PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 14 November 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Dr. J. Allan Thomson, Director of the Dominion Museum, has gqne to the Awntern Volley,' Marlborough, to recuperate after his recent illness, and also engage in field work for his Department. Ho will be away for about two months.' During his absence Mr. J. Jl'DonaM will continue to be in oliarge of the. Museum. Major F. Parr, of the New Zealand Field Artillery, mentioned in ;a London paper cis having been awarded the Distinguished Sarviee Order, is well known in Palmereton North. Before tho, war lie was a sergeant-major in the Boyal New Zealand Artillery, and attached to ,T Battery, Paimerston North, ae instructor. Leaving with the Main Body as a lieutenant, he fought all through the Gallipoli campaign, during which he was promoted to the rank of captain, and also awarded the Military Cross. In France he received his majority and command of a battery. . . Mr. Andrew William Rutherford, exM.P. for Hurunui, and one of .the best known pastoralists in New Zealand, is dead, at the ago of 76 years. Born in New South Wales, the law Mr. Rutherford was. educated at Adelaide, and arrived at Lyttelton in 1860 with his- parents, who bought the Leslie Hills estate, of which lie was manager until he became proprietor , of "Meinlip Hills" in 1861. Taking a keen interest in the merino, breed of sheep, he was a frequent ana successful ex'aibitor at shows. His belief in the meriin was exhibited lylien in 1901 he purchased "Fame," 'i stud merino ram, from Mr. Alex. Murray, of Mount Crawford, South Australia, nt a. cost of 500 guineas. Mr. Eutherford always took' a keen interest in local government. Ho- was chairman of the Amuri Road Banrd for a number of years before that body became merged ,in the Amuri County Council, and was an original member, and for some years chairman, of tho Cheviot County Counci!. He was aha a member of the North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board: In 1902 he aspired to a seat in. the House of Representatives, and ecorei* an easy victory ova? four other candidates, and represented Hurunui until 1908. Mr. Rutherford leaves a. family of five sons and four (laughters.

, Tho many friends of Lieutenant William Joseph Mollis will regret to leani of his death at Featherston on Wednesday from pneumonia. Lieutenant Hollis left New Zealand with the Third Reinforcements, Wellington Moiinted Rifles (2nd Queen Alexandra's Squadron) as sergeant-major. He saw service in Egypt and Gallipoli. During operations on the Peninsula ho was badly wounded, but returned before Hie final evacuation, For his work in Egypt he was mentioned in dispatches three times, and recommended for the Military' Cross. He gained his commission in Egypt, and was returned to New Zealand in February this year on duty, and attache;! to the -(sth Mounted?. Prior to joining- the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Lieutenant Kollis was in business at Wanganiii and Wellington, whore he had many friends. Ho was associated with sports of all kinds, and represented Wellington at hockey. He was married on his return, ami leaves a widow. • The funeral took place at Featherston on Thursday with full military honours.

Private Arthur A. Bn'sht, who died at Fcatherston Cnmp on Monday, wtis a son of the late Mr. F. Bright, of Otaki. Before enlisting with ihe Forty-sixth Reinforcements he was farming at Otaki, where ho was wel- known as a prominent bowler. Ee leaves a widow and one child.

The Melbourne "Herald" says:—"Our special correspondent in London cables that a brilliant officer has been lost to tho Australian Flying Corps through the death of Lieutenant H- Nicol, who has been killed in a mooring accident. Ho was a foremost expert in aerial telephony, and had been lent to the Royal Air Force. Lieutenant Hector Nicol unlisted in Melbourne on ■ December G, 1915, at tho age of 29. He had formerly been a railway operating porter, r.nd was a married man, his widow now living at Avoca, Lieutenant Nicol was born at Mabono, New' Zealand. In New Zealand he gained some military experience as a member of a volunteer rifle club. * Ho was appointed equipment officer and second lieutenant on November 28 of last year, and promoted to lieutenant in the Australian Flying Corps on February 28 of this year. His death occurred in the Salisbury (England) Infirmary from fracture of the skull." The deceased officer was well-lcnown in Featlierston, and his widow is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. N. Barton, of Pirinoa,

The death s reported «f Tifr. Tlioni"Gordon, chemist, ono of Wellington's old residents. Thu date Mr. Gordon had ;i pharmacy on Lambton Q.wy. and was later in business in Taramilri Street, but in recent years he acted as manager for several chemists. Mr. .11. F. Wood, the well-known tenor, who appeared last week in '"file Gondoliers," is stil! very ill with 'influenza. Mrs. Wood is also n sufferer. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt, of Hataitai, is getting over an attack of influenza. Mr. Joseph Taylor, one of Canterbury's oldest pioneers, died at Papanui last week. He was born in 1836 in Derbyshire, England, and was educated at the Grammar School, Wirksworth, and passed his early years on his father's farm. In 1862' he came to New Zealand in the ship Captain Cook, and immediately turned his attention to contracting. Later, he took up farming, and established a famous flock of English Leicestors. Mr. Taylor was-a great lover of horses, and until recent years his services wore in frequent request as a judge of draught stock at agricultural shows, while as a breeder of useful farm horses he was well known in alb parts of Canterbury.

One of the early ;>ioneers, Mr.- ftcorg: T. Boldoro. died at Aucklnnd on Friday at the ago of 87 years. Mr. Boldero, who was born at Bury St. Edmunds, England, came to New Zealand in the ship Mersey, in 1859. After a short stay in Auckland he took up land at Mangawai, where he lived for fifty-ono years. He was chairman of the Uoat« Board in that district for some time. After tho death of his wifo he removed to Auckland, and resided with his eldest daughter, Mrs. Priestley, of Grey Lynn. Ho is siijvived by a family of six sons and three daughters a.n.l fifteen grandchildren.