PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1920, Page 4

PERSONAL.

The death is announced of Mr. Henry McLachlun, a very old resident of Wanganui. He was 77 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchons and family left Hawora on Saturday en route for Lon■don, and were accorded a hearty sendoff by a. large number of friends. The positfon' of Collector of Customs at New Plymouth is being temporarily held by Mr. K. Goad, of the Wellington office, who is relieving Mr. R. B. D. Eyre. , ' Mr. A. Duncan, who has filled the position of District Traffic Manager, Auckland, for six years, retires from the service shortly '" He will relinquish his position on, October 1 next.—Press Association. Mr. W. L. Newman was elected vicepresident of the New Plymouth Savings Bank at a meeting yesterday, vice Mr'. Henry Weston, resigned. Regret at Mr. Weston's retirement after twelve years in office was expressed by the trustees. A very large gathering of Post and Telegraph officials met at the New Plymouth Post Office to bid farewell to Mr. C H. Burton, Chief Postmaster, who is retiring, and a presentation was made by Mr. H. B. Fookes, superintendent, on behalf of the whole of ,tlie district, of a gold chain and pendant as a token of respect and good wishes. Mr. Fookes commented on the considerate ■ manner in which Mr. Burton had controlled the officers and district generally, and the amount of. energy displayed in attending to his duties. A considerable number of letters from the different offices in the district were received conveying the good wishes from some officers, and these were read out. Further .speakers wore Messrs. S. Ayling, H. Thomas, J. Stewart a\ul J. Hamilton, who each expressed regret and conveyed t]ie good wishes of their respective staffs. By the death of Mrs. F. L. Peake, widow of Mr. H. L. Peake, which sad event occurred last week, another link with the early historic days of Wanganui has been parted (the Chronicle reports). Mrs Peake was 81 years of age, and had been a resident of Wanganui for over 40 years. Mr. Peake came to New Zealand from Melbourne in 1853. He subsequently visited the Canterbury settlement* per s.s. Ann, which was a small screw steamer, fitted with 50 h.p. engines, and sent out by the P. and O. Company to report on the New Zealand trade. On her return Mr. Peake camo to Wanganui, and purchased land on the native boundary near Kai Iwi. He joined tht volunteers during the troubles with the natives in 1800. Five years later he was promoted to the rank of captain, and was stationed at Woodall's Redoubt, afterwards being engaged in superintending river transport between Wanganui and Pipiriki. He also served with the colonial troops under General Cameron on the West Coast, also with the Kai Iwi and Wanganui Cavalry under Colonel Whitmore. With more settled times Mr. and Mrs. Peake engaged in farming pursuits, retiring 25 years later.