PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A London message states that tho lielgiiui Croix-dc-Gucrre has been conferred on Colonel C. W Melville, of tha New Zealand liilles. Mrs 13. Humphrey, of Okato, had been advised that her son, Rifleman J. Humphrey, will arrive by the next boat. The Bev. Canon Gould, of Onehunga, has jus/ celebrated the i) Ist anniversary of his birth. Canon Gould went to Auckland in the days of Rwhop G. A. Sehvyn. On one occasion, with a whlta comrade and two Maori guides, he walked to Tauranga, Kotorua, and back, being a month on the tour. • At last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee, the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. H. Goudaere was tilled by the appointment of the Mayoress (Mrs. C. H. Burgees) tc tiie committee. All the members spokeappreciatively of the work of the Mayoress, and also as to the desirability of the women of New Plymouth being represented on the committee. The appointment was made with unanimity. At last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee, Mr. C. K Belliingci' was reappointed the society 1 !, delegate to the Taranaki War Belief Association for the ensuing year. Th« chairman (Mr. 0. H. Burgess) «pok» very appreciatively of the work done UJ. to the present by Mr. Bellritiger in thai capacity. He was supported cordially bj other members of the committee, anc the appointment wan made by the unanimous vote of those present! On Monday afternoon the New Plymouth clients of the Bank of New South W ales gathered at the Soldiers' dub for the purpose of making a preaentatir>n to Mi\ JST. K. Mac'Diarmid, who lately resigned the management of tho local branch of the bank, after having filled the position for 28 years. Mr. M. Fjaser presided, and in making the presentation of q. purse of sovereigns and signed memorial, expressed to Mr. MaeDiarmid the esteem in-which the elienta of the hank hchl him awl their regret at his relinquishing the management. The purse was silver-mounted and suitably inscribed. Speeches were also given by Mr- E. H. Tribe and Mr. E- Dockrill. In responding, Mr. Macßiarmid referred, to the changes that had taken place in the progress of the district during the period he had been manager of the local branch of the batik. He thanked those present for their kind words and the accompanying handsome presentation. Cheers for the guest terminated fee proceedings, A well-known Dunedin resident, in Sir. Thomas Henry Haskell, who died on Wednesday at the age of 99 years, was bora in London, am), was the father of Mr Oscar Haskell, one of Otago's early representative cricketers. The old gentleman was in the service of the Van Dieman's Land Government At the time when it obtained its constitution. All the public servants had to' retire, but there was a condition of the Imperial Government that they had all to be provided for by a" pension or otherwise. Mr. Hashell elected to retire, took his pension, and it had continued "from 1855 until his death. He might hold the record in Australasia as a pensioner. Relative to the late Veteran Michael O'Connor, whoso death occurred recently, "W.F.G." sends a few lines to the Wellington Post. The deceased belonged to the famous old 57th Kogimont ("The Die Hards"), and had the following medals: Crimean, Turkish, Baltic, Mutiny, and New Zealand. On receiving his discharge, he joined the Colonial Forces, and was one of the gallant defenders of the Turuturumokai Redoubt, near Hawera, when it was attacked by Han Haus in the early morning of July 12, ISSrt, and his photo appears in a group of the wounded there in the "Gordon'' collection in 'Dominion Museum. In the early seventies he had charge of the artillery guns that were kept in Captain Pearee's wool shed in Willis street. He was also bass drummer in the Artillery Band, and was an excellent timist, and one of the most popular members of t?ie band. For some years afterwards tie held the position of messenger at 'the Government Buildings. A notable link with the past has been broken by tho death at Kenley, Surrey, at the great age of 97, of the Dowager Lady Lawrence, widow of the fir. I, Lord Lawrence, the "saviour of India." Born in W2O, a daughter of the lute Rev. Richard Hamilton, Lady Lawrence married in IS4I and was left a widow in 1879. Her husband entered tho Bengal Civil Service in 1838, and when the • Mutiny broke out was Commissioner of tfie Punjab, his elder brother, Sir Henry Lawrence, being the defender of Lucknow, where lie was killed. Lady Lawrence's husband displayed great energy at Lahore on the outbreak of tho mutiny, his efforts helping in its suppression, and he was afterwards Viceroy of India. The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was lost in Lady Lawrence's house. Her husband had" charge of itwhen ho was Lieutenant General of thePunjab, but one day it disappeared, and nothing was seen of it for some weeks until a servant knocked over ft cigar box in the Governor's bedroom, when the diamond rolled out. The Marquis of Bute, who has been' appointed au Area Representative for Labor Supply under Sir Auckland Geddes, desired to go to tho front to fight, especially in view of tho death of his brother, Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart, M.P-, but he has not been passed as fit for general service, and consequently he will have to remain at home, The Marquis is one of the richest men in the Kingdom. When he came into the title he inherited something like six millions sterling—money made chiefly in the Cardiff Docks. Although his immense riches are mainly derived from the* Welsh port, his possessions in (Scotland are of vast extent. Ho care# little for society, but is devoted to everything Scottish, often wears the kilt, and has his own piper. His Lordship is a keen sportsman, a renowned big game-hunter, and a. great traveller. In the former respect he differs greatly from his father, who never fired a gun in his life.