PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. David Nathan, of Wellington, has been on a visit to' Taranaki, and returns this morning. Mr. C. W. Bennett, of Waitoriki, Inglcwood, whoso name was drawn in the last ballot, has already enlisted and been rejected twice. Nurse Austin, of the local hospital staff, who has been indisposed for some lime past,.lias been granted one montns further leave of absence. The citizens of Sydney on Tuesday gave a luncheon to Mr. Holman, who is departing for London on a financial mission. Mr. A. Ross, Gill street, has received a cable that his son, W. A. Ross, was transferred to the convalescent depot at Hornchiirch on April 7. Nurses Daplyn and Jackson, of the New Plymouth hospital staff, have left to take up appointments on the staff of the Otaki hospital. Misses Piers, Wilson, Hudson and CnrtwrightUiave taken up duties as pupil nurses at the New Plymouth hospital, At the annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Peter's, Palmerston N., on Monday, the Rev. F. G. Harvie and Mrs Harvie, who were leaving for New Plymouth, were presented with a carriage clock and pair of silver candlesticks by the parishioners. The Rev. C. Mortimer Jones, vicar of St. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, has received advice from the Anglican Bishop of Auckland that he is to be appointed chaplain to the twenty-fifth reinforcements. Mr. Rudolph Hirter, a resident of Ross, Westland, for 50 years, is dead, at the age of 91 years. The deceased was a native of Berne, Switzerland. He was one of the earliest arrivals at Ross, and took a prominent part in public affairs for a long period of years. He was Mayor of .Ross for two years, ISS2-13, and also filled positions as member of the Totara Road Board, Westland County Council, Westland Kducation Board, and Ross School Committee, being chairman of the school committee for many years. Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer, who has been chairman of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the past ten years, yesterday formally intimated that he wis severing his connection with the hoard. This he did with regret, and he took the opportunity of thanking the members for the consideration ttnd courtesy thoy had - - always shown him during his term of ofiiee. He would always look back with pleasure to his association with the board, which had been an experience to him. When be joined the. board he recognised that better provision would have to bo made for the sick, and he was,pleased to see that they had .completed a hospital of which the town and district could be justly proud. He. also paid a tribute to the treatment that he had received at the hands of the employees. Mr. Maxwell said he. was voicing the feelings of members that all recognised the great loss the Hospital Board and district would sustain by the resignation. The position was a difficult one to fill, but Mr. Bellringw had filled it well. He referred to the various changes under Mr. Bcllringcr's regime, including the erection of the new hospital, and the removal of the Old People's Home to 'a new site. Although the wisdom of such had been doubted at the time, it had proved an excellent move, because the site could not be improved upon. The position entailed considerable sacrifice of time and finance, besides the neea of special qualifications, and he did not know where a man could be found who could fill the position so well. Other members also spoke in similar strain, it being remarked by Mr. A. E. Sykes that the .ratepayers had no idea of the work the chairman had done. Mr. Brown stated that the chairman also had the necessary firmness to carry out his administration when required. Mr. A. H. Kendall voiced the regret of the employees of the board at Mr. Bcllringer's retirement.