed in action, was born in Masterton. He was a resident of Eketahuna- for many years, and ivas ;u tho employ of tho Wnirarapa Ifariiiers ,, Co-operative Association, both •lioie and in Wellington. He was a prominent footballer in his younger day 3. At tho timo of his death he was" about forty years of ago. Mrs. C. V. Irvine, of Harbour View, Wellington, has received advice. Sxpnt Base Records that her husband, Captain llobert Irvine, will return to Now Zealand on furlough in a fortnight's time. Captain Irvine left with tho Artillery section of the Main Body, and took part in the lauding at Gallipoli. He has also seen much fighting in Franco, ami has never been wounded. In his .vounger days he was a Now Zealand Rugby representative footballer. His son, Driver William Irvine, served under him on the Western front, and is still on active service. Captain. Irvine is only to be allowed to remain in Now Zealand for a month.

Cabled- advice was received by lli» New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, yesterday of the death of Mr. H. J. Gibbs, who hae been a director of the company in London for about tiventy-four years. Mr. Gibbs, who had reached 'an advanced age, was in New Zealand many years ago a member of the firm of Cargill, Gibbs and Company, in the south.

Mr. Bob Thomas, proprietor of tho English Pierrots, will leave for Sydney to-morrow en route to Perth to make advance arrangements for the , summer season of the company there. The Pierrots aro to travel across Australia by the trans-continental railway. Their season here will last until Wednesday of next week.

Mr. J. W. Charltoiij of Pipitea Street, has received word that his second 6oiij Gunner A. R. Charlton (No. 2/16) is returning, to New Zealand on. duty furlough, after nearly, four years' active service. Gunner Cbarlton lias been in most pf the big engagements in which the New • Zealanders have taken part, and has only once been wounded. Mr. Charlton's eldest s-on. returned some mouths ago 'suffering from shell shock, and another has just been discharged. . . . Tho lnte Private Egbert CarlsoiiWeisert (died of wounds received in Franco on September 2), was tho only son of Mrs. Hilda Carlson, of Otuaruamia, AVaipawa,. Hawke's Bay, and left New Zealand in December last with the Thirty-third Reinforcements. He , was born in Dannevirke 22 years ago, educated at the AVangaimi Cbllegiato School, subsequently attending Lincoln Agricultural College, and before proceeding to the front was engaged in farming in Hawke's Bay, in conjunction with his mother. The lato Private Cnrlson-Weisert was a talented musician, and much sympathy is felt by a largo circle of friends and relatives for Mrs. Carlson in her bereavement. Major A. G. IV Price, until recently assiatant-adjutant-general at Auckland, left Auckland on Sunday-for Tre-ntham Camp. He is about to proceed on active service for tho second time. Hβ originally left New Zealand with tho Main Body of the Expeditionary Force, attached 'to the Auckland Infantry Regiment. He took part in the landing on Gaflipoli, and was subsequently wounded. 'When he recovered ho was appointed adjutant tit tho New Zealand- base depot, afterwards known as Hornchurch Hospital, ar.d eventually returned to New Zealand.

Second Lieutenant John Mclvyn Watkins, killed in , aotion on September 1, was the eldest son of Mi\ J. W. Watkins, of Christchureli. The deceased, who was 24 years of age, was educated at Christ's College, and subsequently joined tho staff of the Bank of New Zealand, where he was employed, up to the time of his enlistment in tho Main Body. The late Lieutenant Watkins was one of the first ten men to enlist in Canterbury, and left as a (runner in the Main.Body, taking part in the landing at Gallipoli. He served on the Peninsula until tho following October, when he was badly wounded, a bullet lodging near his spine. Hβ rejoined his "unit in December, 1915, shortly before the New Zealanders left* for France, where he was promoted to sergeant soon after his arrival. He served through the Battle of tho Somme, and subsequently gained his commission. He joined up with the 4th Now Zealand Howitzer Battery m France, and in January last ho was severely gassed. Rome two months aco he wae acting O.C. the wagon lines, nnd last month he returned to tho firing-line, meeting his death a few days later. Mr. Alexander Watson, the distinguished English reciter, passed through Wellington yesterday on his way to Dunedin.' He is accompanied by Mr. Carlyle Smythe. It is a little over font year's since Mr. Watson was.m Wellington—it \tafi the week of the declaration of war—and from here, tie returned to England to take \ip voluntary war service. He was appointed official entertainer by tho military authorities;to the British Army in Ensland and France. In Flanders and I'ieardy his work was carried on for months in the fighting zone, where lw was often nmorg the Now Zealand soldiers. Mr. Watson will return to Wellington at the cud of October. Mr. Scott Colville arrived in Wellington' last night to arrange for the Oappelli concerts.