PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 228, 5 March 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL

Corporal Smitli, the last survivor of the Birkenhead, lias died in the workhouse at St. Ives (Cornwall). Smith saved Captain Lucas. Mr A. E. Belcher, M.A., late headmaster of Christ's College (Christchurcii) who is now at Home, has been appointed to the 9th Service Battalion, Duke of C rnwall's Light infantry. Ihe triennial conference of the Atxuugamated Society of Railway Servants re-elected Mr. W. T. Wilson, of Palm'erston North, president for the ensuing three years. -Mr. Charles E. Wheeler "was re-appointed editor of the Railway Review, the Society's journal. It was officially announced last night that the Hon. W. H. Herries has ibeen given the portfolios of 'Marino and Customs, held up till January 12 last by Mr. P. M. B. Fisher, and, since Jhe tatter's resignation, by the JPrime Minwfcsr (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey).—Press Association. Mr John S. Rowe, latp chief assistant bailiff at the Magistrate's Court at Auckland, left on Saturday to take no the position of chief bailiff at Stratford. Prior to his departure Mr Rowe was presented by members of the legal profession in Auckland with a purse of sovereigns, the desire being to express some recognition of his conscientious and courteous discharge of his duties. Mr Rowe also received a presentation from the staff at the Magistrate's Court. Dr Louig Barnett, of Dunedin (son of the late -Mr A. A. Barnett, of Wellington), will shortly leave for Australia to join the Orontes for London. After representing the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association at the association meeting in London, he will offer his services 'for the front. Dr Barnett is a native of Wellington, and as a boy went to England with his parents. He attended a school in the Old Country, and completed his education at the Thorndon school and Wellington College. At Edinburgh University he passed all his medical examinations in a brilliant manner. His eldest son is a member of the New Zealand Ambulance Corps in Egypt. The late Mrs Knowles, wife of Canon Knowles, of Christchurcii, who died last Thursday evening, was a very old identity of Canterbury. With her husband, the late Rev. Charles Alabaster, she arrived in Lyttelton by the ship Stratliallan in 1859. This vessel brought the first batch of immigrants for Timat'u. Mr Alabaster was appointed chaplain to the late Bishop Harper, and was also at one time vicar of St. Luke's. In 18(52 he started the Lincoln Cottage Institution in Cranmer Square, a preparatory school for Christ's College, in the conduct of which he was ably assisted by his wife, who carried it on for many years after his death, which took place in January, 1885. Many persons now occupying high positions in the community received the rudiments of their education at her hands. In 1801 die married the Rev. F. (now Canon) Knowles, and had resided in the city continuously ever since.