PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8041, 31 January 1906, Page 2

PERSONAL.

The ltcv. P. Larkius arrivn, in New Plymouth yesterday from Home. lie is on a visit to his grand-children, the family of the late Mrs Baker. The Ucv. E. G. Hicks, of N.S.W., who has been spending a few days iu New Plymouth, proceeds to Auckland to-day, en route to Kotoruu. Mr J. 11. Clayton proceeds to Tnuanga to-morrow. He has taken over the Tauranga "Times." Mr J. Kernahau, who during the past few weeks lias been ou relieving duty at the New Plymouth railway station, was a passenger by last night's boat to Auckland. He lias been appointed to the Ellerslic station. Bishop Noligau arrives iu New Plymouth to-day. He gives an address on missionary work at St. Mary's this evening. His Excellency the Governor will lay the foundation stone of the Stratford hospital oil 22nd February, Mr P. S. Dyson, assistant eugineer on the Opunake railway survey, has been transferred to the Stratford office of the Public Works Department. Mr W. P. Moynihan, at present on the Westport-luangahua line, will complete the Opunake survey. Messrs Guy H. Scholelleld (Wellington), Victor D, S. Lardclli (Gisbornc) and tho Field Columbian Museum (Chicago) have been electedmembers of the Polynesian Society. All those interested in the valuable work that has been and is being performed by the Polynesian Society will be pleased to know that Mr S. Percy Smith has been re-elected President of the Society. As an authority on Polynesian history, lore and customs, Mr Smith is probably without a compeer in the world to-day. His writings and translations iu this connection, valuable as they are now, will in years to come, almost priceless.

Mrs G, S. Finch, of Wcstport, who enjoys the distinction of having been the first registrar of births, deaths, and marriages appointed iu the colonv, is -staying For a few days in New Plymouth. Mrs Finch left here over two years ago for England, and spent some months iu touring England and Scotland, whose historical reminiscences appealed more strongly to her than any other phrase of Home life, Mrs Finch was present at several public functions, such as the opening of the British Parliament, and attended one of the Right Hon. Mr Chamberlain's tariff reform lectures. Crossing to America, Mrs Finch spout several months in touring the I uited States, where she was much impressed with the gigantic magnificence of the buildings of New York and Chicago. Our visitor remarked, however, that New Zealand was not very Far behind in this respect, Mrs Finch addressed several women's political "circles" in America ou New Zealand native life and ou our political all'airs. Three months were spent iu touring Australia, after which Mrs Finch returned to the colony by the Victoria, arriving in New .Plymouth by the Takapuna on ! Tuesday morning. Whilst in America Mrs Finch met the Rev. Rewei, a Maori missionary, who, \\itl', his wife, was giving lantern lectures on New Zealand, its sceacry and people