PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1919, Page 4

PERSONAL.

The Bcv. T. Tait, of Manaia, is at present seriously ill. Mr. H- L. Tapley lias been elected chairman of the Dunedin Harbor Board. Lieut.-Colonel O'Neill, D.5.0., C.M.G., has returned to Dunedin, after four and a-half years' war service. Major H. Peacock, who was some years ago attached to the Wangamii Defence Office, has been appointed A.Q.M.G. of the Auckland Province.

Mr. Albert Butler, of Cobden, one of the West Coast pioneers, died recently. He was for many years in the service of the Mines Department. Owing to indisposition on the part of Justice Sir Bassett Edwards, the Supreme Court sittings at Palmerston North next week will be taken by Mr. Justice Chapman. .. One of the oldest citizens of Blackball, Mr. Arthur Riddiford, died recently, in his seventy-seventh year. Deceased was a native of Buckinghamshire, England, and landed in Wellington by the ship Douglas in 1872. Mr. T. H. Hamer, who has been auditor in the High Commissioner's Office, London, for some years, is resigning from December :il of this year, and is to be given six months' leave of absence, according to the regulations.

The death is anounced, at the ago of eighty-six years, of Mr. Nathaniel Ayling, an old resident of Invereargill. At one time he took an active part in municipal politics, having held the position of Mayor of Soutli Invereargill, and had also served as a councillor for some years.

The many friends of Mr. R. W. Sinclair, formerly of New Plymouth, whore for some years he was a representative of the firm of L. D. Nathan and Co., Ltd., will regret to hear of his death. which occurred on Sunday at Henley, OtagoLieutenants Grant and Laurent, of Hawera, winners of the coveted Victoria Cross, are duo to arrive in Hawera shortly. The local Patriotic Society have decided to make the welcome of these heroes a fitting one, and have opened a fund to enable the town to give the soldiers some tangible recognition of their appreciation of their services on the hattjefield. The County Council has been invited to co-operate in the reception-

Returning by the troopship Northumberland, due in Wellington yesterday, are Bandsmen Charlie Coleman and IS. Revell. The'latter has been away fighting for several years, and succeeded in winning the M.M. decoration, while his comrade left with the 13th Reinforcements. If the men succeed in catching the express this morning, they will be welcomed home to-night by the Citizens' Band, leaving the band room at 7.30 o'clock. Another of Auckland's old identities, Mrs. Catherine O'Neill, passed away on Monday last at Grey Lynn. Deceased had attained the age of 100 years, and up till about three months ago was extraordinarily active. She retained her faculties almost, to her death. The deceased lady was born in' Limerick, Ireland, in 1819, and in 1844 she and her husband, who predeceased her by some years, migrated to South Africa. Subsequently she resided in Australia for some time, but in the 'seventies she settled in Auckland, where she remained until her death. Mrs. O'Neill is survived by one son and one daughter. As the King himself remarked, when he gave Sergeant-Major John Williams the V.C., D.C.M., the M.M., and bar, on February 23, at Buckingham Palace, it was the only occasion on which he had given so many decorations at one time to one' man. His Majesty also added before he finished his chat and shook hands with Williams: "Men like you should stay in the Army," to which Williams replied: "I'll join up again if there's another war. sir." Sergeant - Major Williams is a South Wales miner, enlisted in 1914, and served continuously till severely wounded at the end of the war in'the 10th South Wales 1! derers. His old employers have pVesentd him with his house, coals and light for life, and his proud countrymen in the Ebbw Vale coalfield are subscribing about £2OOO, to be presented to him as a token of their appreciation of her heroism. It is stated that this is the largest purse which has been given to a V.C.