PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1916, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. A. J. Morton, tlie recently ap* pointed inspector for tlie Taranaki' Edm cation District, irrived from Wellington! by last night's express. At yesterday's meeting of tlie newl directors of the Stratford Co-operativa Dairy Company, Mr. R. Dingle was rei elected chairman. This makes his forow teenth year of tenure of that office.

The roll of men returning to Xew; Zealand by the Oorinthic contains th« following five deaths en route: Peni, Pineki, Puln, Tineatama, and Vaihola. 'i'orty-nine Islanders ar,e returning. At the annual meeting of suppliers of the Rahotu Dairy Company yesterday, a vote of sympathy Was passed witli Mr. C. Gibson, one of the directors, in! the loss of his son, who was killed iri action in France. A similar xesolutioa was passed by the directors.

Mr, Whetter, inspector iinder thd Taranaki Education Board, who hai teen transferred to the Napier district, was yesterday presented by the Board's office staff with a silver-mounted iron brella and a silver match box. Mft Whetter leaves for Napier to-morrow. ; Saturday's casualty list included th 3 following Taranaki men:— Reported wounded: Second-Lieutenant R. L. Gar< den (Mrs. M. Garden, Nonnanby, mother). Embarked for England: Richard M. Shield (next-of-kin, John Shield* Patea), Gilbert John Seed (W, Seedy Douglas, father), Roland Smith (Mrs] •J. E. Smith, Stratford, mother). Among the successful candidates in the recent State examination for the registration of nurses were the follow;* ing from Xew Plymouth:—D. Chittenden, J. E. Daplyn, and M. A. Jackson, A. M, Marsh (Hawera) and M. Biltoii (Stratford) obtained a partial' each passing the oral and medical seel tions. " | 7-V \

Mr. T. W. Fisher, for the past teii years Under-Secretary for the Native Afl'airs Department and a Judge of the Native Land Court, retired yesterday on superannuation. He was met by representatives of the Department from all parts of New Zealand, and Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister in charge of tho Department, presented Mr. Ksher on j their behalf with a gold watch.and other I gifts, as a mark of appreciation. The Native Affairs Department now ceases to be a separate department, the work being amalgamated with the Justice Department, Mr. C. B. Jordan being Undersecretary to the combined offices.—Press Association.

A Palmeraton North message reports the death of Mr. John Stevens, aged 71< Mr. Stevens was an cx-M.P. forfiangU tikei, entering Parliament in 1882, defeating Sir William Fox by two votes. He was prominently connected Avitb the development of the west coast of this island. Mr. Stevens was born in Wellington in 1845, and settled in the Bangitikei, where he carried on business as an auctioneer in conjunction with CoL Gorton. He was a member of the Wanganui Education Board and of the Web, lington Land Board. With some interludes he sat in Parliament until 1908. Of late years Mr. Stevens has been blind and had suffered from other physical handicaps, but he always kept up his interest in public affairs. The late Mr. James Henry Escott, member of Parliament for Pahiatua, was 44 years of age, and >mas born in Ore- / puki, Southland. His father was a Crimean veteraii, who took part in the storming of tho Heights of Alma and was present at the fall of Sebastopol. Mr. Escott was educated at Orepuki, and came to the North IsHand when ahou 18 years of age, settling at Woodville. For some time he was engaged in manual pursuits, but after about six years ho took up farming, and was very successful. He fought through the Boer War as a trooper in the Second New ' Zealand Contingent. On hi* return he identified himself most prominently with all public matters. He was secretary ol the local A. sind P. Association, a member of the Woodville County Council, a prominent figure in the 'Farmers' Union, and also in Masonic circles. Xast year he was Master of his lodge- In IOU he entered Parliament as Reform member for Pahiatna, and he was again returned by a large majority in IM4. In Parliament lie was regarded as a good worker and a useful member. Last session lie was chairman of the A to 1 Petitions Committee. This year he intended to a;o to the war, and had already enlisted when the illness cai»9 upon him, which resulted in his death. Had lie been in possession, of good health he would have entered camp with the last draft of probationary n.c.o.'s. When taken ill he entered a private hospital, jml was operated on for an internal complaint. His life, however, could not be saved, and he grew steadily worse, He was a single man.