PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1919, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. 0. B. Martin, of Stratford, left yesterday morning for Chri a tehureh. Mr. D. C. Bates, Government Meteorologist, returned to Wellington on Tuesday from Sydney. A London cable says that Mr. Massey was present at the .Supreme War Council debate on the Russian situation.

Mr C Wells, of Lepperton, has revived word from the Defence Department that his son, Private llarry Wells, will arrive home on January 31 Mr. R. H, C Boyle, manager of the Lltham Co-operative Dairy Factory, Mrs. Beyle and family, are spending a holiday at Ngamotu beach

Mr. J PresJ.ney. Fitzroy, has been advised that his son, Private R. J Prestney, who was gassed in France some time ago, is returning with Draft 207 on the Oxfordshire, which is due on February 2.

Or acocUnt of his having removed to the Hawera district, Mr R W J. McNeill, yesterday placed his resignation in the hands of the Taranaki Hospital Board.

Dr. J B. MaeDiarmid left for Wellington by yesterday's express, to resume his military duties on a hospital ship. A number of the doctor's personal friends gave him three hearty cheers as the train moved away from llawera.

Mrs W Hennell and Miss W Bayly (Okoiroire) leave by the Niagara for Dnglsnd On arrival Miss Bayly's marriage to Major F. Turnbull will take place.—Eltham Argus. Mrs. Hanan, wife of the Minister ol Education, has been seriously ill with heart trouble, due to collapse" following influenza. Mrs Hanan did a great deal as a voluntary helper when the epidemic was at its height in Wellington, and was suffering from overwork when sho contracted the malady Mr A. E. Sykes, who leaves New Plymouth on Friday for an extended trip to America and England, was granted leave of absence by tho Taranaki Hospital Board. Members of the .Board expressed t'leir wishes to Mr Skyes for a pleasant trip, and a hope that lie would return to take lug seat on the Board again. Mr A. J Rossiter, Receiver of Land Revenue and accountant in the locai Lands and Survey Office, has received notice of promotion to the position ol" Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Hokitika, and leaves shortly to take up his new duties The many settlers and otherß doing business at the Lands Office, while being pleased with Mr Rbssiter's advancement, will regret severing connections with such an efficient and courteous officer.

In the latest published list ot those who have military honors appear* the name of Private Alf. Collins, who has won the Military Medal. "Collie" is very well known in icitlmm and Omoana, and left with the "Dinkums," two of his mates being Privates Geo. Chalmers and Alf Norris, both of whom lost their lives on tile Western front. Collins, win. is on his way home, is assured of n right royal welcome by the "boys," will, whom he was very popular.—Star. The coming retirement of Mr \V XI Skinner, Commissioner of Crown fo! Canterbury, will bring to a close what is prouab.ly a record length of scyvice for a public servant in the Dominion, Mr i,->l;'innor having uompleted close upon iorty-seven years' service. With the exception of a visit to the Old Country and during the recent epidemic, when he was laid up with influenza, lvlr Skinner has been .absent from his duties only two or three days, and then only owing to illness Mr Skinner joined the public' service r.s a cadet in the Lands and Survey Office, under the Taranaki Provincial Government. After serving for four years as a cadet, he was appointed assistant- surveyor for Taranaki, a position which hp held for twelve years. From ISSS to i 191) he held various positions, including' those of inspecting ofliccr. office surveyor, land transfer draughtsman and general draughtsman. Mr Skinner war in 1'") appointed Crown Lands Commis3;onci and Chief Surveyor for Marlborough, which position he held till 1914, when he was transferred in & similar capacity to Hawke's Gay j n 1!>1K he took up similar positions in Canterbury. Mr Mcinner lias, during hi* residence in Clirislehureli, taken a considerable interest' m the Summit Road reserves, and is chairman of the board which controls them We has always been deeply interested in afforestation, and as president of the Canterbury Philosophical Institute jnst vcar !•( read, a valuable paper o.i the V;i:h. ject befor? ,t> body

The Daunevirke News tells flip following story:—Grim humor mav It: 1 Koinetimes found in even the most innocent looking letter When Captain 'J' K V, Seddon, Jf.P., was visiting a certain State in America with the British Mission, he was asked by a resident th»le if hp could trace tile whereabouts of hi, brother, an erstwhile resident of Jhuimvirke, and thir. is what, he wrote to th" Dannevirke Council: When I was ; n Puluth, Minnesota, Mr asked me in make inquiries to find the whereabo'.ii; of his brother . ] should h,< pleased if the town clerk would trv and ascertain his present address, and let his brother know From what J could hem. it would give Mr a great deal ol pleasure to find out anything about his brother." The wording of the letter caused considerable hilarity, as the per son inquired about was a well known ce lebrity. Hia present address, however, is unknown. It was mentioned that he died about twelve months ago in Napier Hospital, where he was sent after having been committed to Napier gaol. lie was given a good clean up, and failed to stand the shock,'' remarked a councillor J.P "There's 110 need to tell his brother that he died while in custody," was the comment of another councillor when the town clerk was instructed to supply the information which was to give the" anxious brother "a great deal of pleasure."

An interesting preface to ])r Siegfried's book on New Zealand was written by Mr Downie Stewart, M.P. Br, Siegfried explains how this came to happen He was asked by his publisher to permit an English translation This ho cordially agreed to. He was asked to bring the book up to date, hilt he declined upon the ground that, he could not write upon any matter which lie had not personally investigated He was then asked if he would allow Mr Downie Stewart to write the preface, and he expressed himself as quite agreeable. Dr. Siegfried confessed that he had not yet aiei, Mr Downie Stewart, He had tried to arrange a meeting in Paris, but both wefe on military service, and the appointment could not be kept. He had, however, just that moment despatched a telegram to Mr Downie Stewart, arranging a meeting between them in Diinedin, arid lie was looking forward to this with the keenest aoticipatiotL