PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 154, 25 March 1919, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) is expected to return to AVellington from Gisborne on Thursday.'

Lieutenant-Colonel Guy Powles, C.M.G., D.5.0., of Wellington, is in charge of troops on the Ajana, due to arrive in Auckland this morning.

Mr. W. S. Short, Under-Secretary for Public Works, is to retire on superannua* tion at the end of the present year.

After over three years' absence on'active service, Lieutenant F. G. Matthews, pi irate secretary to the Minister of Dβtenco. Sir James Allen, has taken up his old duties, with iMr. G. l< 1 . Dixon as m< assistant. Durinir Lieuteiyint Mattbews's absence Mr. Dixon temporarily undertook the chief secretarial duties.

Mr. Harold Gerard, for the past three years assistant private secretary to the Minister of Defence, is leaving New Zealand shortly for Samoa, there to take up the position of private secretary to the Administrator, to which he was appointed recently. His fellow-private secretaries to Ministers of the Crown took leave fcf him yesterday, told him how highly iliey had'learned to appreciate his'friendship, and to value his .usefulness, and wished him well in Eis new ephere of activity. Mr. W. Crow, the senior secretary now on the staffs of Ministers, on behalf of his colleagues and himself, presented Mr. Gerard -with a eolid leather suit-case. Mr, Gerard was also presented by the staff of the office of the Minister of Defence with a gold-mounted fountainpen.

The City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) will leave Wellington for America and England about the middle of next week.

Lieutenant T. V. Roberts, formerly iiuditor-general at Tonga, who has been on duty in Samoa as a. member of the >!.Z. Expeditionary Force, acting as an interpreter, will leave for Sydney by the Mvcrina to-nisht.

Colonel C. M. Gibbon, C.M.G., Chief of the General Staff, has arranged to leave for the south on Wednesday night in order to make a final inspection of the Canterbury and Otago military districts. Colonel Gibbon is to return to Wellington on April 8, and will proceed to England a little later.

The late Lieutenant (Acting-Captain) E. Baxter, who was well known in Christchurch and Napier, has been awarded the Military Croeg for gallantry on the field. Lieutenant Baxter, on Ootober 8, 1918, died of wounds received at Crevecourt.

Mr. Bartlett Adamson, who has been a resident of Wellington for some years, has resigned the position of publicity manager to the New Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., in order to return to Australia to attend to urgent family matters. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Adamson, and will leavo by. tho Eivcnna to-day.

4. Crimean veteran, Mr. James Black, died at tho Mangonui Hospital, after a short illness, aged 92. He had been a ■bluejacket, and had served under Admiral Sir Charles Napier on the Crimean War.

So far. it is not known exactly on what date Mr. J. H. Howell will taJce up his duties as Director of the Wellington Training College. Sir Howell has written to Mr. George Frost, chairman of the Technical Education Board, stating- that ho will come to Wellington as soon as possible, but probably will visit Wellington before that time for the purpose, of meeting the board. Mr. Frost has replied that the board wi be pleased to confer with Mr. Howell about April 10, if he could make it convenient to come to Wellington then.

Flight-Lieutenant Clarence Timbers, of Dimedin, has left Auckland for London. Ho has been ordered Home to resume duty with the Royal Air Force.

The death occurred at her residence, Khandallah, yesterday of Mrs. Anna Plimmer, wife" of Mr. John A. Plunmer. The late Mrs. Plimmer, who was of a. quiet, retiring disposition, had been ill for a considerable time. Sho leaves one daughter, Miss Gertrude Blimmer, and one son, Mr. Roden. Plimmer. Mr. S. J. Smith, who had 'been on active service, has been appointed private secretary to the Hon. G. W. Eussell, vice Mr. C. J. Drake, who has become cnier clerk of the Health Department.

Mr. J. Warren has been presented with an illuminated address and a purse of sovereigns on retiring from the position of clerk to the Cook County Council (Gisborne), after 38i years' service. 1 .he presentation was accompanied with nil good wishes for , the future.

■ Private Heath Mason, of Kaiaka Bay, is returning to New Zealand by the Rarnuga, due ou or about April 23. Ho was n, member of the Fortieth Reinforce-* ments, and has suffered from the effecte of influenza, contracted on the voyage to England. Sergeant Hewitt, also of Karaka Bay, who went forward with the Thirty-eighth Reinforcements, and was wounded ano.' gassed during the few days he was in France, is also retuirning by tho Raranga.

The Catholic Mission in Fiji has suffered a. great loss in the deaths of the Rev Fathers Roberb and Eochereau, which occurred recently. Father Robert die* at Natovi, Tailevu, while. Father Rochereau succumbed to the .epidemic, at Naidiri, lOidavu, when nursing the sick people. ..' Mr. Edward Anderson has resigned hie seat on the Auckland District Bepatmj Jon Board, to which he was appointed j> the Chamber of Commerce. The chamb»r has decided to recommend the anointment of Mr. M. M. M'Callum in hia stead. Mr H C. Tewsley, formerly of Wellington, has been appointed secretary of he Auckland Chamber of Commerce n succession to Mr. A. J. Denn.storl who has resigned on account of ill-health. \[v A. J- Carlton, who has recently resißiied his position as secretary anil Sger of the Wellington Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's, Assoc a> lion In order to again enter commercial life, left for Auckland yesterday. Mr. Robert Dixon. ace°™tant of the case w th dismounted accessories torn the combined indoor and outdoor staffs nn the eve of his retirement after M "3 ser vice. Mr. Nicholson, manager fot New Zealand, in making the pre«n. member of the staff. Mr Maurice Ralph has returned to Weiii-toi after making arrangements oi exl.ibition.il. the Sou h Islana of "and N. Tait's pictures of the German naval surrender.