PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8026, 12 January 1906, Page 2

PERSONAL.

Sir John Forrest is ( visiting England 011 Commonwealth business. Mr James Mcleod, of tlie Taraxaki News staff, was banquetted by the citizens of Elthain last evening. Mr E. Whittle, of the Red House Hotel, New Plymouth, is on a visit to Christchurch. Archbishop Clnrk and his wife are passengers from Melbourne by the Maheuo on a holiday visit to New Zealand. The Prince and Princess of Wales are sailing from Calcutta in the battleship Kenowu. They will visit Burmail. The friends and supporters of Sir Joseph Ward in tlie Awarua electorate intend to banquet him at Winton before he leaves for Kome to attend the Postal Conference. The date of the function has not yet been definitely fixed. The death of Lord Ritchie, better known as the Kiglit Hon. C. F.Ritchie, took place in England on Wednesday, fie held several positions in Conservative Governments, the last, being Chancellor of the Exchequer, which he resigned in 1903, because of his opposition to the late Government's attitude on the Fiscal question. He was a director oi the Koyftl Exchange Assurance and the Union of London and Smith's Bank, Limited. At an enthusiastic meeting at Bunnythovpe on Wednesday night, Mr Fred Pirani was the recipient of a handsome presentation, contributed to by both political opponents and supporters in recognition of services rendered to the district in political and educational matters. In the course of a speech Mr Pirani said that from his knowledge of the tactics at the last election, the Government and the liquor parties combined with one religious sect, had added to the loss of the right of free speech, and the destruction of the secrecy of the ballot by methods so successfully adopted in the United States of America, anil if it was to be considered right that colonial politics should be dominated iu that way, the result might be dilfereut to what could at present be contemplated.