PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 15, 12 July 1911, Page 4

PERSONAL.

News reached Kaponga yesterday notifying the death of the Rev. Father Ilaire. The remains will be interred al Ivapoiiga on Thursday afternoon. Colonel E. C. W. Chaytor, officer commanding the district, will arrive in New Plymouth this afternoon. At 5.40 he will confer with the committee of the Agricultural Hall, and at 8 p.m., at the Drill Hall, he will present to Colonel Messenger the, Territorial officers' decoration Subsequently he will examine citizen officers.

Amongtlie passengers by the Corinthic, wltich arrived from London to-day, were Miss Margaret Lambie Kenwick, who has been appointed chief instructor in the domestic department of the Auckland Technical College; Major W. G. Braitlnvaite, D.5.0., Ist Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Dublin (who joins the general staff of the New Zealand Defence Forces for three years' service; and Mr. Evan Parry, electrical engineer appointed by the Government to take charge of the hydro-electric power schemes in New Zealand.—Wellington wire.

Mr. John Parker, who died at the Southland Hospital on Thursday last, at the age of 81 years, was one of the oldest identities of the province of Southland, and was (says the Southland Times), in fact, tho oldest Southlandborn pakeha. Deceased was born at Codfish Island in IS®), and was a son of Mr. James Parker, the first white man to settle at Stewart Island. He followed a. seafaring life, and took part in the earliest whaling and sealing movements of the first half of the last century, being associated with such wellknown identities of the period as Messrs Gilrov, Stirling, Anglem and Buller.

Mr. George Westingliouse, of Pittsbury. the inventor, who, it is announced, has invented a perfected air-spring wheel which is intended to replace tho present rui.uer automobile tyres, was born in the New York State in 1840. He is now president of HO corporations, the aggregate capital of which is £24.000.0011, and which employ about 50.000 workmen. He was educated at the State public and high schools, with a year at a university. lie then entered his father's machine shops, and later served in both the United States army and navy. Tn 18(15 he invented a device for replacing derailed steam cars, and in 1868 came his famous invention of the air brake, lie later applied pneumatic devices to railway signalling and switching. Turning his intention to electricity. Mr. Westingliouse succeeded, in spite of great opposition, in introducing the alternating current system of electric distribution for light and power. He has also taken a foremost part in developing gas engines, and in adapting steam turbines to electric driving. Mr. Westingliouse lias founded works for the manufacture of his patents in five centrfo in America; at Manchester and London. England; Havre, France; Hanover. Germany; St. Petersburg, ..ussia; Vienna, Austria: and yado,' Italy.