PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 1, 27 September 1920, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Mr, John Burns, of Messrs, John Burns and Co.. Ltd., of Auckland, arrived front Christchurch yesterday, and will remain in Wellington until about tho end of this week.

Dr. W. D. ScaTmell, late assistant medical superintendent of the Dunedin Hospital, has left for London, where he intends to undergo a special course of study.

Yesterday was the golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. John Kirkcaldie, two well-known and esteemed residents of Wellington, who were the recipients of many greetings and good wishes from a wide circle of relatives and friends. Wellington was a small place when Mr. ITirkcaldie in 1863, with iiis friond the late Mr. Robert Stains, founded the firm of Kirkoaldio and Stains olose to the spot occupied by Barrett's Hotel. Within five years it was found necessary to obtain more extensive premises, and the site upon which the front portion of the present drapery establishment stands on Lambton Quay to-day was secured from the Provincihl Government at .£lO and £12 per foot, figures that in these daye of high prices aro Indeod staggering in their modesty. Since then the march of the firm has been one of steady and sure progress. It is not so long ago since Mr. Kirkcaldie retired from the directorate of tho firm. Mr. Angus M'Neil, M.A., Inspector of Schools under tho Southland Education Board, lias been transferred in a similar capacity to Christchurch, and will loavo Invercargill in the course of a fow weeks.

Mr. W. E. Hird, headmaster of the Patea District High School, has been promoted to the hcadmastership of Taihape District High School. The death is announced at Sydney, on September 6, of Captain P. JI. Poole, who was well known in New Zealand shipping circles. Death was duo to pneumonia. Captain Poolo, who was 41 years of age, was born at Nelson. Ho was for years an officer in tho Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's service. Later, he joined the steamer Lombard, trading between Sydney, Ocean Island, and Durban. He subsequently entered tho Island trade, and remained-there, save for n, short period on tho New Zealand coast, unfil April last, when he went to Sydney for a holiday. He was anticipating an early return to his old position, under the Solomon Islands Government.

Mr. J. L. Young, of Auckland, left by the Main Trunk on Saturday for Auckland, hut will return to Wellington this week.

Mr. D. Cooke, Australasian representative of the General Steamship Corporation, is to leave for Sydney by the Moana to-day.

Sir Keith Smith, who' accompanied his brother. Sir Ross Smith, on tiro first aerial flight from to Australia, was accorded an enthusiastic civic reception at, Palmerston North on Saturday, cays TnE Dominion's special correspondent. The public gave hira a great ovation at night, when ho delivered a lecture and screened a remarkable film of the journey.