PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 80, 21 August 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A London cablegram states that General Booth's condition is weaker. Mr. H. W. Harrington, Telegraphic Inspector for the Dominion, is olficiaUy visiting New Plymouth. Mr. C. Robertson, manager of the Ngaere Dairy Factory, has accepted the position of assistant Government grader, and will be stationed at Patea. The Rev. Canon Garland, of Brisbane, who is to conduct a campaign in the Dominion under the auspices of the Bible-in-Schools League, arrived in Ohristchurch yesterday morning. His plan of camapign will be decided /upon to-day, when lie will confer with the executive committee of the League. The death occurred at New Plymouth last evening of Mr. Robert McMillan, an old resident of the district. He was I born in Scotland 74 years ago, and came out to New Zealand 37 years ago, settling at Tariki, and later retiring to New Plymouth. Deceased is survived by his wife and a family of four eons and three daughters. Mr. R. Nicholls, editor of the Hobart Mercury, died last week. Mr. Nicholls was 82 years of age, and had been editor of the Mercury since 1883. He was formerly editor of the Ballarat Star, was present at the Eureka riot, and subsequently drew up the petition for amnesty. His wife predeceased him, and he leaves a large family, the best known of whom is Mr. Justice Nicholls, of the Tasmanian Bench. At yesterday's meeting of the Land Board the Commissioner (Mr. Bullard) formally welcomed Mr. C. J. Ryan, who took hi 3 seat for the first time. Mr. Bollard said he felt sure that Mr. Ryan would assist the Board in carrying out its duty as amicably as the work had been done in the past. "We are," remarked the Commisisoner, "all settlers' representatives, and we have to hold the balance between tenants and the Crown." Mr. Heslop also added a few words of welcome, stating that his election meant that representation would be more fairly distributed, and would give more satisfaction to the settlers. Messrs •McCluggage and Rattenbury also congratulated Mr. Ryan on his election. In thanking the Board for its welcome, Mr. Ryan said he was sure that all would work in harmony in the interests of all parties. Mr. Thomas George Macarthy, one of Wellington's most prominent residents, died on Monday night, almost suddenly. On Saturday night he was taken ill, and three doctors were called in, but found the case hopeless, and he passed away quietly. Mr. Macarthy was born in London in 1833, and was attracted by the discovery of gold to the colonies, and after some years in Victoria arrived in Otago in 1563. He afterwards went to the West Coast, and thus bore a full part in the stirring events of the early goldfields days. He removed to Wellington in 1877, and purchased a large brewery business. He owned a large amount of valuable property in various parts of Wellington, and only quite recently sold the site for the new Opera House to a company for a considerable sum. For many years he was chairman of directors of the Manawatu railway, and had been a director of the Bank oi New Zealand; but apart from these positions he never took any prominent part in local bodies. He -leaves a widow, but no family. His nearest relatives er< two nieces in England.

The Dunedin Star says:—"lt has fceen { mentioned that Lord Liverpool's father * served with distinction in the Royal Navy during the Waikato War. This interesting piece of information we are now able to supplement. Knowing that Captain Easther; of Kew, commanded one of the steamers that peppered the Maoris from the Waikato River, we asked that gentleman if he could supply any particulars as to the service referred to, and he courteously complied with our request in these terms: 'Lord Liverpool's father was as Mr. Cecil George' Savile Foljambe a midshipman in the Curacoa, the flagship of Commodore Sir William Wiseman, Bart. During the Waikato War of ] 863-04 lie served with the Waikato flotilla in the steamer Avon, which I commanded. At Rangariri he was with the party that landed and helped to storm the redoubt, and was mentioned in the despatches.' Captain Easther thoughtfully added to his reply a copy of the despatches referred to, wherein we read that Mr. Foljambe was one of the storming party under Commander Mayne, v of the Eclipse. Commander Mayne was severely wounded in the left hip during the encounter. Rangiriri was a stubborn fight, as some may remember. The Maori redoubt was'fired on by Captain llereer's Armstrong battery and guns of the flotilla, and the naval contingent then tried to carry the place by escalade, but they were twice repulsed with heavy loss. When General Cameron was about to renew the assault at daylight the enemy surrendered, and 183 prisoners were captured. Many gentlemen in England and elsewhere have been proud of fighting with General Cameron at that spirited engagement. Captain.Mercer was killed at Rangiriri." There passed away at Waikouaiti last week, in his seventy-ninth year, one of the few remaining veterans of the Jndian Mutiny, in the person of Corporal Thomas Flavin, formerly of lI.M. 86th and 57th Regiments of Foot (says the Otago Daily Times). Deceased was born in Ireland, in the county of Kerry, and joined the British Army when eighteen years of age, enlisting i'n the 86th Regiment, known as the "Royal County Downs.'.' He was stationed for several years in England and Aden, and on the outbreak of the Mutiny was sent with his regiment to India, landing at Bombay. He marched with the troops under Brigadier Stewart to the relief of Mhew, and was afterwards attached to Sir Hugh Rose's Central India column, and saw considerable active service. Pie took part in nineteen engagements in. India, amongst the most important being the defeat of Tuntia Topee, at the battle of the Bhetwa, and the storming of Jhansi, where the deceased was one of the first of the forlorn hope to scale the walls of the town. He was slightly wounded. He was also engaged at the capture of Khalpee and Gwalior, and shortly afterwards was promoted to the rank of corporal. Uter he volunteered for service in New Zealand, arriving with the 57th Regiment—known as the "Old Die Hards." At the expiration of his twelve years' term ;of service, Corporal Flavin n reived his discharge, and for a time was engaged in gold mining on the West Coast;, and then settled on a small farm in (lie Merton district, afterwards moving to Waikouaiti. He received the medal and clasp for Central India, and also one for his services in the Maori war. and in later years was in receipt of the Imperial pension, and also one granted by the Indian Government to veterans of the Mutiny. The death is reported from Dunedin of Mr. John Reid, of Elderslie, aged 77 years, after an illness of about three weeks. He was born near Stirling. Scotland, ancj on leaving school entered commercial life in Glasgow. Mr. Reid landed in Australia in 1853. After ten years' residence there he came to New Zealand, entering business in Dunedin. He purchased the first part of Elderslie in 18G5, gradually increasing his area till it amounted to 17,000 acres. In 1879 lie bought the adjoining estate, Balruddery, from Dr. Webster's trustees, consisting of 17,000 acres, bringing Mr Reid's total up to 34,000 acres. A large

portion of this land has since been soli for settlement in agricultural farms. Mr. Reid served on the Otago Land, Board from ISGB to 1872. He was one of the' Railway Commissioners in 1880, and was a member of the Oamaru Harbor Board. Mr. Reid was twice president of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He was well known throughout the Dominion as a noted breeder of purebred stock. Mr. Reid thrice contested elections for the House of Representatives, but without success. At the byelection in 1880 he was defeated by Mr. George Jones by 1(18 votes, and in thegeneral elections of 1881 and 1887 he contested the Waitaki seat with Mr. T. Y. Duncan, on both occasions suffering defeat by the narrow margin of 2*-' votes. At all times a courteous gentleman, in business the soul of honor, in works of charity a generous giver and a liberal supporter of everything calculatedto benefit the. community, Mr. Reid was a pattern colonist of whom all spoke well and none ill. Mr. Reid was married in 1858 to Miss Humphries, the youngest daughter of the late Mr. James Humphries, of Paisley, and his family consists of seven sons and" five daughters. One of the sons, Mr. J. ]!. Reid, is a director of the Bank of New Zealand, and is at present in London. Mr. J. F. Reid married one of the daughters of Sir George McLean, and Mr. V. W. Reid is well known as a member of the Arm of Pyneand Co., Chirstchurch.