PERSONAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 37

PERSONAL ITEMS.

I Mrs Duncan Stewart, whose death at North Ta.ieri was noted in last week's issue, found her early life in Otago somewhat adventurous. The first engagement Mr Stewart was to manage the stock on the station of Messrs Sinstell and Smith, whither Mr and Mrs Stewart sailed in an open boat. Their only neighbours were Maoris, and a white face was rarely seen. The Natives were very friendly;, although Mrs Stewart was badly scared on one occasion when a Maori entered the hut brandishing a tomahawk and demanding i tobacco. Fortunately Mr Smith arrived on ■ the scene, and placated the Maori with the article he required. Mr Stewart subsequently took up the_ Barewood run, which ' was then almost inaccessible, and communi- ' cation with him could be maintained only ' 1 by bullock teams or on foot. Mrs Stewart - J frequently did the journey on foot, and ' ! regarded the feat as one of no importance. t Eventually Mr and Mrs Stewart settled j at North Taieri at the farm at Stewart's Glen, where Sir Stewart . died in 1870. Four sons and four daughters survive their I mother. j Dr P. D. Cameron, a son of the late Captain Cameron, has been appointed temporary assistant pathologist to the Dunedin Hospital. During a discussion upon a motion before the Hospital Trustees on the 18th instant j Mr S. Solomon (chaiiman) incidentally announced his intention of retiring from his trusteeship at the close of the year. The late Mrs John Gray, who died at her residence, " Mains of Park," Matauraf a- few days ago, was. a native of Wjgtonfihire, Scotland, and settled on the Waikana, Mataura, with her husband at the close of the sixties. By industry and thrift they converted the wilds into the present smiling, well-tilled farm. Mr and Mrs George Addison, who have been residents of Tapanui for the past 32 years, celebrated their golden wedding on 'the 12th inst., having (says the Courier) been married in the Old Country on the 12th August, 1859. Three days later they sailed for New Zealand. Mr and Mrs Addison were the recipients of numerous congratulatory telegiams, end many pre- | sent* and cheo.ues. I News has been received at Oamaru of I the death in London, on the 21st June, of Mr Alexander Kerr, who was a quarter of a. oentory ago a conspicuous figure in Oamaru. Mr Kerr, who had previously held a similar position in Nelson, went to Oamaru in the seventies as manager of the local branch of the National Bank of New Zealand. For a time thereafter Mr Kerr carried on business as a wine and spirit, merohanit, but then went to London, where i he has since been connected with the African Banking Company TsJlv Yung Liang Hwang, Consm for Chin* in New Zealand, has received advice from the preside<nt of hi* aima, ma^r," Baker University, Kansas, that the honorary degree of Master of Arts has been conferred upon him "in recognition of hie being "a man of high scholarly attainments, of broad human ""sympathies, proud of hi« race, devoted to forces of culture and Christianity at work among his people." Mr Hwang was educated first at the Nanking University, and finally a* Columbia University, New York. One of th© best-known and most popular residents of the Ohrietchurch road, in the person of Mr Arthur Davies, passed away (says our Greymoutb correspondent) at Rugg'e Hotel, Kumara, at 4 a.m. on Sunday, 15th inst. Deceased had been in poor health for some months, and was an inmate of the Kumara Hosjpitai for several weeks until recently. He was 58 years old, and a native of London, but came to New Zealand in his infancy. Far many years he was one of the most popular and trusted drivers in change of Oassidy and Co. s coaches on the Christohurch road. He retired from this position some years ago, and has since been employed in charge of a section of the road under the Government. Deceased leaves a widow and grown-up family of five soiw and two daughters The Education Board at its meeting last wrek appointed Mr D. T. Fleming to act as one of its representatives on the Technical Classes Board of Managers, vice the Hon. Thos. Fergus, resigned. Miss Violet M. Greig, at present first assistant in the Waitaki Girls' High School, has (says a Press Association message) been appointed head mistress of the Napier Girls' High School, in succession to Miss Spencer, resigned. The Dominion states that Mr C. J. Fulton, chief fibre expert of the Agricultural Department, Mr D. D. Hyde, chief poultry expert, and S.ignor Bragato, vitieulturist. re- | tire from the service as from the end of the present month. The Bruce Herald states that tho un- | fortunate Mrs Penney, who was found dead ! near Wellington on tho. 15th met. under melancholy circumstances, belonged to a • family well known in Otago. Her father, | Mr Thos. Edwards, died in Dunedin some !18 months aero. For many years he was I with the Railway Department, and superintended tho driving of the Round Hill tunnel, on the Milton-Lawrence railway. He ako worked at Manuka. Creek mining in partneiihir' with the late George Coombe and paity. Mrs Penney was the only daughter." "While sta-yui^ in Dunedin 6he was married to Mr Penney, who was then omploved by tho D.I.C Some 16 months ago the husband died by his own hand, and since then Mrs Penney's mind became unhinged. She was about 39 years of age at the time of her death. I When the resignation of Mr Joseph E. Steven*, head master of the Clyde School, came before the Education Board last week, j the chairman (the Hon. Thos. Fergus) i said he wished to say something about this 1 teacher, who had been a servant of the i board einee 1872, having had 37 years of unbroken service. His record had been an unbroken one— ('' Hear, hear"),— yet now

, he had only a small school — not by any 1 means the largest 6chool in the province. In all tho«e years he had never sought a ' change, and ho had done grand work at Clyde, through which school more scholarship boye had passed than through any other school of a similar size in Otago. Mr Stevens was an excellent man The board liad previously accepted the resignation of his wife, who had also done good work in the Clyde School. The chairman then moved that a letter be sent to Mr Stevens expressing the board's high appreciation of his services rendered for th© I cause of education in Otaso generally, and

for the board in particular. Tho Rev. P. B. Fraser seconded the motion, whiohl was carried unanimously. _ • A Nelson message announces the death of Mr W. Rout, sen. (founder of the firm of Rout and Son, financial agents^, and of Mr Gill, of Wakapuaka. Mr R. L. Rule, one of he best knowrt handicappers in the Dominion, has (<sayc our correspondent) resigned the secretary* ship of the Oamaru Caledonian Society, after holding- the (position for 25 years. We are informed that Professor Park has been commissioned by the editor ol the London Mining Journal "to contribute a special article on the history and prcgTees of mining in New Zealand for the jubike number of the journal, to be shortly issued 1 in London. The jubilee issue will contain special articles by well-known writers descriptive of the latest improvements ml mining and metallurgy in all parts of th< globe; The PaJmerston Times records the deathi ' of Mr Adam Sutherland, of Goodwood', ! who was a resident of the district for up1 wards of 45 years. He arrived in NewZealand in 1862 in the Robert Henderson, ■ and .lived at the Taieri for some years. Mr Sutherland was born in 1848 at Caithness, Scotland. The directors of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company (Ltd.) on Friday appointed Mr C. Capell as head buttermaker for their company* Mr Oapell has had extensive experience in the north, and has been connected wi£h' the Eltham factory for some yeans. Mr Capell was selected out of a great number of applicants. The Rev. W. W. Brown, of Stirling, has, the Clu+ha Leader says, sufficiently recovered from his recent illness to be able toi take up his duties again. He was welcomed home at a social on Thursday night, and preached in the church on Sunday. The late Mr L. A.' E'.erig, who wal found drowned in the Avon at Christchurch on Thursday, was well known* throughout the Dominion in years pone by as a -traveller for the firm of Slcelton, Froetick, and 00., with -which he was connected for a very long time. The deceased gentleman .was ako identified very intimately with both % craft and capitular Masonry, being an* old member of tha Canterbury Lodge, 1048, and also of several of the Royal Arch Chapters, etc. Mr John Sturroek, tho newly appointed town engineer for the Borough of Tnvercargill, is 35 years of age and a native ol Scotland. He served his time with Fn' Wm Robertson Copland. M.lner., 0.E., Glasgow, one of th© leading engineers of Scotland, was foi a time resident engineer to the 'Lanarkshire Steelwork Extension scheme, and subsequently entered the offica of chief engineer of the Caledonian Rail#way Company (Scotland). He arrived ir» New Zealand 15 months ago, and has sir.ca •teen engaged by Mr ,W. H. Morton, city engineer of Wellington. Last week's Gazette notifies the appoint-, ment of Mr J. A. Macpherson as a member of the Otago Land Boayd. A Press Association telegram from New Plymouth am-nounces th© death of Mr Henvjc Faull, aged 72 yearej He" was one of th<original settlers by the William Bryan Mrs Ellen Colburne died at Outram on. Saturday morning at the age of 100 years. She arrived in New Zealand in 1874 wuh her children. Her husband died at Bedfast. Ireland, six years previously. She resided 1 for a year or two in Roslyn, and afterwards went to Outram, where she lived up to the time of her death. She had full possession of her faculties till shortly be£pr« her death. She had two sons and fiv« daughters. Hear two surviving daughter* are Mrs R. Wright, of Outram, and Mrt M. W. Wright, of Hastings. A Wakapuaka message states that the funeral of the late Mr W. Gill took place on Sunday afternoon, and *was the largest in the district for many years. Deceased, who was a prominent member of tha Foresters' Lodge and many local bodies, was highly respected. He had resided in the district for practically the whole of hi<" life. A number of residents of Mididlemareh. waited on Mr George Greig to bid hint farewell before his departure for Oamaru.During his stay at Middle.naa.rch Mr Greij^ became universally popular by his obliging disposition, and to fhow the appreciation in which he was held Mr W. S. Williams, on behalf of the donors, presented him with a handsome gold double albert and nvMial. suitably inscribed. A London cablegram announces the death of Dr Dawson Burns, temperance worker. At a meeting ">f the Albany Street School Committee on the ?3rd it was resolved to recommend Miss J. Meston and Mrs J. D. Niehol for the positions of ninth and tenth! assistant respectively. Th=- Orepuki Advocate nuts on record! the death, at t.he age of 80 years, of Mr John Lciper Currie. He was irlontifiedi with mining at Orepuiki for over 40 years, and prior io his d-eath was the oldest survivor of *ho men of the oarlv sixties. The death is recorded in Oamaru of Mn Wm. Nimmo, the greater part of whoe« life of 57 years was spent in fhe. Ngapara. and Oamaru districts. The deceased waa a studious man, and had an intimate knowledge of geology, and as a mechanic his work and advice were invaluable. The Rev. A. Mitchell, of St. Paul's Methodist Church, Invercargill, has beer* unwell for. some time, and has decided to pay a vieit >to Rotorua. Mr Mitchell will be absent for about three weeks. He has been suffering from insomnia, and it is hoped that a course of the baths at Ro+orua. will restore him to hie accustomed health.

Among the illustrations in last weeks Issue was a snapshot taken near Cape Horrf of a barque trading up the South American coast. This does not appear to hay« satisfied a captious critic signing himself " Seaman," and he wrote demanding, indi&nantly, " Where is the gaff topsail' and spanker belonging to this baroue near Cape Horn? " We regret we cannot gratify our correspondent with an autJiori- 1 tative reply. The gentleman who took tha photograph did not, we believe, board tho barque. If it would relieve the anxiety, of the correspondent we shall inquire frorri the photographer if the name of the barque was ascertained, and if it was we shall communicate with ttoa owners and the captain requesting the latter '.' • xplaln what he had done to that gaff topsail mod &pankes?