PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 101, 23 January 1919, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

,T!i*> Hon. G. W. Rusecll is leaving for Christchurch to-morrow. . Sir George Clifford arrived, from Cliristchurch yesterday.

A Press Association from Auckland yesterday announced 'the death of the Hon. Thomas Thompson, at the- age of 86. The deceased was born ia Cork, Ireland, came out to Melbourne upon the discovery of. gold in Australia, landing in 1853, and commenced business as a carrier from Melbourne to the various stores in the interior. Owing to ill-health he came to and started in the grocery and provision business, from which he retired in 1883. Hβ took a consid--erable interest in the volunteer movement; and was one of the first to take part in it when it was started in .Auckland in 1858. He held a commission, and served during the Native trouble in the early 'sixties, and was part of the time with the Imperial troops. He was later chairman of several local bodies, and was for many years a member of the Auckland City Co'uncjl, and was one of its representatives on the Auckland Harbour Board. In the general election of 18S4i lie waR elected to the House of. Representa-" tives by the electors of AiicklandCity (North), and in. 1890 wag again returned by that electorate. At the general election of 1893 he was defeated, but at a by-election in the following year, caused by the retirement of Sir George Grey, he was again returued to the House by a majority* of nearly 2000 votes. In March, 1896,, he was appointed Minister of Justice in the Seddon Ministry, and a few months later received 1 the portfolio of Defence. In 1896 ho was again returned to the House at the top, of the poll, but owing to family bereavement he was not a candidate at the general election in 1899, and in February. 1900, He resigned his seat in the Cabinet. He was called to the Legislative Council in 1903. -

Mr. S. C. J. Freeman-Matthews, who was for sixteen years purser of. the White Star liner Athenic, and was Well known throughout New Zealand, has been appointed to the same company's Atlantic liner H.M.S. Cedric (22,000 tons).

Mr. Maurice Ralph, who has been manager of tho "Peg o' My Heart" Company in New Zealand, will leave for. Sydney by the Moeraki to-day "to manage the "German Naval Surrender" for J. and >?. Tait in Sydney.

"The question of peace celebrations has been uuder review by Cabinet, and a scheme applicable to tho whole of i the Dominion is now under consideration," said the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) yesterday. "The Government ha 9 already informed all local governing bodies that they will have power to arrange for celebrations in accordance with their own views as to tho most effective means of impressing the! greatness of the event on the minds of the rising generation; but while doing this, the Government proposes to formulate a series of suggestions which will be forwarded to local authorities for their consideration. Tho purpose is to ensure that as far as practiei"".le a uniform scheme will be carried out."

Mr. J. T. M. Piki, beet known, to tho' public as the Canterbury representative halfback, is being transferred on promotion from the Christchurch Money Order Office to the head office accountancy branch in Wellington.

A private cable message received in Wellington announces the death on Friday last, presumably at Hastings, England, of Dr. William George Kemp, who for many years was one of the leading medicnl practitioners in this city. The lato Dr. Kemp was born at Alnwick, Northumberland, 72 years ago, and was a son of Major Kemp, who left his regiment for a time to become Master of the Horse for the Duko of Northumberland,' and who, on returning to the Army, received a Staff appointment at Canterbury, England. iDr. Kemp arrived in New Zealand about half a century ago, and during his residence in Nelson hvas married, io Miss Charlotte Greenwood, daughter of Dr. Greenwood, of Motueka, and sister of Mrs. Leonard Stowe and Miss Greenwood, of Wellington. After his marriage lie took over Dr. Boor's practice in Wellington, and remained here until January, 1892, when ho returned to the Old Country. Some time after going back to England he took his M.D. degree, London, but did not practise any more. Dr. Kemp was one of Wellington's most respected citizens. For some years he was chief medical officer of .the A.M.P. Society, and was at one time churchwarden ,of St. Paul's. He hijs left a widow (resident at Hastings, England) and four Sons and three doughters. , The sons are Mr. Geoffrey Kemp, district manager for the A.M.P. Society, at Invercarp;il!; Dr. John Harold Kemp, of Wellington South; Major Frederick William Kemp, M.C., New ■ Zealand Medical Corps (now in France); and Captain Charles Gordon Kemp, M.D., M.C., Royal Army Medical Corps, who n also on active service in France. The daughters are Mrs. Macphereon (London) and Miss Kemp and Miss Violet Kemp, who are living with their mother. One of the daughters (Sister Elise Kemp) was. killed while on active service on the Western front, and another (Miss Kathleen Kemp) died 1 at Home about nine years ago.

A Press Association message from New Plymouth reports that Mr. Charles Ahier'is'dead, aged seventy-six. Deceased was a' very old colonist and a Wnikato war veteran,. Ho was' associated with the early gold ventures at Thames, and for the last twenty-five years was in the timber trade in Tara-

One of the oldest' European residents at Fiji, the Hon. Simeon Lewis Lazarus, has ( died at Auckland in the 73rd , year of his ugo (states file "Star"). His connection with the Fiji Group dates back over half a century, he being resident there previous to the aiinexatiou by Great Britain. Mr. Laza'rus resided at Suva for a period of fifty years. He engaged in business as a merchant there, and 1 was also largely interested iu planting. Mr. Lazarus was a member of the Legislative Council of Fiji, and also filled the position of Mayor of Suva for several years. Deceased was one of the very early pioneers of the Thames goldfields, where he engaged iu mining and commercial pursuits for a time. Hois survived by his only son, Mr. Lewis Lazarus, who is resident in Fiji.

i Lance-Corporal B. E. Lucas, of Levin, has been repatriated. Mrs. Lucas received the good news on Monday, and his many friends will wish him a speedy return home. LanceCorporal Lucas has seen some particularly heavy fighting, and was gassed during the big Mpssines fighting on June 8, 1917. Spending some months in hospital, be eventually returned to the firing-line, and was reported as missing in September last; During November he was reported wounded and a prisoner of war in Germany.