PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1915, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. H. C. Robinson, organiser m" ta* Unity Campaign, expects to be in New Plymouth early next week.

A London cable announces the death of Mr. Stephen Phillips, the well-known poet.

Mr. E. McCallum, M.P, for Wairau, will probably visit Egypt at his own expense in the event of there not being an autumn session of Parliament.

Rev. H. Smith, who has been appointed home missionary in the Ohitra district, was last evening, at Stratford, presented with a case of pipes by the vestrv of Holy Trinity Church.

Ail accident befell Mr. A. Harris, M.P; for Waitemata, on Tuesday morning at the Narrow Neck Camp. Mr. Harris hat enlisted as a wifeless operator for itrvic* at Samoa, and on Monday went into camp at Narrow Neck. On Tuesday, at the early morning parade, at about halfpast six o'clock, Mr. Harris was seized with a fainting fit. He fell heavily on the scoria, and received some nasty wounds on the head, face, and hands. After receiving medical attention he was placed in the camp hospital. He will probably be confined to his bed for a day or so, but he is very hopeful of being able to leave for Samoa next week. The death of Miss Hannah Gibbs in her 05th year took place at Brooklyn * (Wellington) lately. She was a native of London, born in Bridewell Prison, her father, Thomas Gibbs, being governor of this gaol.' She was a most interesting personage, and hermemory was quite clear close to the time of her death. She had lived in reigns of five Sovereigns—George IV, William IV, Queen Victoria, Edward, VII, and George V, and her clear recollections of progress in her early life were most interesting. She remembered meeting Charles Dickens, George CruickShank, Brunei, and many other contemporary celebrities at the house of her uncle, Mr. Joseph Gibbs, who was a wellknown civil engineer in England.

A message from Gisborne announces the death of Wi Per<\ e.v-M.L.C, The deceased was an influential chief of the Ngatiporou, the principal tribe of the East Coast district. He fought with the colonial forces against Te Kooti during the Hauhau rebellion in the 'sixties, ana was a well-known figure in those days. Nearly twenty years later, in 1884, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the Eastern Maori district. He lost the seat at the next general election, his successful opponent being Mr. (now Sir) .lames Carroll, and he did not enter Parliament again until 1894, when Mr, Carroll had transferred himself to the Waiapu seat. Then Wi Pere regained the Eastern Maori seat and held it until 1895, when he was defeated by Mr. A, T. Ngata. He was called to the Legislative Council in 1907, and sllt until June, 1912. The deceased chief was a picturesque figure in the Council, and was always ready to voice the opinions and champion (he claiffit of l(is own seoul*,