PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 285, 25 April 1911, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Lord Onslow, suys a London cablegram, is making favorable progress. Mr. 11. Cniick'baiik was a passenger by the Karawa last night for Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Hoffman have left on a holiday trip, driving through to Auckland. The Itev. J. K. Blaekburne, vicar of Hunterville, is spending a few days in New Plymouth. Sir David Graaf will replace the Hon. Mr. Hull *t the Imperial Conference a» one of the South African representatives. The Rev. A. H. Colville arrived from Auckland by the Karawa yesterday morning on a short visit to New Plymouth. Sir lUchard Killani has been gazetted German Consul-General for the Commonwealth, New Zealand and the Paciflo Islands. A London cable reports that Lord Lansdownc's recovery has been retarded by a severe cold. Lord Northcote ia also seriously indisposed. Mr. Day, atationmaster, who met with an accident on Saturday, is making good progress. During his temporary incapacity, Mr. Cooper, chief clerk, 18 in charge. Mr. P. G. Amodeo, senior cadet at the local Magistrate's Court, has resigned from the service. Mr. F. Mitchell will be transferred from Palmerston North to fill the vacancy. Previous, to his departure for Napwr, Mr. Percy Bishop, telegraphist, was presented by his fellow-operators with a handsome travelling bag and a silvermounted tobacco-pouch. The Rev. George B. Stephenson, Anglican vicar of Pongaroa, has been appointed vicar of St. Augustine's, Petone, in place of the Rev. J. D. Russell, who has received a call to Tiniaru. Mr. Stephenson will take up his new duties in June text. The -Rev. E. Walker, who has been for many years connected with the nolicense movement in New Zealand, intends to leave for California next month. "I may, or may notj take up my permanent residence there," he states, Mr. Walker is at present in Wellington. Mr. E. Maxwell, who has been on a three weeks' visit to the Bay of Plenty district for the benefit of his health* returned to New Plymouth yesterday morning. He has not benefited as he had hoped by the change, having beer* confined to his room for some days during his absence. Mr. F. Honan is making satisfactory progress towards recovery from his recent accident, though it will be some days before he will be able to get about. It has been ascertained that the accident was due to the front wheel of his bicycle parting company with the frame, the break disclosing an old flaw in the tube. v Mr. Evan Parry, B.Sc, A.M., Inst. E, M.1.E.E., who has been appointed chief electrical 'engineer in connection with the State utilisation of water power, will leave England for New Zealand by the Corinthic on May 21st. Mr. L. Birks, assistant engineer, has reached Wellington and will take up his duties at once. Mr. Charles C. Robertson, who had been connected with the Post and Telegraph Department since 1857, died at Wellington yesterday, aged 62. For two years before his death he was in eharge of the telegraph engineers in the district of Wellington, He was previously inspector of telegraphs at Nelson, and before that, officer in charge of the Wellington Telegraph Office. Mr. W. C. Kennington, Under-Secre-tary of Lauds, has been inquiring into river protection matters in Hawke's Bay. On Saturday he proceeded from Napier to Waipawn to inspect the estates acquired in that vicinity under the Land! for Settlements Act. Negotiations have just been completed for the purchase of about 12,000 acres of native lands for settlement purposes in the Parangahau district. "The event of the year," said the Central School committee in its review of the past twelve months, "was the celebration,,in October last, of the completion of Mr. Dempsey's quarter-cen-tury as headmaster of our schools. It was felt on nil hands that this notable occasion deserved more than passing recognition, and all classes of the community united to do honor to one whose connection with New Plymouth and the Central School has been a power for good throughout the twenty-five years. A great gathering in the Theatre Royal, presided over by the Mayor, and taken part in by members of both Houses of Parliament, clergy of all creeds, and representatives of former and present pupils, bore witness to the esteem in which our worthy dominie is held by all who know him. May his strength continue! Old girls and boys manifested their appreciation of their onetime preceptor by tendering him a no less enthusiastic "social," and subsequently handed to this committee a handsomely carved oak and silver shield to be placed in the Central School in commemoration of Mr. Dempsey's headmastership."