PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 125, 24 June 1909, Page 2

PERSONAL.

Mr. Percy Whitciimlic-, who has been for several years with Jlr. Frank Jlcs-

senger, leaves this morning for Sydney, with a view of advancing himself'in the architectural profession.

Jlr. and -Mrs. D. Harlow, who have resided iu the I'ihama district for 20 years, and who are taking up their residence in Auckland, were entertained by the I'ihama settlers last week and made the recipients of presentations.

The friends of Jlr. L. U. P. Spencer, late of JCew Plymouth, will be pleased to leam that a scheme proposed by him for improving the entrance to the port of (jfcbornc has been uiiauiniouslv adopted by the harbu,- board of that place. Mr. Spencer has taken up his permanent residence in Gisborne.

-Mr. Robert Holt, timber merchant, of -Napier, died wi .Monday. He was one of the very earliest settlers in Hawke's Day. "Holt's Mill" is a laud-mark in Napier. Mr. Dolt originally started ins null in Hastings street, but, with the extension of business, lie removed to a larger site in Carlyle street, where lie had a great many .men in his employ. Always a keen enthusiast hi machinery, lie made Ins .plant one of the most up-to-date in the Dominion. Timber mills at Hastings, l'iri i'iri (Dannevirke) and iuketitiri an also as'soeiated with his name.

i'he late Mr. John Rowe, who passed away last Sunday at lnglewood, was the third son of the late Mr. II N Howe, of Bell Block, who was the eldest sou of Captain Henry Nathaniel Kowe, R.N., sun of the Rev. Henry Uowe, L.L.8., The Rev. Henry Kowe was the eldest son of Mr. Nathaniel Rone who sailed round the world with Lord Anson. The late Mr. Joh„ Howe «;a=- highly respected iby all who knew linn. He was a loving husband and a kind and affectionate father. He leaves a wile and six sons to mourn their loss.

Mr. Robert McNab takes passage from Bluff' on .Monday week for J lobar I en route to Kngland, which he expects to reach at the cud of August, Mis visit Home is mainly i M connection with the research work on which he has been closelv engaged since last November. Air. Mc.Nab also hopes t„ obtain firsthand some information rcgardiu.t the working of the Swiss vvstem of" military training, and with this object in view will endeavor to be present nt the iiminal_ Swiss manoeuvres which take place , n the autumn. He returns to New Zealand in February or March next.

Ihe doyen of the Xcw Zealand railway service is Mr. Thomas Arthur, traffic superintendent, Wellington, who retires on superannuation at the end of this month. He was in the railway service in .Southland -when the line was of wood, for he joined on June Ist, 1865, as guard-iii-chavgc on the old Bluff wooden tramway. In 1870 he rose to the position of oflicer-in-elmrgc of the Invereargill district, and 1877 found him general manager of Southland railways. When these mere brought into the I Dunedra district in 1880, Mr. Arthur became stationmaster at Invereargill, and lie filled similar positions at Aslvburton and punedin. hi 1895 he was appointed district traffic manager, Dunedin, in IflOO he went to Christchurch, and h IflOl he was appointed to hie present position, that of traffic Superintendent, Wellington, exercising control over all the Xorth Island railways. He has been I in the service 44 ycars/n. record period, and retires in the best of health, with the good wishes of everyone who served under him.—Times.