PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1916, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A London cable states that Sir Joseph Ward is returning to London on Saturday, his son being much better. f Lying in the New Zealand General Hospital, Brockcnhurst, is Rifleman L. X. Northover, of Eltham. He is reported to be seriously ill. His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman wi'.l preside at the sittings of the Supreme Court to be held at New Plymouth next week. Second-Lieutenant Melville Kay, of the Durham Regiment, a New Zealand farmer, has been killed in action, reports a London cablegram. IJr. H. Godd. of Wiiangarei, formerly of Manaia, who was wounded whilst on service with the medical staff in France, was still in the medical hospital at Chelsea, England, when the last report was received. The Mayor of Palmerston North (Mr. J. A. Nash) and Messrs. H. Seifert, E. IT. Crabb, L. R. Bryant, G. Kendall, F. Rolfe, M. O'Reilly, and C. if. Clausen, members of the Palmerston North Borough Council, visited New Plymouth yesterday, and inspected the trarniway service. They are returning to Palmerston North to-day. By the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Pepperell, relict of the Mr. John Pepperell, of Bell Block, at the ripe old age of !)2. Taranaki loses one of its oldest settlers The deceased lady, whose maiden nanm was Scandlyn, was born in Cornwall and came to New Zealand with her parents in tho good ship Essex, arriving at Moturoa in the spring of 1841. She took her part in the gtruggles of the early pioneers, for at that time Nev; Plymouth consisted of practically only :i few whares; her early married life in the new settlement meant a time of struggle and hardship fueh as we at this time can form very little idea of. About 1848 with her husband and two small children she went to Melbourne, remaining there till the early fifties. On their return to Taranaki about 1852 the Bell Block district was being,settled and the late Mr, Pepperell took up a farm .11 that district. During the Maori war,, commencing in 1860, they, r. common with their neighbors, had to abandon their homestead, the women and children having to take refuge in New Plymouth in St. Germain Square, the men being all drafted to military service. A part of the war period was spent in New Plymouth and some of the time in Nelson. After those anxious and troublous days were over and peace finally declared they went back to their farm and had to rebuild their home, which had been burnt by the Maoris. Mrs. Pepperell survived her husband by 20 years. The last 2G years of her life were spent with her youngest son, Mr. R. Pepperell, of Fitzroy. Three son's only survive of a family of twelve —Mr. Jolir Pepperell, of Carrington road; Robert H. Pepperell, of Waitara; and Reuben Pepperell, of Fitzroy. She leaves 32 grandchildren, over 50 great-grand-children, and one great-great-arandson.