PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 38

PERSONAL ITEMS.

We regret to have to record the deaih, from pneumonia, of Mrs Allen, wife of Mr E. G. Allen, M.P. for Chalmers. Three well-known Dunedin citizens in the persons of Mt F. R. Manning, Mr J. H. Morrison, and Mr J. N. Brown returned last month from abroad.

A cablegram from London received in Sydney announces the death of Mr Ames Hellican, superintendent of the Bank of Australasia, who was formerly in the service; of the bank at Auckland, Thames, and Christchurch. Mr John Nash, sub-editor-in-chief of the Melbourne Argus, arrived in Wellington on Friday morning by the Marama, and will remain there for a few days, grior to leaving for the north. " *"_,,,. On the evening of Boxing Day the Kaitangata Wesleyan Methodist choir and a number of friends held a social gathering for the purpose of bidding farewell to Mr O. Purnell, who is about to leave for the north. The chair was occupied by tho choirmaster (Mr ' Stephenson), who in a few well-chosen remarks bore -testimony to the esteem in which the guest of the evening was held, and trusted that ere long fce~would retrace his 3tepa and rejoin his friends in. Kartangata. Mr Purnell suitably replied. During the evening solos were sung by Mrs Ball and, Misses Rowe, Sims, Sfubbs, and Purnell. A recitation was given by Miss Beardsmore, and » reading by Messrs Hay and Stephenson. Games were freely indulged in and ample refreshments were supplied by lady ° Mr Granville. Waddy, son of Mr P. R. Waddy, manager of the Commercia-l Bank "at West Maitland, has been awarded the New South Wales Rhodes scholarship for 1908. Mr Waddy is a brother of the Rev. Stacy Waddy, head master of King's School, Parramatta. He is in his third year a/t the university, studying medicine. Like his brothers t the well-known cricketers, and the present head master (says the Sydney Morning Herald), Mr Waddy was educated at tae JOnfc's School, Paxraznatt*, after preliminary education at the High School, East Miaatland, upon a scholarship. His university career has been distinguished by pacing with honours at each year's examination, and by the prominent part taken in tfce sporting field, particularly in the athletic club, of which he has been hon secretary for two years. For thie© years he has been mile champion of the inter-university games, and represented New South Wales m the last Australasian championships m the mueand three miles. Besides playing with the University Second Eleven and Seoond Fifteen, Mr Waddy "devoted his energies to the University Scouts and rose to the rank of sergeant. He has represented St. Paul's m intercollegiate events for three years m cricket, football, athletics, and shooting. Newa has been received of the death of Mr Robert L. Ritchie, who had for Tsome time been connected "with the literary staff of the Kalgoorlie Miner. The pa.per with, which he was connected -says of him:— "Generous to a fault, he was always ready to do a good turn, and there is not a person in Kalgoorlie or" Boulder who could honestly pay he was ever. guilty of doing anyone an. intentional injustice." Mr Ritchie was born in Port Chalmers, and attended the High School " there." Having obtained a scholarship, he attended the Boys? High School. From here X© first went to Zeehan, in Tasmania. Then he went to Bendigo, and was connected! with the staff of the Bendigo Indapendent, subsequently becoming Bendigo representative of the Ag€: While in this position, he succeeded in obtaining a first class mine manager's certificate, and also passed the examination in metallurgy at the Besndigo School of Mines. He was only 35 years of age at the time of his death, and was unmarried.

A very l*rge and representative ga.tb.ering of the friends of Mr Charles Draper met in St. George's Hall, Milton on Friday, December" 27, on the occasion of his lenving Milton to take, up his abode in Duaedin , as head auctioneer for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company. Mr John A. Duthie occupied the chair, and repr-esentaitives were present from 1 the Farmers' Co-operative Association (Messrs A. Buchanan and G. Smith), J. A. Duthie and Co. (Mr J. J. Lane), Weight, Stepbenson. and Co. (Mr N. Mackay), D»lgety and Co. (Mr H. Bell), New Zealand! Loan and Mercantile Company (Mr W. Corbett). Many complimeji'tary speeches were laudatory of Mr Draper's business ability and social qualities, and' incidental -to the occasion was the presentation to Mir Draper of a handsome gold" stop watch. An Auckland telegram states that several respected , pioneers have passed away with the fading of the old y-ear. Mrs Agnes Xtar•tin, one of Auckland's earliest colonists, having arrived in the province as far back as 1835, died yesterday morning. For three years she resided- in. the- Bay of Islands, and two years before Governor Hobson went £o Auckland she removed to that verity, and resided here evex since. Another very_ old colonist, Mr R. D. L. Duffus, died on Sunday at the~ age of 70. He was a son of the Rev. J. Duffus M.A., of Mangonui, and came to New Zealand in 1848. He was a surveyor 'by profession, and was formerly a well-known land agent of Auckland. The death of Mr Albert Hughes, a gentleman well-known in sporting circles, and whose colours were well known on the turf, also took place at noon yesterday at Onenunga.

Mr A. R. Barclay. M.P. for Dunedin Nbith, is spending a- few days in the Auckland district.

-Mr Thomas Culling, formerly of Dunedin, snd now resident in Auckland, arrived in Ducedin by the first express from the north on Dec. 31. Mr Culling, who assures us he is completely restored in health, and is his old self again, purposes remaining in Dunedin for five or six weeks. He has taken up his residence at tbe Otago Club. - District Judge Haselden. will leave Wellington for -the West Coast affer the holidays. After holdih* sittings at Westoort, Greymoutlv. Reefton, Hokitika, and Kumara, he will go on to New Plymouth and sit at various centres between there and Wellington.

ATohbishop Dunne, of Brisbane, has just celebrated his silver jubilee. He has been ii years amongst the people in Queensland. Mt P. A. Voder, formerly director and chemist of ther agricultural experimental station in "Utah (U.S.A.). was a recent arrival in Sydney. He is travelling to study agricultural conditions in Australia, New Zealand, and other countries.

Among the visitors to Rew_ Zealand at present are Mr John Game (immediate pastpresident of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England an<! Wales), Mrs G»ne, and Miss G-aneg who expect to make a stay of several months bsfore returning Home, via Vancouver. The Very Rev. Dean Ginaity, who ha£ just lieen appointed Vicar-general (cays the Press) of the Catholic diocese of Christchurch, was one of the very early priests having charge of Christcliurch. This wa-s before the erection of Canterbury into a, diocese, and whilst it was a mission under the the charge of I Bishop (now AraM-*acon) Redwood. The Very

Rev. the Dean retired from active work es a parish priest in order to carry out a mission which was then, as it is now, the great end of his life — namely, the establishment of Mcjint Magdala.

Mr Chamberlain, collector o-f Customs at Dunedin for many years. retired on the 31st ult. on a well-earr:-ed pension. He will be succeeded by Mr Sibbald, lately ollecior at Napisr. Mr Sibbald is no stranger in -this city, having spent his boyhood here, and finished his education at the High School, Dunedin. He was in the Bank of Otago for three x ears j a.nd left after passing the civil service senior examination. He was appointed a cadet in tho Customs here, and after six months was removed to Auckland, and was afterwards in Christchurch and Wellington. He has filled every position in the department, having been landing surveyor in Auckland for 14 years before being appointed to Napier.

Cardinal Moran wiL visit New Zealand to open the new Roman Catholic Cathedral in Auckland on February 23. His Eminence, who has paid two previous visits to this country, "will , arrive a week before the ceremony, and spend the interval at Rotorua. He will not come to Wellington, as his advancing years Tender unnecessary travel inadvisable. All the New Zealand Roman Catholic bishops will attend the ceremony, and Bishop O'Connor, of Armidale, and probably some other Australian bishops, are expected to be present. Cardinal Moran will leave Auckland for Sydney the day following the ceremony, and Bishops Verdon, of Dunedin, and Lenihan, of Auckland, will leave by the same steamer, preparatory to paying a visit to Europe.

Constable W. H. Miller, who was recently transferred to Christchurch. after being stationed at Port Chalmers for a. number of years, has just retired from the force on superannuation.

The Hon. George Jones, M.L.C., who ha® been ailing for some little time, and who has just spent three weeks in Nurs© Tombes's private hospital in Dunedin, where he underwent an operation, was aufficienlUv recovered to return on the 2nd inst. to his home at Oiamaru. Accounts received yesterday report continued progress in convalescence.

In the results of the senior examinations of the Bankers' Institute of Australasia for November, 1907, Mr F. G. Jolly, of the National Bank of New Zealand, Tapanui, heads the list for Australasia, passing with

" very great credit," and obtaining the institute's first gold medal and associate diploma. Mr Jolly has just received a letter from the secretary of the institute in Melbourne complimenting him on his splendid papers. Admiral Sir Wilmot Fawkes, Lady Fawkes. and severai members of the Admiral's staff, left Christchurch- on the 2nd on a fishing -excursion to the Rangitata. The party will afterwards visit Dunedin.

The position of deputy registrar of the Supreme Court and clerk of awards at Dunedin:, vacated by the transfer of, Mr A Stubbs. will be filled by Mr T. E. Roberts. The latter gentleman has for some years been assistant to Mr C. C. Graham, official assignee in bank- ! ruptcy. West Coast travellers rallied in force to I the Commercial Travellers' Club en December 31 to .make a presentation' to Mr Geo. ( Brown, of Messrs A. and T; Burt (Lt<fc), who is * leaving his position as traveller to take -that of manager of their Inve-roargill branch. Mr John Myera, who mad© the presentation, spoke highly of the esteem in which i)he reoipient was held on the Coast. Messrs Clhurton., Bird, G. Bush, Meale, Raymond, aaid others also spoke. The demise on Christmas Day of an old ,and respected resident of the Tokomairiro Plain, in th» person of Mrs M'Murray, is recorded. M*s M'Murrry was 64 years of age. There died on Dec. 30 at Foxton the oldest Presbyterian minister in New Zealand in the person of the Rev. J. Duncan. Mr Duncan was born at Airdrie, Scotland, in 1813, and was therefore in his ninty-fifth year. _He was ordained in 1842, and commenced missionary work aniong the Maoris in 1843. Thereafter he resided aflmost continuously in the Manawatu district.

Intimafton was received in Dunedin on Dec. 31 of the death, at the great age of 96 years, of Mrs Hay, of Romahapa. It was our duty on August 2 to record the death of Mr John Hay. Commissioner of Crown Lands at Invercargill. The lady now deceased was his mother. Mrs Hay w«a a very old resident of New Zealand, as ahe arrived in New Zealand with her husband in 1849 in -the Ajax. Mrs Miller, wife of Mr Peter Miller, of this city, ia a daughter of tho deceased. Mrs Ellen Ijeask, of Ophir, d.ied at Black's Flat on December 27, aged 71 years. The- deceased lady arrived in New Zealand by the sailing ship Vicksberg in 1867, and was married at Ophir in the same year to Mr William Leask, who was a miner at that time, but afterwards turned his attention to farming and hotelkeeping, and was very successful, and who has now retired. The deceased leaves a family of three sons and one daughter, all grown up. The cause of death "was chronic bronchitis, contracted on the voyage out from the Home Country. The friends of Mr Samuel Rutherford will learn with surprise and regret of his death at Ms residence, Quainbaittock, Kakanui, on December 31. Mr Rutherford lost his wife some" seven months ago, and her death seriously affected his health. Though not confined to bed; in fact, he waa in Oamaru four days before bis- death, he had been, very unwell, and grief, together with affection of the heart, brought about his demisft as stated. He was a son of the late Mr Gideon Rutherford, having been, born in Victoria in 1872. He came with 'his parents to Otago in 1879, and was brought up at Kakanui as a sheep farmer. On his farthers decease he acquired the property, and has since resided there. Of a- retiring disposition, his chief interest waa in his farm and his stud merino sheep, but he also took an active interest in church work, and was generous to all philanthropic causes. He leaves one little child, now an orphan. The funeral obsequies took place at the Oamaxu Cemetery on the 3rd. being conducted by the Revs. J. M'lvor and 1 R. F. Elder, in the presence of a largei number of friends. Mr C H. C. Seton has been transferred from the Narrabri (New South Wales) branch of the Bunk of Australasia to the Dunedin office. ' Mt W. Ross, of the Bank of Australasia, Dunedin. has passed 1 with credit the senior examination of the Bankers' Institute^ and has been made an associate of the institute. Mr F. G. Jolly, of the National Bank of New Zealand, Taipanui, passed with very great credit, asiS was awarded a first gold medal and an associate diploma. Among the changes and appointments recently made in the staff of the Union Bank of Australasia (Ltd.) are:— Mt "G. E. Tolhurst. to resume the inspectorship in. New Zealand ; Mr A. F. Grant, io be manager of the Stratford branch; Mr N. R. M'Leod, to be accountant at Onotiki. On New Year's "Eve the Mayor of Palmerston (Mr E. H. Clark) was met by his employees, and rwesented with a hand>ome gold albert. Mr James Young, the senior workman, in makmg the presentation, re-ferred to the good feeling that had always existed between Mr Clark and his empjpy/ees.

Cle.rk feelingly returned thanks, and the proceedings teinunated with cheers for Mr* and Mrs Clark. A correspctndent writes to the Southland Tunes stating that there paesed away at the Riverton Hospifal, a few weeks ago, Mr Robert Black Stuart, a young hmji wiio was highly estaem-ed by all who knew him. He was the second son of Mr a.nd Mrs Stuart, of Waiinatuku, and died after a. paonful illness of four months, at the early age of 25 years. His illness was fch.© result of an accident which he met while playing cricket in the district some two years and. a-half ago. Mr li. S. Ayson, chief inspector of fisheries, arrived in Invercargill on Friday afternoon, and proceeded t:> the "Western District on tne same day. Mr Ayson's business is to select a site for a salmon hatchery on the "Waiau River. One of the oldest and most respected residents of Invercaigill, Mr D. Roche, has susstainsd a bereavement in the sudden decease of his youngest son, Alphonsus James, at tli-e age of 21 years. The young man left for Dunedin on Christmas Day (says the SouthIsrad ISPews) for a holiday, and on the Thursday before last, when spending the day at Anderson's Bay. met with a fall which he did not expect would have serious results, and, though be suffered from c. sore head, lie did: not consult a doctor. He returned 'home on Monday night, and said nothing to his parents about the accident, but on Tuesday morning lie complained of feeling unwell, and. when Doctor Young was sent for. it was found, that he was suffering from inflammation of the brain, from: whidh. h» succumbed on "Wednesday morning. "A. few years ago the deceased had a -fall in his father's shop, where he was employed, and met with am injury to his head, wHdh, his medical adviser told him. might develop into something serious should he receive a" knock in the same place, and it is probaVe that this "occurred, with the result statsd. A representative body of citizens met in Sydney a few days ago under the presidency of the Lord Mayor (A!c"erman Hughes) for | the purpose of taking steps to recognise the services of Mr William Sandfotd to the State and Commonwealth in the establishment of the iron industry. Warm testimony was given to the work Mr Sandiord had done at Lithgow, and by one speaker he was bracketed with Macaithur and Mort as the chief men who had assisted in the building up of Australia. There was some difference of opinion as to what form the recognition should take, some advocating a statue, others a bust, and a third party a scholarship. Eventually a good majority decided on a banquet in the Town Hall. The story of Stefano Razeto, which came before the courts at Invercargill and Dunedin in so many shapes, has had a melancholy sequel. At Melbourne on Thursday, December 27, there was found lying on the bank of the Yarra the dead body of a man with a bullet wound in his head. " The body has been identified," says a Sydney paper, " as that of Martino Razetto, an Italian, 31 years of age, whose father is said to be a wealthy resident of Genoa. Deceased had wired to his father for money, and evidently was disappointed about not receiving it, though his friends say that it will probably arrive in a few days." This paragraph (says the Southland Times) needs little further explanation. Razeto came here with the ship Stefano Razeto, having picked her up_ at Premantle and come to the port of destination to watch proceedings on behalf of the owners. He was a well educated man, speaking English freely, and of an unusuaPy pleasing- appearance and- address.