PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A Beuter message states that General Smuts has arrived in London.

A cablegram reports that the Duchess of Connaught is weaker and cotnpliem tions have supervened. Mr. K. F. Black, of Auckland, who arrived in N'ew Plymouth yesterday, intends spending some time at Mount Eamont. I Stanley W. Shaw is at present staying at the North Egmont Mountain House, where he has gone frit the benefit of his health.

Mrs. T. Molloy, of Korito, has received word that her son, Harry, has heen admitted to Walton-on-Thames Hospital, suflering from shell wounds.

•Major \V, J. Shepherd, who went away as Captain-Adjutant with the Main . Body, and who has seen service at Gallipoli and France, including the Sommo offensive, paid a flying visit to New Plymouth yesterday. ' He returned to New Zealand with a recant hospital ship. Major Shepherd has to report at Trentham in three weeks.

Miss Mien M. Clifford, of Leppc-rtoit, a pupil of Mr. R. Neville Rcndud, won the gold medal for 1910 in the recent examinations (piano, advanced grade) conducted by the Royal Academy of Music, and the Royal College of Music. Misa Clifford s success is the more meritorious seeing t-liut no candidate qualified to receive the silver medal, so that she was the only winner in this grade in the dominion for this year. It is bolieved that this is the »(irst time a gold medal has been won by a Taranaki pupil in the advanced grade,, and 'both tha teacher and pupil are to be congratulated on. the success.

Mr. John McDonald, of Jersey Park. Waipipi, Waiuku, can justly be proud oi the record liis sons are puttin" up, in tho defence of the Empire. Mis" eldest son, Ernest, aged 35, a married man with a wife and four children, left with one of the earliest reinforcements a a captain of the Kith Waikatos, and was' wounded at the ! Hiding on Gallipoli in the shoulder and lung. He was invalided home, and, making a rapid recovery, was able to leave New Zealand again' as major. At present he is in charge of troops at Sling Camp. Elwyn, aged 32, left some time later, and the latest news shows him to be in the firing line "somewhere in France." Ronald, 2S> years old, left with one of the reinforcement drafts for tho Killo Brigade, was wounded iu 1* lance, was sent to hospital, recovered and returned to the front in time to' take p;u-t in the Somme advance. In December last Ronald was again wounded in the ear and face. The latest news states that be is "making good progress. ' Another son, Harold, was not ■ 20 whefl he left New Zealand. He took part in several sharp engagements in Kgypt, aud came through safely. Then iie met his brother Ernest, who arranged for his transfer, and he was taken on to tlte English camp. Mr. McDonald's father, the late Mr. iP«ter McDonald, saw active service in the Maori war, uliere, whilst serving under Colonel Nixon in the Waikato Mounted Constabu ary, he was severely wounded. A nephew of Mr. John McDonald also went through tlie Caiiipoli campaign, and is now serving in Egypt.

_ Sir John George Findlay, K.C., LL.D., K.C.M.G., the new member for Hawke'sBay, is a native of New Zealand, having been born in Danedin in 1882. He was educated nt lUkitika and at Otago University. lie gained his J-L.B. degree in 18811, and was called to the' Bar in thtt following year. His Doetorship of Laws was gained in 181K1. 110 practised his profession first at I'almerston (Otago), and subsequently in Wellington, where lie was for some time in partnership with Sir Kobert Stout, the present ChieJ Justice. On the death of the late Hon A. 1 'it t. Attorney-General, in November, 1000, Sir John (then Dr.) Findlay succeeded to that office, in Sir Joseph Ward's Cabinet, being called to the Legislative Council for the purpose. He at first held the portfolio of AttorneyGeneral and Colonial Secretary. He wa.» allotted the portfolio of Minister for Justice on the readjustment of the Cabinet in January, 1900. He was appointed a King s t Counsel in 1007, and he received his knighthood in connection with the Coronation honors in Juno, 1910. He was formerly lecturer on political science at Otago University. He has also lectured on numerous occasions on various social, political, and literary subjects. At the general election .in 1902 he was an unsuccessful candidate for one of the Wellington City scats. He resigned his seat in the Legislative Council in 1911, in order to contest the Parnell scat. 1 here were two ballots in this contest, the order in the first poll being Mr. S. Dickson, Sir John' Findlay, and Mr. M. J. Mack. Iu "the second ballot Mr. Dickson defeated tlib present me «lnfor Ilawke's Bay by a majority of 42< votes.