PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 220, 11 January 1911, Page 5

PERSONAL.

A London cablegram states that Earl Cawdor's health is improving. His friends will learn with regret that Mr. VV. S. Pardy is seriously ill. Mr. J. Ambury, of the Amhury and English Dairy Company, Auckland, is on a visit to New Plymouth. Three bishoprics are now vacant in the Anglican Church of New Zealand, those of Wellington, Auckland and Melanesia. Fireman H, Inch will represent the New Plymouth Fire Brigade at the Fire Brigades' Conference at Hokitika in March. Mr. Clarke, Government Geologist, left yesterday for Mokau, in connection with the geological survey he is making of the district. A movement has been set on foot in Wellington to entertain Sir Joseph Ward and' the Hon. Dr. Findlay before they , leave for London.

Mr. Percy Thomson, of the Invereargill staff of the National Bank, and for-. merly of the Stratford branch, is under transfer to Blenheim.

A Capetown cable states that Messrs. Botha and Sauer will attend the Imperial Conference as the representatives of the South African Union.

Mr. J. M. Lightfoot, formerly of the local staff of the Bank of New South Wales, and now manager of the Masterton branch, was in New Plymouth yesterday. Before leaving Blenheim on Wednesday last for New Plymouth, Mr. George Weldon, who succeeds 'Mr. Armitage as accountant at the local branch of the National Bank, was presented by the Blenheim staff of the hank with a silvermounted umbrella.

A.grandson of Gladstone, the elder son of the late Dean Wickham (says the Manchester Guardian of December 2nd) has just sailed for Australia to take up temporarily the work of the Trade Commissioners who are coming to England to acquaint the industrial districts ■with the special requirements of Ihe colonies. The death occurred at Mangatainoka on Thursday evening of a very old colonist in the person of iMr. Samuel Barrell, at the advanced age of 85 years. The deceased gentleman, who was very highly respected .by all who knew him, was one of the original Canterbury pilgrims, having arrived in Lyttelton over fifty-six years ago in the Grassmere, the first emigrant ship.

The friends of Mr. Justice Denniston. will be sorry to hear of his severe Illness' (writes the Times' London correspondent under date December 2nd). With Mrs. Denniston and his daughter =hc intended to sail for the Dominion oh Nevember 25th. However, he was taken suddenly ill, and it was decided that an operation was necessary. This was successfully performed, ana the judge is l progressing favorably. Mrs, Denniston remained in London with her husband.. Miss Denniston proceeded to New Zealand.

Sir John Aird, tfie well-known contractor, whose death is reported by •cable, was born in 1333, and was thw son of the founder of the well-known firm of contractors which still bears his name. Old Mr. Aird was originally a mason at Bromley (by Bow), and made his "pile" over the Berlin water service and South London drainage. Sir John Aird has carried out some big ; works, notably m connection with the ■ Nile barrages. He was made a baronet -J in 190T, and the Grand Cordon of the '? Medjidie was bestowed upon him by the •' Khedive. Ho was the first Mayor of ,• Paddington, and from 1887 to 1008 sat " in the House of Commons, on the Con- <; sn-vative side, for Paddington North. Sir John Aird possessed a fine collection of modern pictures, among his master- , , pieces being Tadema's "Roses of Hellogabalus," and he was wont in former years to give occasional feasts to W» ( artist friends which would not have disgraced a Roman of the old Empire, Hi» -, wife predeceased him by two years, bnt he leaves a family of two sons and seven daughters, the successor to the title ■ being his son John, born in 1801.