PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 26 January 1907, Page 2

PERSONAL

-Mr T. Humphries, Sin veyor O.ier.il, was ><_ |M<*ciiger through to Auckland on Kriday uiyht. -Mr \\ . Urny, .Seereuiry In 111.- J_\i,s till Dejuirtinent. nrrived 'in .New I'lymontli on J''iiday evening and is slaVin,u' al tin; \\ hue llart. Hotel. Mr 1!. (..room, who lias a U si denl ot lliiliotu Jul' .-.ionic time [ta>v. is on an extended trip to Midland iu a lew weeks' time.

Sir Jolm Leu". a we'll known journalist in .Scotland, died at Deinii.iiie, California, on tile 12tli Deeeniber, while on his way to visit the Christ church Exhibition.

Sir ,Josi'|iii, W'aid, iieeoinjninied bv .Ml' llistlop, private secretary, through .New Plymouth on Friday night for Onehunga, en route to England. .Sir Joseph will In- joined at Auckland by ],aily Ward and Hiss Ward, who leave Wellington loday for the .\nrLti, via Napier. During lii's absence from the c >lon\the Premier'* portfolios will be distributed for administrative purposes as follows:—Colonial Treasurer, Hon. W. Hall-Jones; Commerce and T:inv ists, llun. .1. .Mctlowan; Advances (o Seltlei-s, ll,m. ,t. Carroll; J'uhlie Trust and Friendly Societies, |f<>n. .1. A. Jlilliir; Defence, a lon. li. McXab; old Age Pensions, Hon. (1. Fowlds; Post and Telegraph anil Electrical, lion. Dr Find'lav.

are amongst th? visitors at the White llart 'Hotel at ]»resent:—Mr King, Wellington; ]\] r ;|'oihill, J)uncdin; i\fr Martin. j\Fr I'irth, Wanganiii; Mr Budge, Stratford: Mr Stolir. Stratford; Mr Walton, Wellington, Mr Jeffries, Auckland; Mr and Miss Bailey. Stratford; Mr Stanford, Stratford; Mr Spencc. Stratford; Mr. Finch, Wellington; ])r find Mrs Men/."os, Stratford; Mr Jlott, Wellington; lion. A. de Trafl'ordj England; Mr NieholJa, Wellington; Mr Prookman, Wellington; Mv W 7 illis, W r aiiganui; Mr Blaclcley, Auckland; Mr Gray, Wellington.

The funeral of tire late Mr Henry Stevenson was largely attended on Friday. Members of the Masonic fraternity, including four pastmasters and two of tlie deceased's late fellow-em-pioyees, acted as pall-bearers. The late Mr Stevenson retired from the New Zealand railway service in February, 100-1, after thirty years in ihe Department. On that occasion In, was entertained by bis felto\v-cm]«(i.v-we's, and the following facts concerning bis career are gleaned from his remarks at that fund ion. He had worked for sixty years on railways, in various capacities, lie served on the Croat North-liasteni in Kngland. in Kgypt, and in India, before commcncing his service with the Provincial! fjovernment in Canterbury in 1574. After Ilia,; iie occupied responsible positions in Ashbiirton, where lie attained the rank of locomotive foreman, Timavu. Mapier, I'almerston North, and lastly at New l'Jymouth. His experience was varied, lie worked on the coldest railway, probably, in 'the world —f lie Creat Novth-Kastern; the hottest in the world, in India; and the most arid, in Kgypt. In New Plymouth, he said, r ne had found a sublime climale. and here he would .-pond his declining years wiihin the sound of whistta he knew so well. The o'd gentleman did not long enjoy his retirement. and his death on w'clnesdav was regretted keenly bv both old and young members of the local railway stall.