PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 113, 6 February 1919, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

—• , Dr. T. R. St. Johnson, District Com-' missioner and District Medical Officer at Lau (Fiji), has been appointed. Colonial Secretary to the Falkland Islands.

Mr. Louis Eolden, of Te Aroha, returned 'by the Oxfordshire on Saturday, after being engaged in Y.M.O.A. work in France.

News has been received that Lieutenant H. A. Highet, of the New Zealand Cyclist Battalion, has been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the field. .Lieutenant Highej; left over two years ago, and in the latest letters received was with his battalion in its. official entry into Mons.

Dr. F. W. GoTdon, who has been appointed a member of the Board of Health, has for over 25 years been practising in Auckland, for a long time on general work, but lately as a consulting fmrgeon only. He studied medicine in all its branches at Dublin aud London. He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, England, Midi holds the degree of L.R.C.P., London. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, London. Some years ago Dr. Gordon was on tho staff of the Auckland Hospital as a consulting surgeon, and duiring tho war ho had been acting in that capacity.

Tho death occiivrod last week of Mr. Daniel Murphy, of Aramoho. Tho deceased, who was eighty years of uge, was ii native of County Kerry, Ireland, from which country he travelled to America, where he took part in the Civil War. Subsequently he oame out to New Zealand, arriving here fifty years ago, and in the early days Mowed farming pursuits.

Mr. D. H. Moore, a, returned soldier, has been appointed permanent secretary to the Ashburton War Belief Committee. There were twenty applications for the position.

Miss Estelle Beere, accompanied by her niece, Miss Joan Beere, arrived back from Sydney by the Eiverina last evening.

Tho friends of ■ the lato Mr. W. J. M'Keown will regret to hear of his death, which occurred at his residence, No. G Orangi Kaupapa Eoad, Northland, yesterday morning. The deceased was a native of Ireland, and was very well respected in Invercargill, where he served on a number of local and sports bodies. He joined tho Department of Labour whilst there, and seventeen years ago was transferred to AVellington, and, owing to ill-health, had to retire from tho service about twelve months ago. His health became gradually worse and ho passed quietly away; leaving a widow and two sons and two daughters (Lieutenant W. M'Keown, recently returned from Mesopotamia, Corporal William M'Keown, still on. service, Mrs. H. Sievers and Miss KitTy M'Keown) to mourn their loss. A Eequiem Mass will be celebrated at tho Basilica at 8 o'clock this morning, and the funeral will leave there at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Colonel C. M. Begg, M.D., F.R.C.S., F.8.C.P., whose death from influenza in England is recorded, left New Zealand with the Main Body in command of the Fiold Ambulance, and went through the Uallipoli campaign from the landing to the evacuation, with the exception ot a short period whilo invalided from shell f.hock. When Colonel Maunder (of the Imperial Army, who was A.D.M.S. of the New Zealand Division) was killed Colnuel Begg was promoted to take his place. For distinguished service en Gallipoli ho received the C.M.G., and the Eoyal College of Physicians of Edinburgh bestowed a Fellowship on him in recognition of his work in that campaign. He went to Franco with tho New Zealanders, and has been there continually ever since. After the Somme battles he was again promoted, and became D.D.M.S. of the 2nd Anwic Army Corps. When the Australian and New Zealand forces wero separated, Colonel Begg was appointed D.D.M.S. of the 22nd British Army Corps (to which the New Zealand Division was attached), being the only civilian D.D.M.S. of a British army corps. In the second Battle of the Marne, in. July last, ho was senior medical oflicer with tho British forces engaged there, and ot two French divisions aa well. He has been several times .mentioned in dispatches, and a year ago received the O.H. Colonel Begg is a son of the late Mr. A. C. Begg, of Dunedin. On January 16 it was announced that Colonel Begg was to succeed Surgeon-General Henderson as Director of Military Mcdi?al Services m New Zealand. Colonel Begg leaves a widow (a daughter of Mr. C. H. Treadwell, barrister, of Wellington) and two children, who are at present in England. Mr. T. Boyd,- formerly manager for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company at Pahiatua, died in Wanganui on Saturday.

Mr. "William Wiggs, chief clerk in the Wellington district office of the. Public Works Department, has been transferred to a similar'position in Auckland, vice Mr. A. D. Park, who is to become chief accountant in the head office of the Agricultural Department, Wellington, in succession to Mr. J. W. Bell, who is to take up another position in his Department. Before ho left Wellington Mr. Wiggs received presentations from his late office staff. Tho death is recorded of Mr. William West Jones, of Brightwnter, Nelson, at the age .of 79. The deceased suffered a stroke three years ago, from which he never recovered. He arrived at Nelson in the ship Dona Anita in 1860, in which tho first red deer, sent out by Lord Peters, of Scotland, were brought to Nelson. These were liberated up Brook Street. The late Mr. Jones leaves a widow and one daughter, Mrs. A. Biggar, also two grandsons and a brother, Mr. U. P. Jones. . ■ '

Mr. John W. Freeman, of Wanganui, who died there last week, came out to New Zealand' in the early with the 58th Regiment, and took part in the early Maori War at the Bay of Islands. On retiring from tho Army he settled down in Wanganui, over sixty years -ago, and resided there until tho time of his death. During tho Maori troubles in the early sixties deceased 1 took an active part in the lqcal militia, ■ being at one time a serjeant and drill instructor. For many years, owing to old ago and infirmities, he led a very quiet life, and passed away at tho ripe old age of ninety. A Wanganui paper says . that Veteran Freeman was the best-known survivor in New Zealand of the 58th Regiment.

Word has been received that SecondLieutenant R. A. ("Bobby") Young, C.M.R., has been awarded the Military Cross. Lieutenant Young, who is a brother of Mrs. Harold Earle, left New Zealand with the Main Body, and saw service during the whole period of the Gallipoli campaign, and in Palestine. For over four years he escaped both wounds and sickness, but on September G5 of last year he was seriously wounded in the left thigh at Amman, during which engagement he did good 'work which resulted in his being awarded the decoration. Lieutenant Young's wound proved very serious, and ho is at present in hospital, but is expected back in New Zealand during the nest month or two. Lieutenant Young was a well-known guide at Mount Cook prior to enlistment, and was also engaged for some years prior to (hat in sheep-farming at Little River and Waiau. A younger brother, Norman Young, who also left with the Main Body, was killed on Gallipoli.