PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 200, 21 February 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. Geo. P. Armstrong, late proprietor of the Opunake Times, has purchased the Morrinsville (Waikato) paper. Before proceeding with its business yesterday, the Taranaki Land Board passed the following resolution: —"That this board desires to place ou record its sincere sympathy with Mrs. Armstrong and her family in their sad and sudden bereavement by the death of her husband, and wishes to convey to her the heart-felt sympathy of the board over which he presided with credit to himself and- the department." The following non-commissioned officers have been appointed to the New Zealand Permanent Staff:—J. R. Hesp, sergeant-major instructor, 11th Regiment, Stratford; A. McDonald, sergeantmajor instructor, Ist Battalion, 9th Regiment, East Coast Rifles, Napier; Corporal M. Coffey, R.N.Z.A., quarter-master-sergeant, 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, Wellington East Coast Rifles, Masterton; J. W. Domney, sergeant-major instructor, 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, I Wellington East Coast Rifles, Masterton.

Mr. Frederick Leech, one of the oliest and most successful music teachers of Dunedin, died on Monday, aged 82 years. He was a native of Manchester, and studied under Mr. John Wild, a wellknown musician of that town. Mr. Leech left England for Victoria in 1858. Some years later he was attracted by the West Coast gold rush, and landed at Hokitika. He went to Dunedin with Cogle and Lyster's Royal Italian Opera Company in 1873, and subsequently secured an engagement as musical director of the Princess Theatre, under the management of Geddis and Willis. Shortly afterwards he started teaching, and his orchestra formed- the nucleus of the present Orchestral Society.