PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A London cable announces the death of Marcus Stone, the well-knowh artist. Archbishop Mannix has arrived in Rome and is staying at the Irish College. A cable reports - the death of Sir Henry Weedon, ex-lord Mayor of Melbourne.

Mr. W. T. Churchward, of Blenheim, is visiting New Plymouth. Mrs. Churchward is a daughter of Mr. W. H, Skinner.

Mr. H. M. Skeet, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, is dn a motor trip to Taranaki. Mr. Skeet was district surveyor in Taranaki for many years.

Miss A. Cocker, M.A., of the staff of the Wellington Girls’ College, has received cable advice that she has passed tae second section of the Bachelor of Commerce degree. Miss Cocker was formerly a pupil of the New Plymouth High Shool. Mr. T. Humphries, ex-Surveyor-Gen-eral, is on a visit to New Plymouth, and will return to Wellington on Thursday morning. Mr. Humphries came to New Plymouth with’ hits parents in the ship Sir William Paget, which arrived on January 3, 1861. Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., the sitting Mayor of Palmerston North, who was presented with a largely-signed requisition asking him to again stand for the Mayoral chair, consented to do so. He will be opposed by Councillor E. H. Crabb, and it is also expected that Mr. R. Edwards, a local civil engineer, who occupied th’e position some years ago, will be a candidate. „Mr. G. H. Bullard, Commissioner of Crown Lands, left by the mail train for Christchurch on Saturday morning to take up his new position in charge of the Canterbury land district. Mr. Bullard will be succeeded by Mr. H. J. Lowe, present Commissioner in the Blenheim district, and who some years ago was chief draughtsman in the New Plymouth office.

Mr. John Cook, who was recently appointed by the Department of Lands and Survey as Commissioner of Crown Lands for Marlborough, and whose appointment was appealed against, has been notified that the appeal was disallowed, and he takes up his new duties as from April 1. Mr. Cook was for many years in the Lands and Survey Department in New Plymouth.

The Hon. Arthur Myers, who has been absent from the Dominion for about twelve months, returned to Wellington by the Tahiti on Thursday night, much benefited by his trip abroad. Mrs. Myers and the children are remaining at Home, the son being now a pupil at Marlborough College, Wiltshire, while Miss Myers is attending the Caldescot Towers School, Busby Heath. Mrs. Myers is returning to New Zealand in a few months’ time. Mr. F. W. Okey on Tuesday last received at Government House, Wellington, the Military Cross won by his son, the late Lieut. Royden L. Okey The medal was awarded for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in a sap trench near Beauchamp on September 13 and 14, 1918. The late Lieut. Okey was in command of a platoon which for 48 hours was in constant conflict with the enemy, who occupied a part of the same system of trenches. He and his platoon were repeatedly bombed and continuously under fire from enemy machine guns and snipers. By skilful handling of his men he was able to extend his front quite 200 yards, and although while consolidating his position he was driven out, he immediately coun-ter-attacked and re-occupied his posts, hnd then for 30 hours successfully resisted all attacks. He set a splendid example to his men.