PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1917, Page 4

PERSONAL.

M. Step, Minister of• Education, succeeds M. Jlalvy, the French Minister for the Interior, who has resigned. A cable received yesterday reports that Rifleman J. B. Oliver was admitted to the Now Zealand General Hospital at Brockeuhurst on, August 15 A Dunedin telegram reports the death of Captain Robert Strang, for many years marine, superintendent for the Union Steamship Company. Mr. W. D. Powdrell was yesterday reelected chairman of directors of the Ivaupokonui Dairy Company for the eightii year in succession. Mr. L. S. H. Clarke, of New 'Plymouth, whose name appears in the last ballot, had volunteered for active, service on several occasions, and was rejected through being medically unfit. It is understood that Miss Casey, M.A., of Hokitika, will be appointed either to Hawera District High School or Stratford District High School, but tho. matter has not yet been definitely settled. Mr. F. P. -Jones, of the insurance branch of Newton King's clerical staff, who is about to lea\e for camp to join the 34th Reinforcements, was prestuted with a wristlet watch by his fellow employees on Saturday. The presentation was made by Mr. S. W. Shaw, who wished Mr. Jones every success, and a safe return. An old resident of the Eketaliuna district, of Swedish extraction, who died in his 90th year, could not spiiak a word of English, although he had lived in New Zealand for over 40 years (says the Wairarapa Age). His wife, who predeceased him by about five years, was also unable to master three words of the English language, and had the distinction of never having ridden in a railway train. , The last English mail brought news of the death of Sir Joseph Lyons, the well-known London caterer. For years Sir Joseph Lyons was the caterer for the Lord Mayor's banquet, and most of the great State dinners and social functions held in the metropolis. He was, when a young man, an optician, and was the inventor of the patent combination chromatic stereoscope. It was exhibiting his optical inventions at exhibitions that gave him the idea of revolutionising the catering business, which he certainly did. By the death of Mr. Wm. Dowman, which took place on August '22, Purangi has lost one of her pioneer settlers. As one of the Milsom Special Settlement Association, Mr. Dowman, with his family, came to Puritngi in 1892, and as he had had more experience of bush life than others of the associates, he was from the start looked to for a lead ill the life which to many of them was entirely new. Some eight years ago deceased was stricken with a sudden breakdown, and since then had been a complete invalid, from which condition he was released as stated above. He leaves a family of eight sons and tw>> daughters, to whom the sympathy of their fellow ;settlers is extended.—Our Correspondent.