PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1916, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. Vaughan Kirkby, fourth son of Mrs. Ki»kby, of New' Plymouth, ha* | been accepted for service with the A.S.C., and leaves for camp in Juno, Mr. George W. Telford, of the Bank of Australasia, Wellington, and formerly of New Plymouth, has been passed for active service. Mr, Cecil W. Qmlliam, third son of Mr. J. H. Quilliam, of New Plymouth, patted the medical examination at Wellington, last week for the front. He holds the rank of senior lieutenant in the New Zealand Territorial' Forces. Trooper W. 0, Marshall, who left with the Main Body of the Expeditionary Force, and who has been invalided home, arrived in New Plymouth by the mail train on Monday evening and takes up his old position in the local office of the Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, Captain Thomas Meyers, a well-known figure in Auckland shipping circles, died at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital on Wednesday. For sixteen years he had been in the service of the Northern Steamship Company. Mr. W. H. Skinner, the new Commissioner of Lands, will take over the administration of the Lands Department, in Canterbury on Monday, April 3rd, in sucession to Mr. C. B, Pollen, who retired.

r Mr. Thomas Boyd, sen., a resident of Napier for fifty years, has died at the age of eighty. He was born in Perthshire. When eighteen years old he joined the 70th Foot Regiment, and later went through the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. Subsequently he sailed for New Zealand, wher& he served through the Maori War. In this connection he took part in several skirmishes in Napier, and at the battle of Omarunui. He has left a family of eight sons and four daughters. A tribute to General Russell, the officer commanding the New Zealand Division, was paid by the Minister for Justice (the Hon. Dr, McNab), when speakiug to an Auckland Star Interviewer. He was proud, lie said, to claim General Russell as fi Parliamentary constituent. The distinguished officer was a. relative of the late Sir William Russell, who was well-known as a former New Zealand politician. After having been trained In the British Army, lie came out to this Dominion and took up farming property in Hawke's Bay. Interesting himself very keenly in our volunteer system, hj« became the life and soul of the Territorials in Hawke's Bay. Dr. McNab further explained that when war broke out his friend deemed it his duty to go forward, and he left New Zealand as colonel in charge of the Mounted Brigade. On the voyage he was promoted to b\j?tdier-generai and when General (ioAley was put in charge of an Army Corpl, General Russell was given the latteiV original command. "General Russell," said Dr. McNab, "is a man of strong personality, and is immensely popular with his men,, who say there is 'no side' about him," The Minister expects to hear further good things concerning his friend before tho war ends.

Private advice lias been received tint Licut.-Colonel James J. Essen, C.M.G., is returning to New Zealand. Lieut.Col. Esson left with the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force a* Assistant Quartermaster-General, and hi* services on GiillipoH and in Egypt have been very highly spoken of by the mill* tary authorities, also by Colonel R. Heaton Rhodes during his recent visit of inspection to the Mediterranean. It is understood that Colonel Ksson will resume his duties in the Treasury Department at Wellington. He left Egypt a few days ago for London, and will make the return journey to New Zea,i land by way of Canada.