PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 220, 11 June 1919, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

Sir.William Fra-ser, Minister of I'ublie Works, will return to Wellington from tlio south-to-day. The Hon. W. D. S. Mao Donald leaves this, morning for Gisborne. He will be absent from Wellington for about a week. N \ As soon as Mr. J. Laugridge, curator of the Wellington "Zoo,'' can obtain steamer accommodation for himself and Ms wife he intends to leave on a holiday trip to Australia. Mr. V. Shorter, well known in insurance ■ circles in Queensland, has been appointed superintendent in New Zealand for the :Atlas Assurance Company, vice Mr. A. W. Young, who succumbed to influenza in November last. Mr. Shorter is expected to arrive here this month lo take up his new duties.

Mr. George Croll, whose death occurred at his sou's residence, Waterloo Road, Lower Hutt, on Monday, was one of the oldest mechanical engineers in the country, ujid as a Government inspector of machinery was formerly well known all over New Zealand. Ho was born in Australia in 1837, and was associated with his father thero in aa engineering business. Subsequently ho becanie/managei of the Phoenix Foundry in Ballarat. Ho camo'to New, Zealand in 1860, at the iimo of the gold rush in Otago, but not finding the country niado Of gold ho returned to his trade, and was engineer on several of tho small steamers trading oui of Hokitika when that port was ,1 flourishing centre with a free-spending population of between 60,000 and 70,000 people. Subsequently he settled in Christchurch, and later was appointed Government intspactor of machinery for Canterbury, a position lie held for over 26 years. He was one of the original appointees, nno for ninny years his work covered the whole of North and South Canterbury and Westland. He retired on renchins tho age limit, and for some time past had lived quietly with his son at the Hutt. His was a genial and kindly nature, and many a young engineer has benefited h\ the sound advice given by the deceased. His wife predeceased him by thirteen years, Mr. Croll leaves four sons, sh grandsons, thrco granddaughters, and one great-grandchild. The interment is to take place at Christchurch.

Mt. W. F. Bisset, advertising manager of tho "Southland Times/' is in Wellington on a business visit.

Sergeant C. W. Kelly, of Blenheim, has been promoted to tho rank of souiorsergeant and appointed to tho charge- of Mount Cook Police Station to fill the vacancy caused by tho death of the Into Senior-Sergeant Crean. Sergeant O'Hara, of the Wharf Police, is to bo transferred to Blenheim. Plain-clothes Constable Russell, also of Wellington, has been .detailed for duty at Nelson.

On tho eve of his marriage-, Mr. F. T. Leighton, of tho staff of the chemical laboratory, Department of Agriculture, was the recipient of a gift, a silver tea service, from his fellow-officers. Dr. C. J. Rente, Director-General of Agriculture, in making tho presentation on behalf of those present, congratuated Mr. Leighton on his energetic services in the Department, and wished-him every success and happiness for the future. Mr. Leighton, in replying, thanked the gathering for their expressions of good-will.

Dr. A. Eisdell Moore, of Mount Eden, has passed the final examination for the Fellowship of the Royal College'of Surgeons, London. Dr. Moore has been serving as captain in the R.A.M.C. since the commencement of the war. He was for some time in France and Mesopotamia, and is still on service as orthopaedic surgeon at the Southmead Military Hospital, Bristol.