PERSONALIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8353, 13 February 1913, Page 3

PERSONALIA

VICE-REGAL. His Excellency the Governor returns to Wellington to-day iu the Tut:iekai from his visit to the Marlborough Sounds. Lord Liverpool leaves shortly after his arrival for Dannevirke, to be present at the agricultural show there. Mr E. J. Watt, of Hawke’s Bay, has hooked passage by the Ulimaroa, leaving Wellington to-morrow ior Sydney. Mr A. E. Kernot and Mrs Kernot, of Wellington, who had been on an extended tour abroad, returned by the Maungauui yesterday. Mr F. W. Mansfield, RegistrarGeneral, who studied the proportional representation system during the recent Tasmanian elections, returned to Wellington yesterday by the -Uaunganm. Mr Ben Fuller arrived at Wellington yesterday by the -uauuganui from Sydney on a brief business trip. He will return to’Sydney about the end .of the week. Mr A. Elliott, Collector of Customs, Christchurch, who was on annua! leave at Wanganui, died suddenly early yesterday morning. Apparently deceased* had just got ‘out of bed. Mrs Elliott, who liad risen earlier, found him quite dead on returning to the bedroom. Death was due to heart failure. Mr W. H. Vincent, M. Inst. E.E., London, who has been electrical engineer in the works branch of the Home Affairs Department, Melbourne, has been appointed Chief Electrical Engineer to the Brisbane Electrical Supply Company, at £6OO a year. Mr W. Fitzpatrick, Chief Commissioner of Victorian Railways, who has been iu ill-health for some time, is about to start on a tour of Europe and America. He hopes, in addition to regaining his health, to find out a good deal that is new about the working ol electrified suburban railways. The Cabinet has commissioned him to spend five months inspecting the systems ol America and Europe. Old opera-goers will regret to hear of the death of Signora Angelina Sohiavi, a very capable player of the ’cello, who passed away last week at Rose Bay, Sydney. Signora Schiavl came to Australia in 1888, as a member of the orchestra of the Simonsen Italian Opera Company, conducted by Signor Lombardi. She came of a distinguished Italian musical family, her father being Signor Truffi, a wellknown Milanese musician. During her residence in Sydney Signora Schiavl was connected with the principal musical organisations of the city. Her husband, Signor Lugi Schiavl, bassoon player, and a grown-up son survive her. Eulogistic references to the unselfish and valued labours of the Rev. William Gittos, who at eighty-three years of age, has just laid down the duties of superintendent of Methodist Maori Missions, were made by the Rev, C. H. Garland in his speech at the Methodist gathering in the Town Hall last night. Mr Garland declared his conviction that if the statesmen of thirty years ago were still alive to-day William Gittos would not be allowed to go into retirement without some State recognition of what he had done. (Applause.) There had been times when hostile tribes all ready for war had quietly gone away at 4 the gentle command of the veteran missionary, while the settlers in the Waikato lived for years in security and peace because they knew that he was moving about and using his mana on their behalf. Over a long period of years, and often amid much suffering, ho had proved himself a true hero of the Church and the Dominion. (Applause.) In memory of Mr Diedrich Honno, botanical collector and last survivor oT the Landsborough Relief Expedition of 1861, who died at North Sydney on January 21st, and was buried at Gorehill cemetery on the following day, Mr J. H. Maiden writes to the Sydney ‘“Telegraph”: “Landsborough’s party went by sea in search of Burke and Wills, and was conveyed in the Victorian warship Victoria, Captain Norman, from Melbourne to Brisbane, thence to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Landsborough established his main camp or depot at Sweer’s Island, went up the Albert river to the junction ot the Norman river, and established a depot at the hulk of the Firefly at thia spot. Mr Henno was born at Hanover, in Germany, and an assistant to Baron von Mueller m the Melbourne Herbarium. By him he wa« nominated as botanical collector to Landsborough’s expedition. He brought six cases of botanical specimens, which were deposited in the Melbourne Herbarium. Shortly after his return from the expedition he entered into mercantile pursuits, and was eighteen years hon. treasurer to the Melbourne Liedertafel. Ficus Henneana, a handsome native fig in coastal Queensland and New South Wales, commemorate* him, and I have seen letters which show how highly Baron von Mueller held him in esteem fpr his personal qualities.” Dr A. Anstruther Lawson, who wa* until recently a member of the staff of the Glasgow University, arrived m Sydney last week to take the Chair of Botany at Sydney University. Dr Lawson is D.Sc. of Glasgow University, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., and is a member of the Royal Arboricultural and .other scientific societies. He is a native or Fifeshire, is a son of Mrs J. Kerr-Law-son, the well-known Scottish novelist, and a brother of Mr James Kerr-Law-son, artist. With respect to the Glasgow University, Dr Lawson stated, in answer to a query, that the policy of the institution was to keep down the number of students by aiming at higher efficiency. At present there were about 2000 students attending, the majority of whom took either the medical, engineering, or naval architecture courses. The university was now looked upon as one of the highest scientific ustitutions. and much of its progress was due, in bis opinion, to the influence of three of the greatest scientists of the last century—Lords Kelvin, Lester, and Sir William Hooker. Ul Lawson began his botanical education it Glasgow in 1895 under Professor F. J. Bower. After his undergraduate clays, he spent several years iu botanical exploration. One summer he spent n the Sierra Nevada Mountains with Professor W. L. Jepson, obtaining first hand information with regard to the remarkably interesting coniferous trees of the “acific Slope. During these investigations many interesting photographs of trees and shrubs were obtained in their native habitat. The followding summer, Dr Lawson, in company with two ;ther botanists, organised an expedition to the Aleutian Islands, for the purpose of studying as completely as ime would permit the plants of all the groups inhabiting the sub-Arctic island jf Unalaska. Several were spent in this work, and extensive collections made. On the return journey, valuable collections were also made ai various places on the Alaskan coast.