PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 165, 7 April 1919, Page 7

PERSONAL ITEMS

Dr. Hughes, the district health officer at Auckland who returned on Friday to the northern city, has been laid up with illness, according to the Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell), and the chief health officer (Dr. Vulintine) is to proceed to Auckland by tho midday tram to-morrow.

At the age of 70 years, Captain George Lambert, one of the oldest skippers of the Union Steam Kirip Company, died at his residence in Queen Street, on Saturday, through Heart failure. The late Captain Lambert was one of tho most popular skippers in the Union Company a employ, having an unbroken record of 53 years without a mark on his certificate. Born at Blackheath, London, in 1849 he first went to sea at the age ot 17 years. His first trip to these waters was in a sailing ship to Sydney, where ho joined a barque trading between Australia and China. In 1874 he came to New Zealand, whore he joined the late Captain Williams's fleet. This fleet was later bought up by the Union Company, anil Captain , Lambert continued to serve under that company. In 1905 he wsnt to England to bring out the steamer Araiuira, on which vessel- he remained as captain till 1913, when he retired. On tho outbreak of war, at the company's request, he took up service again, and served off and on up till the time of his death. The late Captain Lambert is survived by Mrs. Lambert, seven sons, and two daughters. Two of the sons are still away at the front, one having gained tho Military Medal. The funeral will take place to-day.

.A private cable has ■ been received from Gunner Cecil tr. Burgess, son of Mr. H. W. Burgess, of Oriental Bay, to the effect that he is returning by the liner Raranga, which is due here about the end of the present month. Gunner Burgess left- with the Thirteenth Reinforcements, N.Z.F.A.

The flag of the Wellington Gas Company was flown at half-mast on Saturday as a mark of respect to the late Rifleman Albert E. Price, sen., whose funeral took place during the forenoon, military honours being accorded. Rifleman Price was a member of the Rifle Brigade, and during action in Prance was gassed, and returned to New Zealand some eight months ago, an invalid. After a time he resumed work at the'Gns Company's workshops, but was unable to continue very long, having to return to the Trentham Hospital, where he died on Thursday last. Rifleman Price's son served in the same Brigade as the deceased in Trance. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that. Mr. John Thomson, a ■well-known resident of Killinchy, was thrown out of a trap and killed instantaneously. Mr. J. R. Strachan, of Nelson, having been promoted to take charge of the land transfer branch of the Laud and Survey Department in. Wellington, will take up his new duties to-day.