PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1919, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. N. G. Armstrong, solicitor, of Wanganui, is visiting New Plymouth. It is reported in a cable message publised in Australia that viseountciss will shortly be conferred on Sir Douglas Haig and Admiral .Sir David Beatty. It is rumored, states the Poverty Bay 1 Herald, that on liia return from England Major-General Sir A. H. Russell is to be asked to contest the Hftwke's Bay seat in Parliament.

Colonel R. W. Tate, Adjutant-General of the New Zealand forces, wEI leave for Samoa at the end of this week. H« is' taking over the duties of the Administrator of Samoa—Colonel Logan—whibj that officer is on leave.

The death of Mi" James Russelti, #uilder and contractor, who had lived in Wellington for over 50 years ocw.»red on Sunday. The deceased was born at Bunchcll, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 78 years ago.

Captain T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., is expected to arrive in Auckland in about a fortnight. His youngest sister, Mrs. Seddon Wood, wife of Surgeon-Commander Wood, R.N., is expected to arrive from London by R.M.S. Ruahine, now en routs to New Zealand.

The following officers hftve qualified by examination for promotion: Major T. C. Sutherland, 2nd (Wellington-West Coast) Mounted Rifles; Captain L. Craig, 7th (Wellington-West Coast) Regiment; Sec-ond-Lieutenant P. H. Wilkie, Unattached List (b). Private advice has been received in Christchurch that the Rev. Noel Hawdon, chaplain to the Forces, died in hospital in France. He came to New Zealand in 1912. Ee was a Ehort time master of Wanganui College, and was then stationed at Timaru. He was afterwards curate at St. Michael's Church, Chriatchurch. He was, a graduate of Cambridge University. Mr. Hawdon wag an nli-vr.mid athlete, and was prominent in the Boy Scout movement. Colonel D. McGavin, who has been decorated with the C.M.G. for his services with the X.Z.E.F., is the wellknown Wellington medical practitioner. He left New Zealand in June, 1816, as O.C. Xo. 1 Stationary Hospital, and has served continuously with the New Zealanders in Egypt, France, and England ever since. Colonel McGavin was for F;>me time A.D.M.S. to the Ncwiiealand Division in France.

! It was with mutual delight that two old schoolmates met in Palmerston on Sunday- -General Pau and Mr. J. B. Pascal. In the short time at their disposal they were able to recall with pleasure incidents of tha days of long ago in France. Mr. and Mrs. Pascal were prominent amongst the guest? at the civic luncheon in honor of the French Mission, ■and they wore able to interpret for the benefit of the guests who were not bilingual many of the interesting and complimentary remarks which our visitors felt called upon to make—Times, The death of Mr. Syd. Smith and his wifa and three children in the wreck of the Princess Sophia, wa3 a tragic occurrence. The vessel ran on a reef when but fo'ir hours' sail out of Shagway, the port of Yukon, and about 300 people were drowned. The decoased lashed his wife and tkres childret to a raft, which was subsequently picked up, but no trace of Ha body was found. The late Mr. Smith had been in business in Featherston for a number of years, and had represented the Wairarapa Rugby Union in senior football.

Colonel H. J. McLean, of the New Zealand Medical Corps, who was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire is a son of Dr. McLean, well known in Timaru. After receiving his education in the South Island he entered one of tho banks, but studying medicine ,later, he passed all the examinations with credit At the outbreak of the war he gave up his practice in Wellington and loft for the front with an early reinforcement. He did excellent work in Gallipoli and Egypt before going to Europe, and was very popular with all ranks. In former years he was a member of tho Wellington Football Club's first fifteen, and he also took a groat interest in yachting. Miss McLean (principal of ithe Wellington Girls' College) and Nwse Agnes McLean are his sisters.

Mr. John Geoffrey Denniston, Rft, youngest son of Sir John Denniston, ha* accepted a position on Christ's CoUogo staff. Mr. Denniston, who is now on tho voyage out from England, ia an old boy of the college, where he gained a Somenscholarship. He graduated B.A. at Canterbury College in 1912, and was for a short time an assi3tant-nuwter is Christ's College, Lower School, before he left to enter Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Enlisting at the outbreak of war in King Edward's Horoe, Mr. Denniston crossed to France as a sergeant iu the first draft of that regiment Subsequently, ho wua granted bis commission, and, after further service in Franco and Ireland, was promoted to tho rank of fall lieutenant. Lieutenant Denniston was wi&i Ms regiment until fighting ceased.

The death of one of the earliest settlers of Canterbury—Mr. Henry William Vincent, of Chmtchurch—b announced. Ho was born in Devonshire in 1810, and came to New Zealand with Ma father, Mr. T. Vincent, and other members of the family, in ICSI. The family settled , lit Papanui, and in 1857 moved to Rangiora, whore Mr. T. W. Vincent took an active interest in the volunteer movement, and when the Maori War broly> out he held the rank of lieutenant, and was attached to the force engaged in watching the Maoris at Woodend. Later on he farmed at East Eyrcton, Annat and Mount Somero. Ho retired from farming about six years ago, and came to Christchurch. The late Mr, Vincent was prominently connected with the Anglican Church. He leaves a widow, six sons &nd three daughters.

Advice has been received by Mr. P. Robertson, of Avondale, of his son, Lieut. Gk P. Robertson, R.F.C., repatriated to England, after having been interned in Germany for over twelve months. Lieut Robertson's name came prominently before the people of England aa the result of a thrilling experience which resulted in Ws capture by the Germans. He wu up To J* 6 c,ouds aer «P lanin g: at a height of 13,000 feet when hia machine was disabled by fire from enemy anti-aircraft pna. He rcnorted to volplaning and landed hio machine safely, but in Gorman territory, and was taken prisoner by the enemy. Lieutenant Robertson was unfortunate enough to have a taste of the severe treatment of German internment camp life, of which ao much has been heard. The early experience was such that it turned Ms hair grey, but aa the war approached ito end, the enemy, probably thinking of the future, meted out better treatment Lieutenant Robertson enlisted in England, and at first was engaged as an inspector in an aeroplane factory, afterwards joining up with his corps.