PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 159, 22 November 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. C. 11. Weston has been appointed Crown Solicitor at New Plymouth, vice Mr. T. S. Weston, deceased.

Mr. Percy-Smith and (laughter contemplate leaving for England on a pleasure tour in March, and expect to be away for a rear.

The Tauranga Times record the death of Mrs. Maekay. formerly of Taranaki, which occurred on Saturday. The deceased lady had attained to over eighty years of age. She leaves an adult family, amongst whom are Mrs. C .Wallis, Mrs. 'Phillips (Stratford), Mrs. Green! and Mr. W. Maekay.

A large and reprensentative gathering of citizens, and many settlers of the Uruti district, paid their last respects to the late Mr. Dugald McKellar, onlyson of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. McKellar, of New Plymouth, whose funeral was held yesterday morning. The last sad rites were administered by the Rev. A. H. Colvile.

The death is reported from Palmerston North of Mr. S. Taplin. Tie,was one of the survivors of the baltde of Wereroa. which was fought near Wavorley 44 years ago. ■During the Maori War lie fought in the militia and armed constabulary', under Colonel Whitmore. For his services he received the New Zealand war medal. At one time the deceased was an active member of Anglican Church choirs, lie leaves a widow and grown-up family. The Prime Minister. Mr. 11. Rhodes, and Dr. Poniare visited Waiuku yesterday, where a banquet was tendered them. Addresses were presented to Mr. Massey en route at I'atumahoe and Manku. TJnparalled enthusiasm was shown everywhere. The party returned to Auckland last night. The formal opening of the Waihou Post Office took place yesterday, Mr. Homes performing the ceremony. The Minister was entertained at a banquet last night. The Very Pev. Dean McKenna, who will have completed his twenty-live years as parish priest of Mas.terton'oll November 23, contemplates taking a trip to Ireland early in the New Year, accompanied by his brother, the Rev. Father 'McKenna, of Pahiatna. and expects to return about the end of .the year. As the Dean's health lias not been of the best of late, it is hoped that he will be much benefited by the trip. The Dean is making the trip Home with the primary object of seeing his mother, who is now in her eighty-third year. News comes from Queensland of the death of Mrs. Charles Redwood, which occurred at Toowoomba recently. Mrs. Redwood's parents (Mr. and Mrs. Grimstone) were among the first settlers in New Zealand, and she was born in 1843 at the Pay of Islands. Later on the family resided in Wellington. Her early married life was spent in Blenheim. '•Riverlands," where .she was an ideal hostess, and one who by lier retiring and cheerful influence made guests, and those by ■ horn she was surrounded, welcome the privilege of her society. Mrs. Redwood had fifteen children, twelve of whom survive her, and thirty grandchildren. She was siister-in-law to Archbishop Redwood, and sister to Mrs. Thomas Redwood and Mrs. Waddy, of Blenheim, and Mr. Leonard Grimstone, manager of the Bank of New Zealand in Waitara.

Mr. Justice O'Connor, of the High Court of Australia, who died recently, had been a .judge, of the High Court since 1003. ami in 10(15 was appointed first president of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Court. Born at Sydney on August 4, 1851, according to ■•.iolm's Notable Australians," the son of the late Richard O'Connor (for many years Clerk of Parliaments in New South Wales and an authority on Australian Parliamentary law and practice), the younger O'Connor was educated at Lyndhurst College and the University of Sydney, graduating B.A. in IS7I and gaining his M.A, degree two years later. From 1871 to 1873 he was Clerk to the New South Wales Legislative Council, and filled in >]> are time later on as a leader writer to the Sydney Echo and contributor io Freeman's Journal. Tn 1870 he was called to the Bar. and twenty years later was made a. Queen's Counsel. Despite the demands of a considerable legal practice, Mr. O'Connor devoted a good deal of time to politics. He sat in the Legislative Council of New South Wales for thirteen years, to 10(H). and in the llihbs Ministry of 1801-93 was Minister of Justice. Mr. O'Connor took a prominent part in the movement for Australian federal union, was a member of the Convention which framed the Commonwealih Constitution in 1807-08, and one of ihe committee of three that drafted ihe Bill for the consideration of the Convention. He was returned to the first Federal Senate for New SouthWales in March. 1001, and was Vicepresident of thp Executive Council and leader of the Senate in the first Commonwealth Cabinet from January, 1001, to September, 1903, when he was elevated to the High Court Bench.