PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 214, 19 December 1910, Page 4

PERSONAL.

'Acting-Lieutenant Willis and ActingCapt. Fletcher (Taranaki Rifles) have passed their examinations for lieutenantcy and captaincy respectively. A Sydney cablegram states that Mr. G. S. Beeby, Minister of Labor, intends to visit New Zealand next Saturday, to investigate the Dominion's methods of dealing with labor problems. On Wednesday last, at St. Mary's Church, Miss Linda Ellis, youngest daughter of Colonel Ellis, was married to Mr. Robert Johnstone, of Sentry Hill, and formerly of Okaiawa, the Rev. F. G. Evans conducting the ceremony. General Booth will shortly be operated on for cataract in the left eye. During his motor tour in July his right eye became inflamed, and he has since lost the sight of that eye. He is now unable to recognise friends, though lie works daily. With reference to a Tumour published by the Stratford Post some timfe ago to the effect that a Minister of the Crown would contest a Taranaki seat at the next election, the paper says it now has the best authority for stating that in all probability the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture, whose present electorate has been wiped out, will contest the Patea seat.

Mr. Emest Short, of Parorangi, Feilding, winner of the wordl's championship in Romney sheep at the Argentine Show, was tendered a complimentary banquet by the Manawatu and Feildinig A. and P. Associations at Feilding on Friday might . Mr. C. A. J. Levett (president of the Manawatu Association) presided, and the seventy gentlemen present included the leading stock-breeders and all the prominent men of both districts. Au apology was received from the Minister of Agriculture, who stated he would have had much pleasure in doing honor to Mr. Short, who had brought such honor to New Zealand. The principal toast was proposed by Mr. W. F. Jacob, who said it required infinite courage for Mr. Short to take sheep to the Argentine Shw, and he deserved the success achieved. In reply Mr. Short said he had every confidence of winning when he went away. He had been anxious to meet English breeders in competition. Other speeches emphasised the fact that Mr. Short's success was a great advertisement for New Zealand.

The death is recorded of John Oxenham, of Koiterangi, whose death took place at the Westland Hospital on Monday last, December 12. The deceased, who was a brother of Mr. 0. Oxenham, of New Plymouth, had been following farming pursuits in the Kokatahi and Koiterangi districts for the past 35 years and was highly respected by all who knew and had dealings with him. He was born on board the Amelia Thompson, shortly after his parents left England for Taranaki in 1841, and was therefore 68 years of age, over 40 of which had been spent on the West Coast of the South Island. The deceased/who was unmarried, served with distinction in the .Maori wars, and was mentioned in dispatches, was all through the Waitara campaign in the Mounted Troop, and also at Mahoetahi arid Waireka, and was one of those who ■ftere left on the Waireka battlefield all night to help to convey Joseph Hawken, who was wounded, to the Mission Station, as related by Mr. W. Wilson, of Tararaimaka, in his account of the affair. He was known generally as "Taranaki Jack," and" his ability as a stockman was rated very high by the pastoral community.