PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 309, 24 May 1911, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A London cable states that Lord Curzon has been elected president of the Royal Geographical Society. It is stated that Mr. John Stevens, owing to weak health, will not contest the Manawatu seat at the next election. Mr. W. Armstrong, Commissioner of Crown Landß, has left on a riding tour through the district of the Taranaki Land Board. Air. George limes, manager of tbe Wanganui branch of the Bank of New Zealand, has received notice of his promotion to the assistant-managership of the Auckland branch. (Bishop Crossley, the new Anglican Bishop of Auckland, w'll visit Taranaki next month and will holt 1 a confirmation service in St. Mary's, New Ply« mouth, on the 4th. The Kev. S. S. Osborne will preach his farewell sermon at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening, and is to be entertained at a farewell social on Tuesday evening. Mr. IT. Smith, a member of Mr. Eraser's staff, has just received intimation that as the result of the recent examinations be has been granted a life scholarship of the South Bend School of Opticians. Mr. Yung Liang Hwang, the Chinese Consul for New Zealand, who recently took up the duties as temporary Consul* General in Australia, has received notification that lie has been permanently appointed to the latter position. The Education Board meeting lait night passed a resolution of sympathy with Mr. W. Hogers, a member of the Board, in the loss sustained by him in Ihe death of his son recently in ft fatality in the Wairarapa district. Friends of Dr. Walker will be sorry; to hear that he has been far from well, although Most, advices from London, dated April 13, stated he was making progress, though slowly. Shortly after leaving Monte Video, he had an attack of gastritis, and was seriously ill until arrival in London, on April 8. Sir. A. Mei'hail, who has been managing Mr. AV. Fraser's pharmacy 'business for some time past, has purchased a business in Blenheim, and leaves New I'lymouth this morning. Last evening he received a present from his fellow boarders at Chatswort.h House as a memento of the good comradeship existing between him and his acquaintances. Mr. Douglas Charles Chalmers, L.L.8., who has been appointed law lecturer at the Auckland University College, in succession to Mr. Moody, who recently resigned. is twenty-nine years of age, took his degree at the Auckland University/ College, and subsequently went to Fiji, Ik- practised there as barrister and soli* citor for some years, getting a great variety of legal experience, and he worked up a lucrative practice; but on account of his wife's health he was compelled to leave, the islands.

The London Standard of a recent date stated:—-"We understand that a post will very shortly be provided for Lord/ Kitchener having some connection with,, the organisation and preparation, of troops for war. At the end of the year changes will occur in several of the higher appointments which will provide an opportunity for some re-arrangement by which the .services of Lord Kitchener will lie utilised. A proposition is being advanced oiitsfde the War Office that the Aldershnt and southern commands he amalgamated and made into one great training area for the principal troops in England of the Expeditionary Force'." Very favorable indeed has been the reception accorded by the London critics to 'Master Frank Hutchens, the young Xew Zealand pianist, who gave his first recital nt the Heclißtein Hall (says tße London correspondent of the Dominion). Muster Hutchens has studied for seme years with marked success at the I'oyal, Academy of Music, and Friday's concert served to demonstrate his equipment for a professional career. The Times says his playing of Beethoven's Sonata in 0 Minor, Op. 111, and Cesar Franck's "Prelude, Choral et Fugue," showed careful and earnest musicianship, and the Standard finishes an encouraging criticism by saying that "there is both heart and head in Master Hutchens' playing." The Daily Telegraph also gave generous space to a review in which its critic remarks that Master Hutchens' performance "was ; undisfigured by any of the misplaced scntimentalism whfeh appears in the work of so many young pianists," showing, moreover, "a high sense of beauty." Master Hutchens is a Hawera boy.