PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1920, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Dr. Allen, of Dunedin, is visiting New Plymouth prior to sett'ing in Auckland. Mr. A. H. Johnston:! has been, elected a member of the Council of the Auckland Law Society. Mr. Percy Jones, conductor of St. Augustine Band, has been appointed adjudicator at the Dunedin Band Contest (say* a telegram from Dunedin). Captain J. Dallinger, M.C., has been. appointed commander of group 8 in place of Lieutenant D. Manners, who has been appointed Adjutant of the 2nd Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles. Captain Dallinger, previous to leaving for »er> vice overseas, was for a long perfod ser-, geant-major instructor.in. this.group.

The North Auckland Times of Monday week says: From a private message received in Dargaville it is understood that the Hon. J. G. Coates is to be appointed Minister of Public Works in. succession to Sir William Fraser. The appointment is bound to proVo a popular wie, in the North Island in particular, as it is held that it is high time that the position should be filled by a representative of an Auckland constituency.

Following the retirement of Mr; W, S. Short, the appointment of Mr. R., W'! Holmes as Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department is announced (says a telegram from Wellington). This' post he will hold in conjunction with his present position of Engineer-in-Chief. Mr. G. C. Godfrey, formerly chief clerk, has been appointed Assistant I'nder-Secretary, and consequential appointments are Mr. C E. Bennett to chief clerk, and Mr. P. S. Wallie to accountant

• Some speculation was (says lite Ay-. gus) caused among the friends of ajct Kltliam soldier, Sergt. N. Reardon, as t<> t lie reason of his being still in England, but official intimation has now been received that Sergt. Reardon is among those detained as members of the Army Puv Corps for the final clearing up of pay and other money matters. This staff is being reduced as rapidly as possible, and Sergt. Reardon may now be relieved at an early date. A gathering of the members of the Methodist Church was held in the schoolroom at the Fitzroy Church on Thursday evening, for the purpose of fareveiling the Rev. H. L. Richards, whose appointment, of three years in this district is Hearing conclusion. Mr. G. Purdue occupied the chair. Cordial expressions of appreciation of the work of Mr. and Mrs. Richards, and regret at their approaching departure, were made by speakers, ' 'ho were the Rev. J. Napier Mline, the Rev. ,T. Nixon, Messrs. W. Ambury and .J. T. Griffin. An enjoyable musical programme was contributed to by Mrs. P. Fredric, Mrs. A. Avery, Misses Cannell, and M. Thomson, Messrs P. Fredric arid A. B. Macdonald. A presentation of xi purse of sovereigns was made to the Key. Mr. Richards, who Suitably acknowledged the gift. An enjoyable supper was dili pensed by the ladies, . , The death occurred last Saturday, at her residence, in Nelson, of Mrs. Reuben'a Askew, who had attained the advanced, age of over 8S years, and had resided in Nelson from the earliest day* of it* settlement. The deceased'was born at Paisley, Scotland, on May 28th, 1831. With iier father and mother (Alexander and Elizabeth Rankin), one sister and three brothers, she arrived at Wellington in the ship Tyno on August 11th, 1841. One brother (James Rankin) had came to New Zealand twelve months earlier. In 1842 the whole family left Wellington in the small schooner Royal Billy, and arrived in Nelson on February lat. The deceased was married on July 3rd, IS4O, to Mr. Thomas Askew, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. T. D. Nicholson. Her husband was drowned at the Croixelles on October Bth, 1875. The three surviving children are Mrs. John Williamson (Wellington), Mr. T, A. Askew ■ (Waverloy),, and Mr. J. W. Askew (New Lynn, Auckland). Ther# are also sixteen grandchildren and twen« ty-one great-grandchildren.