PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 140, 22 September 1910, Page 4

PERSONAL.

At the monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Volunteer Fire Brigade oa Tuesday night Foreman J. Roberts, whs Jias, now completed 21 years' service, was presented with the Association's bar for additional two years' service. Fireman J. Sims, who has resigned after ten years' service, was elected a life member of the brigade. Writes the London correspondent of the Wellington Times:—Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Gordon, of New Zealand, arrived in London, via Ceylon, Egypt, France, Italy, Tyrol, Austria, Hungary, Germany and Belgium. The trip wae undertaken on account of Mm. Gordon's indifferent health. Mr. Gordon is an old member of the New Zealand Civil Service, having served ten years in the Telegraph Department, and twenty-seven in the Lands and Survey as draftsman. In 1871 he was shipping reporter and copyreader in the old "Independent" office, Wellington, then owned by Mr. Thos. MeKenzie, one of Wellington's oldest and most repected citizens. The editor was Mr. Hay, sub-editor Mr. A. Raid, and reporter Mr. George Fisher, afterwards M.H.RI These three gentlemen have all passed away. Messrs. Hay and Reid were drowned, and Mr. Fisher died in Wellington, which leaveß'Mr. Gordon as sole x survivor of the editorial staff of those days, now nearly forty years ago. Lat* terly he has acted as secretary to the Veterans' Memorial Committee in New Plymouth, where a fine monument has been erected to the memory of the Imperial and colonial soldiers who-fell ia< the Maori wars. Mrs. Gordon add he are at present spending a few weeks in her native county, Staffordshire, and it is mot yet definitely arranged by what route they will return to New Zealand.' They are due there by the end of December next.