PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 209, 10 May 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A cablegram from Sydney states that Sir Joseph Ward arrived there yesterMr. Paul Willcox has been nominated by the Rahotu school committee for the vacancy on the Education Board caused by the resignation of the Rev. J. MeArthur, of Opunake. Mrs. Adelaide Robertson, of Bank 9 Terrace, Wellington, is taking steps to establish a claim to the Gransberry estatp, which has been locked up in Chancery lor many years. Mrs. Robertson has been a resident of Wellington since 1840.

Mr. A. McKay, head gardener in the Government service in Wellington, has retired on superannuation after thirtyeight years' service. He was presented with a sideboard by the Public Works staff and with a dinner set by the overseers and gardeners. At tho Masonic Grand Lodge meeting in Dunedin yesterday the following Taranaki officers were appointed:~ Grand Bible Bearer, W. Bro. R. Tait; Grand Steward, W. Bro. Geo. Young; member of the Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. J. F. Watson.

On Wednesday- evening the members of the cantata "Phyllis" made a presentation to one of their number (Mr. W. E. M. Guy), who is about to leave on a trip to the Old Country. In addition to impersonating one of the characters, Mr. Guy painted the whole of the scenery for the cantata. Mr. W. M. Singleton, Assistant Director of the Dairy Produce Division of the Department of Agriculture, left Wellington on Wednesday by the Main Trunk train, en route for Canada. He has been called to his parents' homo by cable owing to the serious condition of his father's health.

The funeral of the late Mr. H. S. Wardell, formerly resident magistrate at Masterton, took place yesterday, the obsequies being performed by the Rev. Father Harnett. An impressive incident of the funeral was the presence of a large gathering of natives, who delivered a speech at the graveside through their chief. The funeral of the Hon. J. McGowan yesterday was attended by one of t'he largest representative gatherings ever seen at the Thames. The Hon. ,T. Colvin, Minister of Mines, represented the Cabinet, and the Hon. T. Thompson the Legislative Council. Mr. C. Mat{liewß, Under-Secretary for Justice, members of Parliament and representatives of local bodies from far and near were present. The local Masonic Lodge contributed a large gathering, and many citizens attended. There was a service first in the church, i followed by a Masonic ceremonial at the graveside.

Mr. R. Callander, of the local Post and Telegraph Department, who has been appointed postmaster at Ongarue, will leave to take up his new duties to-day. Yesterday he was farewelled by his colleagues, and was the recipient of a presentation of a useful travelling bag. Complimentary references to Mr. Callander's work during his association with the New Plymouth office were made by Mr. A. P. Dryden (Chief Postmaster), Mr. Fookes (officer in charge of the Telegraph Department), and Mr. N. Mclsaac (Post and Telegraph Association). Mr. Callander responded in suitable terms, and the little function closed with three hearty cheers for the departing officer. Speaking a.t the social given to Mr.. James Mackenzie, the new Surveyor-Gen-eral, Mr. Greville, the District Surveyor, said that the Premier, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, 'had commenced life as an assistant in the Survey Department, and wasi attached to his brother's party, working first in the district around Wellington city and later on in the Paraekaretu Block, where the town of Hunterville now is. Mr. Greville went on to say that later in life the lion, the Premier, still following his earlier bent, had done some very successful exploration work, and had mapped some of the roughest portions of Otago. His work in this connection had been recognised by the Royal Geographical Society, of which he was a Fellow. Mr. Greville expressed the opinion that if the Premier had not abandoned his theodolite for the thornier paths of politics he would perhaps have been that day a happier man. At all events he would have been a much less worried man. If the brothers had exchanged callings, the Hon. Tom. keeping to his surveying and Mt. James Mackenzie going in for politics, we would very likely have had to-day T. Mackenzie, F.R.G.S., Surveyor-General, and the Hon. James Mackenzie, Prime Minister,