PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 98, 22 May 1909, Page 5

PERSONAL

At Waipuku, on Wednesday, Mr. Alex. iWilcock, of Opunake, was married to (Miss Maud Gibson. JVith the retirement of Mr. P. Sheridan, native land purchase officer, from the Civil Service, 5t has been decided by the Government aot to refill the position, (but that future purchases should be made by the Native Minister, aeting with the Under-Secretary for Lands. The death is reported at Opoutama, on the East Coast of this island, of Mr. 'A. B. Bendull, aged seventy-three years. Deceased was a brother of Captain Bendall, of Wellington. He arrived in the seventies, and enjjaged in storekeeping at Nuhaka. Retiring a good many years ago, he had since led a quiet life at Opoutama. Wealthy and influential, he •had large interests in Wairoa. He offered to put down liajf the cost of a freezing works for Wairoa if the farmers ■would take the question up.

fWord has 'been received of the death of Captain J. W. Croncher, widely known in New Zealand, who expired at Liverpool on April 13th. Captain Croucher served 'his apprenticeship in the New Zealand Shipping Company's service. He quickly rose to the position of master, life last commands Jieing the . steamers Wakanui and Papanui. In 18IJ-2 he applied to the British Board of Trade for the post of marine stirvcyorship, and at the time of his death occupied that position at Liverpool. The late Captain Croncher was in his fiftieth . year. He was of a genial disposition, and was highly popular. Mr, George Phipps Williams, C.E.. wfipse death was reported from Christchurch on Wednesday, was a brother of Mr Justice* Williams, and married a daughter of the late Sir Thomas' Tailored. Mr. Williams was (says tnc Press) a man of considerable literary ability and possessed a wonderful ability for versification, mainly on colonial subjects of a humorous character. One of l|ls roost notable works was " In Double 'Harness," written in collaboration with l'< I'OH. W. P. Reeves, late High Com-ii.i.-,i;i,ner for the Dominion. -Several of the principal of Mr, Williams' poems .were'reproduced in Mr. 0. T. J. Alpers's hook of "Canterbury Rhymes," and a (:■-,;»• of his " Sew Chum's Letters Home and Other Poems" was accepted by His Majesty the King. Lieutenant Shackleton is working hard | nl l|is book, portion of which is complctc ! i!re«dv. He expects to see it pnbIM.ed aibout the end of October. In the course of a brief interview shortly before leaving Adelaide for London. Lieutenant Shackleton said-: •Von have asked me for a farewell message. I am afraid in the few tarried moments left to me I cannot express just all the thoughts, that suggest themselves. When I tlliink of the kindness, both public and private, that has been shown towards my colleagues and myself by the people of" Australia, T can assure you that I deeply appreciate all that has been said and done for us. I hope lieforc long to be in Australia again to prepare for more exploratory work. You know, there are others parts of the world ibe- - sides the Arctic Circle- where the map can stand a little filling in."