PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A London cable reports the death of JVifr. Ernest W. Hornung, novelist and journalist, at the age of 54. * A cable from Washington says that a message from Baltimore announces the death of Cardinal Gibbons. Mr. Ira J. Bridger has definitely decided to contest the Eltham mayoralty, contest. - . / A cable from London says Mr. Lloyd George has offered the Speakership to Mr. J. H. Whitley, a Coalition-Liberal member of the Houae of Commons. Mr. Rathbone, for some years manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Opunake, and now of Wellington, is at present on a holiday visit to the Opunake district. Mr. G. H. Bullard, Commissioner of Grown Lands, leaves by the mail train for Christchurch this morning to take up his new position in charge of the Canterbury land district. Captain W. J. K. Jennings, of Christchurch, has taken over the duties of group commander at Wellington, vice Captain D. E. Bremner, M.C., who has been transferred to Taranaki, as group commander here. The Rev. A. C. Swainson, 8.A., late/ acting-vicar of Wyndham, has arrived in Wellington from the south. He is on his way to ta..e charge of the parish of Manaia. Mr. Swainson has had a very considerable experience in the Calgary diocese in Canada. At the degree examinations held in November the following candidates from the New Plymouth Boys’ High School were successful: B.A. (first section), C. A. Noble and J. W. L. Jillett; LL.B, (first section), J. M. Hine, W. C. Rea. and J. D. Willis. Mr. Thomas Paton died at his late residence, Albert Street, Dannevirke, re* cently, after a lengthy illness. Th< late Mr. Paton was in the Dominion railway service for many years. H< arrived in Dannevirke in 1901, filling the position of stationmaster there until hii retirement in 1911. The late Mr. Paton was a prominent mason. Mr. M. O’Brien, a member of the Taranaki Hospital Board, returned last night from Wellington, where he was a member of the deputation that waited on the Minister for Public Health to urge the necessity for the speedy erection of the proposed hospital at Opunake. Mr. O’Brien expressed himself as pleased with the reception given the M deputation by the Minister, and is hopeful that as a result the building will soon be under way. Mr. M. Fraser, the other member of the deputation, proceeded to Auckland from Wellington. Special reference to the splendid services which the late Mr. W. D. Powdrell, M.P., had rendered to the farming community, was made at the meeting of the Provincial Executive pf the Farmers’ tlnion, on Thursday, and ton the motion of the president (Mr. Dunn) the following resolution was carried in silence, the members standing: “That this executive extends to Mrs. Powdrell and family the heartfelt sympathy of the Farmers’ Union in their sad and sudden bereavement, and also places on record its high appreciation of the valuable services the late Mr. Powdrell rendered to the farming community and the Dominion as a whole.”