PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 202, 23 February 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL.

■«» l Mr. H. M. Smith, of Fraser's Pharmacy, I New Plymouth, has just received word ' that he has passed the examination in optics, conducted by the Australasian iJoard. Mr. Sam Begg, the well-known black and white artist of the Illustrated London News, is on & visit to his relatives in Napier, having come on to New Zealand by way of India, where he attended the Durbar ceremonies. Word lias been received from Home that Mr. P. McNab, formerly in the Public Works Department in Wellington and Stratford, had, after passing hi» examinations, been appointed senior house surgeon at the Royal Albert Hospital, Devonport, England. Mfilba's high ©pinion of Rosina Buckmann's operatic qualities is backed' by Mr. John McCormack, who had addressed Rosina's Maoriland countrymen on the subject (says the Sydney Bulletin). He told them that it was up to them to hand out sufficient of that which, When you haven't enough of it, makes' you pay fid in the £, to carry the lady to the Old World, and, as Melba put it recently, "help her to find her legitimate place in the rank of the ■ world's artistes." "She's got the goods," said John, at Wellington, "and in a little time Maori'land will ha\e c.\.use to be proud of her." Maoriland will probably take John's advice. Miss Buckmann's particular need is about six months' careful training in Italy.