PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1919, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. and Mrs. T. Harle Giles arrirel from Auckland yesterday. Word was nceived yesterday thatl Lieut. C. Bayly (Toko) hod arrived at Wellington ou Thursday from Australia, by the Moeraki. Lieut. Bayly has been delayed in Australia some time on account of the influenza epidemic. Mr. 0. N. Firth, who for the past ten and a half years has been manager of the New Plymouth branch of the Westport Coal Company's business, has been transferred to Wanganui, and leaves on Wednesday next to take up his new duties. The Mayor of New Plymouth received advice that the following soldiers, who \ arrived at Auckland with draft No. 219, were to leave there last night: Winter, Vailey, Aldridge, Comoe, Stumey, Simmons, Shields, Watson, Sanson, Sanger, Shaw, Ward, We'ls, Sampson, Rook,Eoek Rielly, Prestney, Pepperell, Lewman, Maca, Kelpiu, Kelly, Johnson, Hedly, W Hawke, Hartley, Giddy, Flower, Brown, Barnett. The men should reach New Plymouth by to-night's mail train, Mrs. L. S. Jennings, who is to receive the degree of Doctor of Science from the New Zealand University, is well known in Christchurcu and Timaru (says the Lyttelton Times). She was formerly Mis 3 Bella Cross, of Timaru. She received her early education in the South Canterbury town, and was later a student at Canterbury College. Her husband, Captain L. S. Jennings, who lost his life at the war, was an ex-student of Nelson College, aso a Canterbury College graduate, and was well known as a crack tennis player. Before the war he was on the stall' of the New Plymouth High ' School.

Mr T. Buckley, Director of th« Talephones Branch of the Post and Telegraph Department, has retired oil su-. perannuation. Mr Baekley eattted .the service as a cadet forty-three year* ago (15th January, 1876). He went to Dunedin as a telegraphist in 1883, and the same year was appointed postmuter at St. Bathans. In ISB3 he Wag jt\ transferred to Havoloek as postmaster, W and two years later he had a similar position at Ophir. In 1893 he returned to Wellington, and became assistant electrician in U)9B. He succeeded to the post of chief electrician in 1902, and on the resignation of Mr J. Orehiston, chief telegraph engineer, last year, Mr Buckley became director of telephones. During a visit to America about six years ago he studied closely the various (automatic systems, and siioaequenjUy was concerned in the introduction of the automatic telephone system into New Zealand. The chief telegraph engineer (Mr E. A. Shrimpton), who has been a fellow officer of Mr Buqkloy for many years, will move on to tie position of director of telephones. A well-known surgeon, Major A. Challinor Purchas, who returned to Auckland on Saturday, served continuously with the New Zealand forces sMce the mobilisation of the Main Body. He left New Zealand as medical officer attached to the Auckland Infantry Batta*. lion. At Lemnos, before the GalKpoli landing, he was transferred to the 4th' Howitzer Battery, and landed with it on the Peninsula. After serving about a month ashore, he was employed on temporary hospital ships between Lemnos and Alexandria. After this service he reported on Gallipoli in July, and was then sent to the Font de Koubbeh Hospital in Cairo. In September he left for New Zealand on the transport Willochra, with a draft of sick and wounded, and returned to Egypt in the following March. Major Purchas accompanied the staff of the New Zealand Hospital when it was transferred to Brockenhurst. Later he served as eye, , ear, throat and nose specialist on the staff, and in August, 1918, he was attached for three months to the military orthopaedic hospital at Alderhey, liverpool. Thereafter Major Purchas attended London hospitals until sailing for New Zealand in January last on the ambulance transport Zealandic, of which, he was senior medical officer.

After having spent fifty-three years at sea, Captain E. J. Harvey, of the Queen of the South, is about to retire. He was born in Essex in 1847, and began his seafaring life when fourteen years old. On arriving in Wellington in IS7I, he joined the Rangatira as second mate, and four years later was given command of the Manawatu, which position he retained for six Tears. Later Captain Harvey joined Mr F. Greenwood an engineer, and purchased the Sampson, of which vessel he was captain for some twelve months, when the was wrecked. The partners' next purchase was the paddle steamer Hauraki, which thoy converted into a screw steamer, and resumed trading on the coast. About three years later this vessel sprang a leak and sank. Tn 18S3 Captain Harvey joined the firm of Levin and Co., Wellington, as captaiu of the Napfyr, but as this vessel was not large enough for the trade, he went to Sydney in 1880 and purchased the Queen of the South, in which vessel he is part owner with Messrs Levin and Co. and Mr William Signal. He has been in command of the Queen of the South since that time, but was for a few montjftl relieving on the Himittmgi whw &&■ was run by Levin and Co. ;,.-