PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Captain W. H. Hawkins, of Okato, Is in hospital in France. His name is in* eluded in the not seriously Wounded list. Mrs. J. Vile, of Pahiatua, will thin month attain her 100 th birthday. She has had the experience of seeing no lets than live generations of her family. Captain A. R. Rydter, nf the New Plymouth High School staff, is at present attending a refresher camp at racecourse. . Word has been received that Sergeant Harold Thomson, who has been in camp for some months, and recently sat *or his commission, was successful, and will be appointed a second-lieutenant in a later reinforcement.

In the latest casualty list appear the following Taranaki hames:—-Killed in action, Private Allan Graliam (Mrs Graham, Awatuna, mother) Lewis Slater (William Slater, Eltham, father). Reported wounded: Private Alfred Ross (Alexander Ross, New Plymouth, father) ; Henry Somors (Mrs. Simons, Tariki, mother); Private Norman Sarten (Mr- E. G. Sarten, Tikorangi, father); Private William Cameron (Mr. John Cameron, New Plymouth, father). Striously ill, Private Herbert Flyger, Hat wcra.

Sergeant A. J. Cosbrook, a son of Mi'. G. Cosbrook, Fitzroy, was among tho latest group of men who were presented by Sir Douglas Haig with the French Croix-de-Guerre, This is not the first time that Sergeant Cosbrook, who left with the artillery in the Main Body, and was in the Gallipoll landing, ha a been honored. While on the Gallipoti peninsula, ho was mentioned in dispatches for gallant and distinguished service, and later was awarded the MIUI tary Medal for bravery in the field.

Bob Fitzsimmons, the famous pugilist heavy-weight chanipiori of the world (ertswhilo Timaru blacksmith) is now appearing in an entirely new role in America. He recently married a reli-giously-inclined ■ old lady, and he wm so deeply impressed 'by her depth of religious fervour that "Ruby Bed" recamn converted, and lie is now busy touring California as a revilalist, gathering immense crowds nightly to hear him. His first appearance was at Sat* Jose, known as "Tho City of Flowers," some 50 miles from San Francisco. The old fighter wept as he delivered hig Bidden sermon in the First Baptist Church there at the morning service, tiany of the congregation were in tears before he' concluded.

General Jan Christian Smuts, who is talked of in London for a high command which may be with the armies in the Holy Land, is ono of the young men of tho war. He is only forty-seven years of age. The son of an African legislator, ho completed his education at Christ's College, Cambridge, and secured double first in the Law Tripos. After practising at Capetown he moved to Johannesburg, and became State Attorney in 1898. When the Boer War broka out ho fought with the Dutch, and his soldierly qualities enabled him to rise to the supreme command in Cape Colony. When the South African Union was established General Smuti became .a member of Parliament, and when the Great War broke out he was Minister for Defence. Without hesitation he announeeJ his loyalty to Great Britain, and nu tlircw the whole of ltis weight and influence behind his leader, General Botha, first in crushing the rebellion, then In wresting big African colonies from G«< many.