PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL

Dr. Fookes, who has been away from New Plymouth for a few days, returned by the mail train last night.

There has been a considerable improvement in the condition of Mr. William Pryor, secretary of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, who became 'seriously ill on Thursday evening. Mr. John Rowe, of Gladstone (Wairarapa), celebrated his 103rd birthday last week. Mr. Rowe attended the Early' Settlers’ Association’s gathering, at Carterton, at which he made an interesting speech.

The Rev. W. J. Elliott, of Auckland, has been placed on the first list of stations at the New Zealand Methodist Conference to succeed the Rev. J. Napier Milne at New Plymouth. As the list has to undergo another reading the appointment is not yet confirmed.

Sir James Prendergast, K. 8., whose death on Sunday in his 95th year is reported' in another column, was appointed a member of the Executive Council in 1866, and was at the time of his death the' oldest Executive Cbun. cillor. It is probable that Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice), appointed to the Executive Council in 1878, is the oldest Executive Councillor now living.

Y esterday afternoon an interesting function took place at the News Office, when a presentation was made to Miss Hawker, who has been a member of the commercial staff for nearly seven years’, on the eve of her marriage. The "members of the staff presented her with a dinner set, etc., and the proprietor with a cheque; good wishes for her future happiness and success were expressed, and hearty cheers given, Muss Hawker feelingly responding. The funeral of the late Mr. J. J. Wade, of Stratford, who died suddenly qn Friday morning, took place at the Kopuatama Cemetery on Sunday afternoon, and was very largely attended. As a tribute to the late Mr. Wade, who was an ardent piper, the Eltham Pipe Band led the procession and played many Scottish laments on the way to the cemetery. The Rev. C. W. Howard officiated at the graveside. The late Mr. Wade was a native of New Zealand, but as a boy of nine went to Scotland. A few years later he returned to New Zealand and resided in Christchurch for a number of years, being engaged in racing stables. In 1891 he came to the North Island, and after residing at Midhirst for some years, removed to Stratford. As a piper he was well known, and he won many medals at Caledonian e.i th erings, having also been pipe-major of the Christchurch Society, and later of the Stratford Society. He was 60 years of age at the time of his death, and is survived by his widow and a family of four daughters and one son.