PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 200, 2 December 1910, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Dr. Home returned, from Auckla»d yesterday morning. The Rev. A. H. Colville is now conducting a mission at Westpont. Dr. R. If. Cole was a passenger from North by the Rarawa yesterday.. A London cablegram reports the death of Jem Mace, pugilist, of senile decay. The death of Churston is nnnounced in a cable message from London. A Melbourne cable states ithat Major Godley paid a formal call to General Hoad yesterday. Mr. Frank Glasgow lias been appointed manager of the Ross branch of the Bank of New Zealand. The death occurred at Auckland on Monday last of Mrs. Home, mother of Dr. Home, and sister of Mr. James Livingston, of Hawera. Mr. Frank Gordon, the well-known; utility poultry expert, was a visitor to the show yesterday. He is- taking uphis permanent residence in North Taranaki shortly.

The Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister of Agriculture, wired the president of the Taranaki Agricultural: Society yesterday,, expressing best wishes for a successful show with record entries and record attendance. The Rev. James Grey, minister in charge of the Primitive Methodist Church in New Plymouth, who has been on a visit to the Old Country, will .return to New Plymouth by the express train this evening.

An Invercargill telegram, reports ,the death of Mr. J. A. Mitchell, aged- 6:*. He was one of the earliest settlers inSouthland, and was prominently identified with agricultural and pastoral affairs. For fifteen years he was Mayor of East Invercargill'.. Mr. J. Tucker Robinson, a very old and much respected resident of. 'Blenheim, died at his home on Saturday last. Deceased was well-known in political circles in the early days. He was 74 years of age, and had been a resident of Blenheim for 55 years. Deceased leaves a grown-up family, amongst whom is Mrs. James Clarke, of New Plymouth.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr 3, E. M. Smith was entertained at afternoon tea at Mrs. F. Richards' on the Avenue road, and was made the recipient of a presentati6n. Mrs. Smith has been a hard-working member of ladies' committees for all sorts of social matters and in aid of all manner of local institutions for twenty-one years past. Having thus "attained her majority" in this connection, she decided to retire, and take a well-earned rest. Her associates and co-woTkers on the various committees for many years past took Tuesday's opportunity of making Mrs. Smith a presentation of a morocco handbag.

Sir Rufus Isaacs, the new AttorneyGeneral, is fifty years of age. When a boy Sir Rufus shipped aboard a sailing vessel bound for the Indies, and for more than a year he led the rough-and-tumble life of a sea apprentice. One day, so the 9tory runs, he annoyed the cook;* so much that that worthy lost his temper and ran for the future KG. with a dishful of water in which vegetables had been cooked. The boy eluded him a* the cook threw the water in his direction, and the captain, coming down to see what the trouble was, received the water in his face. When the ship reached Rio de Janiero Isaacs had grown so tired of seafaring life that he ran away, but was caught and brought back, and as a punishment was made to help in discharging a load of coal.

There was a happy little gathering at the Police Station last evening, wlier* Constable Mclvor was the recipient of a presentation on the eve of his departure for Blackball, to which station he , lias just been appointed. Detective JBbddam, in making the presentation; said that the news' of. the transfer was received with mixed feelings by those who had been associated with him far the past four years. There was pleasure in the knowledge that the change meant promotion, and regret at losing such a zealous officer. Speaking as detective-ih-charge of the New Plymouth station since Constable Mclvor, was on the staff, it gaive him great pleasure to refer to the manner in winch Constable Mclvor had carried out his duties. Hetrusted that in his new sphere the same satisfactory result would be forthcoming, and of this he had every confidence. , On behalf of the members of the Police Department he had much pleasure in presenting Constable Mclvor with a travelling bag, which had the following inscription: "Presented to Constable Mclvor by the New Plymouth police. November 30, 1910," as a tangible proof of their esteem. Mr. A. Addison, of the Justice Department, and Mr. O'Grady, wa-rder, New Plymouth gaol, also spoke highly of the recipient's good qualities as a policeman and a citizen,, making reference to his worth as an athlete and tr.ine sport. Constable Mclvor suitably replied, expressing his thanks for the speakers' good wishes on behalf of himself and Mrs. Mclvor. Constable and Mrs. Mclvor leave by the express this morning.