PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 149, 19 March 1919, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

_ The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, Minisister of Agriculture left for tho south last night. Ho has arranged to meet representatives of the putato-growers in Christchurch to-day. lie will visit the Ashburton Show and Mt. Cook before returning to Wellington.

Major A. Brandon, R.I'.C, son of. Mr. A. de B. Brandon, of Wellington, will arrive from London to-day by the Athenic. Prior to leaving for England Major Brandon practised as a solicitor with the firm of Messrs. Hislop and Brandon.

Dr. ,T. Allan Thomson, Director of the Dominion Museum, is leaving for Marlborough, at the request of the Geological Survey Department, to conduct investigations in the Kekerangu district, with special regard to the oil prospects. Three years ago, Dr. Thomson discover-, eri a seepage of oil in this district.

Major W. .1. Hardhain, V.C., who has been seriously ill with a recurrence of malarial fever which he contracted during the Boer War, is still in Victoria Hospital, to which ho was removed from his residence at Rona Bay. Ho was reported yesterday to ba feeling very much better.

A Press Association telegram from Christohiireh states that the death of Air. Huston Curlett, a familiar figure in the city, is; announced, aged 72. Air. Curlett was for many years in business us a money-lender.

Airs. E. Synions, of 35 Rata Road, Hataitai, lias received news that her son, Corporal T. E. .Symons, has been awarded the Italian Bronze Aledal for Valour while serving with the Gloucester Regiment on the Italian front.

Air. Ernest Drake, the Auckland tenor, is about to leave for America and England tc continue his vocal studios. He left Wellington last evening for Duncdin (his native city), wlisas he is to ba given a complimentary farewell concert. Ho may bo similarly hoiiuured in Auckland and Wellington.

At the New Zealand Poultry Association's annual conference, Air. G. Finn, of Wellington, on behalf of the association, made a double presentation to Air. and Airs. ,1. B. Alerrett. Mr. Merrolt was tho founder' of the association, which, after nine years, has grown to a membership of about 10,000. The gifts took the form of a gold-mounted fountain pen to Air'. Alerrett, and a smali purse of sovereigns to Airs. Alerrett.

News has been received in Wellington that: Gunner C. D. Barton, who left with tho -13rd Artillery, has been annotated official photographer and has reported at New Zealand Headquarters at Weisdorf, Germany. He has taken the placo of Captain Sanders, who is returning to England. Gunner Barton, who has been promoted to sergeant, is well known in Dominion picturo circles, having orjerated at the principal theatres in Wellington, and many of his moving pictures, such as "Tho Departure of the Alain Body," have been shown on local screens.

The many friends of Mr. J. C. O'Keelfe, of Waterloo Road, Lower Hutt, will regret to hear of his sudden death, from acute gastritis, which took place at Wanganui oil Monday, on his way home from u health visit to the Hot Lakes district. Deceased, who had been in New Zealand for about thirty-five years, was a native of County Cork, Ireland, and for many years was a wellknown, farmer in the Martinborough district. Eor the past nine years he has been living at Lower Hutt. He was -unmarried, and is survived by his sister, Miss Kathleen O'Keefl'e. The funeral took place at Wanganui yesterday morning.

Councillors James Godber, A. Veitch, and W. H. P. Barber will not bo candidates for the City Council at. next month's election.

. Mr. A. E. Mabin, of Karaka Bay, was recently waited on by a deputation from the Seatoun and Bays' Progressive Association and asked to stand for election as Mayor of Miramar. Mr. Mabin informed tho deputation that he regretted he was unable to accede to its request.

■ Mr. Frederick R. Bust, who died at Ellerslio recently at the age of 73, was among the early arrivals on the Otago goldnelds, having come from his native town, Hull, England, at the a?e of thirteen. He was secretary of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council during the maritime 6trike of 1890.

Lieutenant-Colonel Powles, D.5.0., C.M.G., is returning to New Zealand in command of a draft of returning soldiers in the 8.6. Ajnna. He left New Zealand with the Main Body in October, 11)11, being the brigade major m charge of the men on board the Athenic. He landed on Gallipoli in May, 1916, and served all through tho campaigning, being in command of the last party of some 33 men to leave Anzac Bay on the evacuation of the Peninsula. Shortly afterwards ho was appointed Assistant-Adju-tant-General and Quartermaster-General of the Mounted Division, which was sent to Palestine. He was all through that campaign until July 1918, and his work there was much praised by .the generals in command, and earned for him his C.M.G. He was then moved to the Western front, but he was only a few weeks there when the signing of the armistice stopped tho fighting. He. returned to England and was one of two New Zealand staff officers chosen to go through a staff course at Cambridge, the present English Staff College, and where ho also lectured on the Palestine campaign. Besides the decorations which were awarded to him he was mentioned in dispatches four times by General Sir Imi Hamilton, and by Generals Sir Alex. Murray and Sir Charles Allenby.

Among the special passengers arriving by (ho troopship Athenic 10-dny is Lieu-tenant-Colonel A. Bettington, K.F.C., who has been specially appointed bv the War Office to advise the New Zealand Government in aviation matters, both naval and military. It is understood that. Colonel Bettington will mako a 6tay of several months in New Zealand.

Mr. Samuol Jickcll last night tendered his resignation as Borough Engineer, but offered to act in the capacity of consulting engineer to the municipality, states our Palmorston North correspondent. In a letter to the council Mr. .liekell stated that he had agreed to undertake other work which would take up the greater part of his time. The resignation was accepted after the Mavor and councillors had eulogised Mr. Jickoll's valuable services to the borough, and lie was unanimously retained as consulting engineer. Tho resignation will take ell'ect from May 1.