PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 206, 26 May 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Vice-Rjkgal. His Excellency tho Governor-General who presided at the Dominion Boy Scouts’ Association Conference yesterday will leave for Auckland again this evening. Ho will leave the tram at Hamilton to attend to several fixtures in the Waikato.

The Minister of Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie) returned to Wellington yesterday He and the Minister of Native Affairs (Hon. J G. Coates) conferred with Natives at Whakatane a few days ago regarding the settlement of Urewera lands but Mr. Guthrie did not accompany Mr. Coates on a subsequent journey through the Urewera. The Minister of Labour and Mines (Hon. G. J. A.nderson) is due back in Wellington to-morrow.

Dr. C. J. Reakes, Director of Agriculture, is due to reach Wellington today, after a short visit to Australia.

Mr. A. E. Mabin, who has been negotiating on behalf of New Zealand with the Australian directors of the BritishAustralian Wool Realisation Association, will Teach Wellington to-day on ths Westralia.

Mr. A. D. Cook has resigned the position of local manager of the Royal Insurance Company, Ltd., and Mr. H. P. Hopkins, of Christchurch, has been appointed in his stead, with Mr. Clive Hill as assistant local manager. Mr. Justin Oxenham, secretary of the Postmaster-General’s Department of the Commonwealth, will arrive at Auckland by the Niagara on Saturday next, en route to Melbourne. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Haselden are leaving for Sydney by tho Manuka. They intend staying in Australia for aliout six months. 1

Mr. and Mrs. John Fuller, sen,, of Auckland, left on a trip to England by the Remiiera yesterday afternoon. Mr. A. H. Bay, who has been in business in Wellington for some time as a land • and commission agent, Avith Mrs. Bijy, leaves for Sydney by the Manuka to-day, where he intends to go into business in connection with some patents, of which he has secured the Australian rights.

A. Press Association telegram from Greymouth states that Mr. J. McCarthy, who has been a member of the Grey County Council for 34 years, has been elected chairman of that body. A Press Association telegram from Hokitika states that Mr. Bernard Ward was yesterday elected chairman of the Westland County.

Sir Edward Parrott, formerly an influential Scottish Literal, died suddenly in Edinburgh on April 5. He was tern at Marple, Cheshire, in 1863. While occupying various teaching posts in Sheffield and Liverpool he found time to begin the editing and preparation of school books, which was the principal task of his life. In 1898 he was appointed educational editor in the publishing house of Thomas Nelson and Sons in Edinburgh. He soon became a political force in the East of Scotland, being chairman of the South Edinburgh Liberal Association from 11)04-17 and of the Edinburgh United Liberal Committee from 1908-19. In 1910 his services to his party were recognised by a knighthood. He was elected M.P. for South Edinburgh in 1917, and at the general election of 1918 stood for West Edinburgh as an Independent Libera], but was defeated. During the war he did good work for Belgian and Serbian refugees.

A correspondent, “Te Pana,” writes: “The death occurred at the age of 88 of Mr. Robert Hejxry Head, trader of Niue Island, the best known and respected man in the South Sea Islands. Fifty years ago Mr. Head was travelling on the mission schooner John Williams when she was wrecked on Savage Island; from the moment of landing on a spaxthrough the surf, he was fascinated with the possibilities of the lonely isle. He never left Niue. Mr. Head married on the island, and thei'e were fifteen children of the union, most of them at' - present resident in New Zealand and Australia. His eldest son. Harry, was a crack rifle shot in. his time, and on one occasion was included in a team which represented this Domixxion at Bisley. Another son, Frank, was a passenger - on the schooner Jubilee which left Auckland for Niue last year, and has never since been heard of. Mr. Head was a deeply religious man and for some years represented the London Missionary Society in Niue. At odd times ho was of immense service to both the British and New Zealand Governments, his influence with the natives being considerable. In his early days on the island he had a brush with the South Sea pirate, “Bully” Hayes. This sea. "angstei - purchased the entire “trade stock of Head’s store, the bill amounting to something like £560. Mr. Head*w - as invited aboard Hayes’s ship to receive payment; two days' later the young man was set ashore on a lonely part of the island with. two holts of cotton pi mt in his possession, and a request that he should hand the cloth over to the native "labour” who had loaded the "trade” goods in Hayes’s vessel, from that time Mr. Head did business on a cash or “trade” basis only, and was verv wary of small schooners with giro, smooth-tongued skippers.” Mr. and Mr. John Tait, who since Friday last have motored from Picton to Dunedin, and back again to Lyttelton, returned from the south yesterday morning, having experienced an enjoyable trip in perfect weather. They leave to-day for Auckland to, catch the Niagara for Sydney on Saturday. The death occurred ■at Kobe Kohe, Auckland, on Tuesday, of Mr. J. A. Renall, a formex - resident of Masterton. Deceased was a son of the late Mr. A. W. Renall of Masterton, who was closely associated with the early days of the Wairarapa. The late Mr. J. A. Renall took a keen interest in local politics, and was Mayor of Masterton on two or three occasions, besides being connected with various other local bodies. Deceased was also a keen supporter of sport, particularly football. The late Mr. Renall left Masterton some yeays ago for the Auckland province, where he successfully engaged in farming. Mr. Roger Renall. of Masterton, is a brother of deceased,. Deceased, who was 67 years of age, leaves a family of ten children. One son was killed lat the war.