PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 235, 28 June 1919, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

The Hon. Sir William Eraser, Minister of Public Works, will return to Wellington. from Auckland by to-day's .express.

Among the passengers to leave for England by the. Arawn to-morrow will be Mr. Harold Beauchamp (chairman of the Bank of New Zealand) and Miss J. Beauchamp, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Bourke, of Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Guthrie-Smith and family, of Napier; Captain G. S. Hooper-(of the Government training ship Amokura) and Mrs. Hooper, of Wellington: tlio Dev. Father O'Reilly, of Wellington; and Mr. and Mrs. E. D.vmock, of Wellington. Mr. J. B. Harcourl. who has been confined io his bed for Ihe last fortnight, is now making steady progress towards recovery. ' The' death of Mr. J. G. Castle, a wellknown public man, occurred in.Petone yesterday, the cause of deatli being heart failure." Mr. Castle had been in poor health since the recent epidemic, and the loss of his son at the front gave him a elioek from which he never really recovered. He was 63.years of age, and came to New Zealand' from the Old •Country as a young man.' Mr. Castle had been a resident of i'etone' for over 110 vears, and he was on the staff of the Gear Meat Company. He look a prominent part in public-affairs in.l'etone, having been a borough councillor, chairi .an of . the Potone Technical School Board, and for many years treasurer of the 'I'etone'Bowling Ciub. -He wps'i\lso connected for a "long time, with St. Augustine's 1 Church in Petone, having held'the office of churchwarden. . ..He is survived by his wife, two sons. and. a daughter. The I'etone West School was closed yesterday afternoon in memory of tlio deceased.

Slaff-Sergennt 'J'. A. Homing, .who went .to the war with the Thirteenth .Reinforcement?,' returned by thu Ma'ungnnui. o:i .Monday. He. was twice wounded, at the first : battle of the Sqmme and at I'asscliendaelc. Before ho joined the Army Mr..Fleming was a journalist,.on the Auckland ".Herald,'"' the Chrisfchurch

''Press,'' and Die Christchurch "Star." He has not settled down to. work yet as a. civilian ngaiii, but he will probably go tack to his old position as sub-editor of the "Star." ■ ,

There was a,very largo attendance hi the funeral yesterday attemoon oi hie late Mr. Hamilton Gilmer. The chief, mourners were Dr. H. Gilmer and Jlr. Knox. Gilmer (sons), and three grandsons, Messrs. W. E. Bethune, B. Hilbcrtoss, T. Madden, G. H. Dixou, Frank Hamilton (Nelson), and Phipson attended nt tho family residence, Wellington Terrace, as pall-bearers, and the vestrymen of St. Peter's acted in a similar capacity at the church; Ammffist those who paid a last tribute of respect were the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. Jl'acDonald), the Mayor, .of Wellington (Jlr. J. P. J.nke,* C.M.G., M.1'.),, Sir Jonu Findlay, M.P.. .the Hon.. O. Samuel, M.L.C., Mr. Cyril Ward. (Christchurch),representatives of the Bank of New Zealand, Messrs. J. Staples and Co., Ltd.. Government Insurance Department, and other branches of the mercantile community. The service was conducted by Archdeacon H. , Watson, \iear .of St. Peter's, who also officiated at the graveside at Karori. As the mourners lett. the church, the Dead March in Saul was played by the organist, Dr.. .iyue. Amongst the numerous wreaths was one from Sir Joseph and Lady Ward.

Mr. C. A. Tabuteau, formerly-man-ager of the Bank of New South Wales at Masterton, Hawera, Gisbcrne, and Afihburton, and for four years accountant of the Wellington branch, died last.night from heart failure at the age of seventyone, telegraphs our Masterton correspondent. Ho leaves no family. The death occurred at Petone,' af: 2.30 o'clock yesterday morning, of Mr. ,T. (j. Castle, who was for many years employed Oil the Gear Company s staff. ,The late Mr. C'astlo took an active part 111 local matters, and was, up till the tmio of Jus death, chairman of the Petone \\ est School Committee. As a token- of respect the school flags were flown tit half-mast and the schools were closed for the day.