PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 64, 10 December 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

The late Lieutenant R. M. Newman, who died in India on November 23, was a native of Dunedin, and received his education at tho Albany Street School and the Otago Boys' High .School, and later attended Wellington College. Ho was well known in swimming circles, having represented Otago and Wellington at the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association's championship. When war broke out he was in the office of the Labour Department, Wellington, and at onco enlisted, leaving-New Zealand with the Advance Party, which occupied Samoa, serving some months there. On his return to New Zealand he served with the guard on Somes Island. He again left New Zealand with the Ninth Reinforcements as a sergeant, proceeding to Egypt and then to France, where he spent two years, and v took -part in all tho engagements of the New Zealand Division, at the Somme, Messines,, Passchendaele. He was then offered and accepted a commission in the Indian Army, and had been in India almost a year when, just after receiving promotion, lie sucoumbed to enteric fever. Ju6t previous to his death ho had been presented with the Royal Humane Society's silver medal, this having been awarded him for his bravery in going down a well 300 ft. deep, with" 60ft. of water in it, and recovering the body of one of the Gurkhas who had fallen in. His next-of-kin is his mother, Mrs. W. A. Newman, who is at present living with her daughter, Mrs. Wardrop, Woodville. Mr. C. Earlo (editor and managing director of The Dominion), 'the Hon, W. J. Geddis (editor and managing director of the "New Zealand Times"), Messrs.'M.L. Reading (of the "Lyttolton Times"), and G. Fenwick ("Otago Daily Times"), four of tho Press delegates who recently wont Home as guests of the British Government, arrived in Wellington from Auckland by express yesterday afternoon. Mr. F. Pirani (Feilding "Star") is due at Auckland about December 22. Mr. C. M. Cox, manager of tho "Mercantile Gazottc," who is suffering from, influenza contracted whilo he was fighting the epidemic when it was at its worst, is reportod to bo making slightprogress towards recovery,' but it will bs some little timo before he will be able to attend to office duties. ■ A Press Association telegram from Sydney states that Alderman English has been elected Lord Mayor. A Press Association cable message from Suva announces the death of Mr. John Alexander Mackay, M.L.C.. who succumbed to an attack of influonza. ' Captain C. S. Geddis, who has been on active service witii the Not Zealand Forces, returned to Now Zealand by the Makura and reached Wellington yesterduy. Ho will leave for Napier to-day. Liente.naut W. S. Seed, who was until recently dental officer in the Artillery Camp at Ewshot, England, has been promoted captain and transferred to tho Queen's Hospital, which was specially erected for the treatment of soldiers suffering from jaw and facial wounds. The death is reportod of Mr. Alexander Murray, of Levin, who was a victim of the influenza epidemic. Mr. Murray went to the Levin district from the Wairarapa about six years ago, and took up n farm near Buller's Lake, subsequently moving to Fairfield, near Levin. He had been a member of the Horowkenua. County Council for tho past two years, and also a prominent member of tho Presbyterian Church, having been an older for some years past. He leaves a widow, one son on active service, and three daughters.