PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 162, 15 December 1914, Page 4

PERSONAL.

The death occurred in Canterbury on Wednesday of 'Mrs. Frances Jane Lilly, widow of the late Mr. Alfred Lilly, Mr. and Mrs. Lilly were, early settlers in New Zealand, and saw the pioneering days in Timaru and South Canterbury. Thenfirst residence in Timaru was a sod hut, •which Mr. Lilly erected owing to the scarcity of accommodation in those days. It was probably the dampness of this primitive abode which caused Mrs. Lilly to contract rheumatic fever, which had caused her mor# or less suffering from that time.

News hat beea received that Captain J. G. T. Harper lias been appointed to command H.M.S. Dreadnought. Captain i Harper is a New Zealander, having been bora ia Christcliurch, and educated at i Christ's College until he went Home. He was for three years Navigating Commander of tile Royal yacht, and Master of the Fleets in the great review of last July. Twelve months ago lie received his promotion to captain, and has since then been Assistant-Commander of the Portsmouth Dockyards, and so was largely responsible in the mobilisation of the fleets at the beginning of the war. Mr. John Bourke, of Hawera, one of tho early settlers in the bush district, died suddenly on Saturday morning (says the Pahiatua correspondent of the Dominion). The deceased, who was in Pahiatua watching the election results on Thursday evening, took jll on the road home. He was taken into a friend's house at Konini, and removed to the Paliiatua Hospital on Friday. An operation was performed, but very little hope was held out. He died the following morning. The late Mr. Bourke, who had been connected with various institutions in the district, was very highly respected. He leaves a widow and a fairly large family. He was 52 years of age. Mr. Thomas Adkison Gates, who died ftt Ashburton last week, at the age of $2, had been a resident in that town for 35 years. He survived his wife by two and a half months. Mr. Gates arrived in New Zealand with bis wife and young family in I'SIM, settling first in Christchurch, and going to Ashburton in 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Gates were married at St. Paul's Church, Southsea, in 1852, and they celebrated the golden and diamond jubilee of their wedding. The deceased gentleman did good work for the Anglican Church, and was a chorister for 50 years, lie leaves six daughters and three sons (seven of the family being married), 18 grandchildren, aiul seven great-grandchildren. =========—!