PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 110, 17 August 1910, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Madame Emma Calve, the famous operatic prima donna, is commence her New Zealand tour at Auckland oil Wednesday evening of next week. Mr. H. D. Forsyt'h has been elected chairman of directors of the Eltham Daily Company. The retiring chairman, M, T. 0. Hodgson, declined nomination. Mr. W. Balloch, manager of the Taranaki Oil and Freehold. Company, leaves to-morrow morning for Wellington, en route to England, via Sydney. My. J. J. Devine, a solicitor, and resident of Wellington since 1876, wno nad served many years on the City Council I and taken a prominent part in the affairs of the city, died last night rather suddenly, aged 54.—Press wire. Mr. Horace Cornwall, brother of Mr. Francis Cornwall, and well-known in New Plymouth musical circles as a promising 'cello player, uicu in Melbourne last week. He was only a little over twenty years of age. At the last meeting of the Patea Masonic Lodge Bro. G. D. Hamerton, P.M., was presented with a Past Master's jewel, collar and #prou. V jewel was a massive one, and bore the following inscription: "Presented to Wor. Bro. G; H. Hamerton, P.M., on the completion of 30 years' service toi Patfea Kilwinning Lodge." ]

News has been received by the Island mail of the by drowning of Father Biton, of the Catholic Mission at Pago Pago, Samoa. Accompanied by Father Bellwald lie was returning to Lepua in an open boat, when the craft capsized. Father Bellwald succeeded in swimming to the reef, but Father Biton, who was unable to swim, quickly disappeared. How many people know what King George's,real surname is? If his Majesty were to be deprived of all his titles and reduced to the rank of a commoneV, he would be known simply as Mr. Wettin. The Counts of Wettin were the founders of the Prince Consort' 9 ancient house of Saxe-Coburg. The Prince Consort's name was Wettin, just ,as Queen Victoria's became on her marriage. Thus the present King's real name is George Wettin.

I Among the residents of Greymouth (says a correspondent of the Dominion) is an old lady, relict of Joshua Osborne, who fifty or more years ago, was the largest horsedealer in Christchurch. On May 6 last Mrs. Osborne celebrated her 102 nd birthday, and she is still. hale and active. Mts. Osborne is a native of King's County, Ireland, and remembers tllat wiien us a child she arrived in Victoria with fier parents, Melbourne consisted ol but one bark slab hut, whereas it is now one of the foremost cities of the Empire. It is current gossip in Wellington that there are several constituencies la the Dominion which would be glad to receive the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister of Agriculture, as a candidate at the next general election (says the Elthnm Ar-| gii9). He is reported to have received encouragement from each of the Taranaki electorates. Mr. Mackenzie, we understand, has never yet definitely intimated anv intention of leavin'g the South Island. The extraordinary development of the dairying industry in Taranaki, however, must appeal strongly to him as Minister of Agriculture and give him great interest in the North.

Mr. William Carrie Johnson, a wellknown evangelist, died somewhat unexpectedly at Lis residence, Newtown, i Wellington, early on Sunday morning, aged 62 years. The deceased, who had been a resident of the Dominion for about twenty-eight years, was a native of Scotland,' a stone mason by occupation. He utilised his evenings in University study and took degrees. He worked with Sankey and Moody in America and the United Kingdom. He came into prominence for his exposure of the teachings of A. B. Wortliington. He was a man thoroughly devoted to the Evangelical cause in which he had practically spent his life time.