PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 234, 8 February 1911, Page 4

PERSONAL.

The Prime -Minister returned to Wellington last night from his northern tour.—Press Association. Mr. John Hunter definitely announces his decision to contest the Masterton seat as a straight-out Government candidate at next election. It is understood that Captain Crichton Maitland, one of the A.U.C.'g to His Excellency the Governor, has resigned his position, says a Wellington telegram. Mr. and Mrs. T. Lindsay Buick, of Dannevirke, will leave next month on a visit to the Old Country. Mr. Buick's visit is in connection wth his latest work as an author, "The Life and Times of Te Rauparaha." Mr. V. J. Heatlcy, M.A., M.Sc., is at present visiting the district between New Plymouth and Opunake on an organising trip in the interests of technical education, and particularly in reference to dairy work and agriculture. There will be a contest for the £l- - Mayoralty this year, the two candidates that are definitely in the field being Crs. Blackball and Hill. Mr. G. W. Tayler is spoken of as a probable candidate, but the Argus is not aware that he has made any definite announcement concerning his intentions.

Mr. i\ C. Hay, assistant engineer, Public Works Department, Wellington, has been notified tbat he has gained the highest place in the associate membership examination of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Mr. Hay not being a student of the institution could not be awarded the Bayliss Prize, which was given to Mr. H. E. Lunn, of Worcester, who was next highest in the examination. The council of the institution has, however, ordered that Mr. Hay receive honorable mention.

Sir Joseph Ward has authorised the promotion of Mr. VV. E. Chisholm, telegraph engineer in the Nelson district, to post and telegraph engineer at Dunedin. Mr. Chisholm will nil the vacancy caused by the recent transfer on promotion of Mr. Orchiston, who comes to Wellington" as chief telegraph engineer for the Dominion. Mr. E. R. Dc L. Bean, postmaster at Collingwood, has been transferred to the charge of the new post office at Takapau, and Mr. E. W. Jansen, postmaster at Manga weka, is to go to Collingwood as his successor. &k. Ramsay, senior clerk at Carterton, has been promoted to be postmaster, and transferred to Mangaweka.—Press Association.

Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Henry, accompanied by Mr. A. E. Watkins, left by the mail train yesterday morning en route for Christchurch and the \Vest Coast. They expect to leave the Coast on Saturday by steamer, arriving ac Wellington on Monday. Mr. Henry and Mr. Watkins will leave Wellington again on Tuesday evening for the Wairarap* and Weber, joining the train again at Uannevirke for Napier, whence they will proceed to Gisborne, arriving there about the 18th or 19th. From there they will return to New Plymouth, Mrs. Henry rejoining them at Palmers ton on the 23rd. This will give Mr. Henry another ten days or so in this district before catching a steamer at Auckland to connect with the Vancouver mail steamejr Makura, leaving Sydney on March 13. There died recently at Oamaru, Mr. W. H. Valpy, who had celebrated his 70th birthday only a few days previously. In Nortn Otago he had established several businesses, and was highly esteemed for his uprightness and Integrity. Mr. Valpy arrived from Home in the beginning of 1849, so that he had been a colonist for upwards of sixty-two years. After having acquired and disposed of several stations in Otago, he was appointed Crown lands' ranger in 1874, which position he held for fourteen years. So long ago as 18S2 he shipped the first fat stock sent by sea from Otago to Canterbury, and returned to Otago on horseback, a feat never before accomplished. Many years ago Mr. Valpy acted as Sergeant-at-Anns in the Otago Provincial Council during the time that the late Sir Julius Vogel was Provincial Treasurer. He was a pioneer in every sense of the term.

The death occurred in Wellington early on Saturday morning of Mrs. H. A. Tasker, widow of the late Mr. John Tasker, chief clerk of the Police Department, at her residence, Brooklyn, aged fifty-six years. The deceased lady, who was a native of Brighton, England, had been a resident of the Dominion for forty years. She had been ailing for some months, but her end came suddenly. Mrs.Tasker was almost murdered in Gisborne over thirty years ago. Acting as companion to one of the officers' wives (05th Regiment, I believe), her bedroom was entered by a resident who had become temporarily insane, and his victim, after an almost superhuman effort, was left for dead—her handa smashed in several places, which alone saved her skull and her from certain death. Recovering from a prolonged fit of unconsciousness in the early morning, Mrs. Tasker heard her mistress's children crying, and in her night attire, drenched with blood, she crawled into the room and found Mrs. also left for dead. Unable to use her hands, Mrs. Tasker made iier way to a sergeant's house, some distance off. The wife saw her in her frightful state and promptly fainted. Mrs. Tasker sank unconscious at the door. She was removed from there and for six long months lay at death's door. A wound on the windpipe caused her inconvenience until a few years ago. Only her indomitable will on this and later occasions saved her life. Her assailant received a life sentence.— limes,