PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P. for Taumartinui, ig at present in Wellington. A London cable states that Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt, the hero of the Arethusa in the action on August, 1914, has been promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. Mrs. W. Wood Ims received word that her brother, Bombardier H. McLeod, of the Australian Forces, has won the Military Medal and been recommended for a commission. Mr. Jas. Jordan Jias arrived in New Plymouth from Napier to take up the duties of clerk of the court. Mr. F. W. Hart, who lias been relieving here since Mr. Terry's departure, returns to Wanganui shortly. The Rev. R. B. Gosnell, of Opunake, has been notified of lus appointment as a field secretary with the fS'C.A. He leaves for Wellington on Thursday to tSke up his military duties. After spending a short while in camp, Mr, Gosnell proceeds overseas. ' Mrs. I. S. Carthew, Watson Street, has received word that her grandson, E. D. Asheroft, first lieutenant, Royal Engineers, died on November 30, 1917, of wounds received in Palestine. The deceased was a son of Mr. -A, E. Ashcroft, of Vernon, 8.C., surveyoi - , late of Hunterville. His brother, Lieutenant L. E. Ashcroft, was killed in action last year at Vimy Ridge. Mr. S. 6. Smith, chairman of the Cen< tral School Committee, has received a cable message from Mr. H. A. Stratford, from Brockenlmrst Hospital, under date November 28, stating that he had received advice of liis appointment as headmaster of the Central School, adding that the appointment, under the' circumstances, was very gratifying. Mr. Strata ford intimated that he anticipated returning to New Zealand early in 1818. ; The Rev. C. Lacroix, Roman Catholia Chaplain, N.Z.E.F., who has been specially mentioned in routine, orders fop gain lant.ry in connection with a train collision in France, is well known in liew Zealand. Coming originally from France he was first engaged in the Tanjnaki province and worked among the Maoris in the King Country when Taihape and Mangaweka were little more than bush townships, He removed subsequently to the We3t Coast, which district he left to join the Forces as a chaplain. , Brigadier-General F. A. Maxwell, V.Oj D.5.0., has been killed in action. Gen* eral Maxwell was one of lord Kitchener's staff in India. 1 It is a remarkable fact that, with the exception of Lieutenant* General Birdwood, all of Lord Kitchener's Indian staff have lost their lives in this war. They were: General Hubert Hamilton, Colonel Raymond Marker, Colonel Fitzgerald, Colonel Victor Brooke. Another coincidence Is that Mrs. Maxwell and her sister,. Mrs, Malcolm Peake, widow of General Peake, have lost their husbands within a month. General Maxwell was a brilliant soldier, and a strikingly handsome man. He transferred to the 18th Bengal Lancers from the Sussex Regiment, and after £ord Kitchener's return from India became military Secretary to Lord Hardinge. He gained his V.Ci. for a particularly gallant act in saving the guns of Q Battery at Koorn Spruit, South Africa, in KOO. The death of Mrs. Cecilia MeCook, the wife, of Mr. John McCook, of Opunake, took place on Thursday. Deceased| accompanied by her husband, went to Auckland to meet their son, who returned to New Zealand on January 5. After arriving home deceased felt indisposed, and after a week or so the illness took a serious turn. Deceased had bean in Taranaki for the past 40 years. The family is grown up, and numbers' eight daughters and four sons, namely: Mrs. E. Hill (Oaonui), Mrs. G. Hill (Auroa), Mrs. Crosby (Normanby), Mrs. Aiken' (Wellington), Mrs. Hirst (Te Aroha), Mrs. Fitzsimmons (Opunake), Miss Sarali McCook (Manaia), and Miss Grace MoOook (at present an inmate of the New Plymouth Hospital). The four sons are: Robert and John (at the front), William (who returned some time ago), and James (who returned this month), there are numerous grandchildren.