PERSONAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 87, 7 December 1912, Page 5

PERSONAL.

The Rev. Dr. Commins (states a Sydney caolegram) has returned from England, and intends settling in New Zealand. Mr George Pile, a prominent business identity, formerly of New Zealand, died in Sydney.— Cablegram. The Rev. Mr Abbott, headmaster of the Armidalt school, dropped dead while playing tennis, states a Sydney message.

Mr dago, of Wanganui, has been transferred to the New Plymoutn branch of the Bank of New Zealand, taking the place of Mr Pilcher, wlio. has been transferred to Stratford. Mr and Mrs H. G. Sergei, of Eltham, and the Rev. C. A. Mallett (yvho will take up clerical duties in the Taumarunui district, are passengers by the Ruapehu clue at Wellington on Wednesday. Mr W. G. Bennett, the popular Mayor of Inglewood has become entitled to the customary silver cradle from the councillors (states the Record),' Mrs Bennett having presented him, with a son on Thursday morning during his term of office as Mayor. Canon Dunkley, of St. John’s, Glenmark, who has just returned from England, brought back with him another addition to the tales of those whose ideas as to New Zealand were hazy. This was a well-informed and intelligent man, who declared that he “knew all about New Zealand—it was somewhere near British Columbia, wasn’t it?”

Mrs Cameron, of Ormond, near Gisborne, and late of Riverton, whose sudden death is recorded, was a daughter of the late Captain Howell, was a princess of the Ngatimamoe, and was widely known and respected throughout the whole of Southland, (says the Southland News). She was the* widow of the late William Cara- 1 cron, who for years was lighthousekeeper at Centre Island. . Among the natives she has a strong influence, and was always an untiring advocate for the rights of the South Island Maoris. In replying to the toast, of the Par-: liament of New Zealand, at the banquet given to the visiting Foresters at at Club Hotel, Masterton, Mr G. R.j Sykes, M.P., said that he hoped thej day was not far distant when the Elec-! tive Execnt ve would be an established fact in the Dominion, and he was sure there was a majority in the Par-j liament of New Zealand who favour-; ed a change. Party politics, he said, did much to hinder legislation in pre-j sent-day Parliaments. He was, how-j ever, pleased to say that there were; a few young members in Parliament who refused to he bound Jy party j politics, and he was also plAsed to state that he was one of tncm.

Air J. C. Parke, the member of the English Davis Cup team, through whose magnificent play the coveted honours were wrested from Australia, is a cousin of Airs Stinson, the wife of the Rev. Stinson, of Timaru. He is also a brother of the Rev. A- Parke, of the Irish Presbyterian Church. Although the Home people were not aware that he intended to visit New Zealand when the last mail was despatched, it is hoped (states the Herald) to‘have a visit from him, and steps are being taken to get him to visit Timaru should the New Zealand arrangements for the tour of the visiting team make this at all possibje.