PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., has received word from Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., that the latter has arrived at Auckland on his return from abroad. Mr. Jennings added that he was fairly well.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardener were entertianed by the Manaia residents on Wednesday evening, prior to leaving for Hastings, their future home.

The members of the Eltham Fire Brigade entertained. Fireman J. Scoon, who is leaving Eltham to-morrow for Auckland, and presented him with a goldmounted fountain pen.

A Dunedin message reports that Bishop Nevill, ex-Primate of New Zealand, died on Saturday morning. He was consecrated Bishop of Dunedin in 1871, and retired in 1919. The bishop was 84 years of age.

The death of the Earl of Ducie, the “father” of the House of Lords, is announced in a cable from Ix>ndon. Mr. Berkley Moreton, a member of the Queensland Upper House, succeeds to the title, being a brother of the late earl.

There are men in New Zealand who have seen all the Governors of New Zealand since the advent of Captain Eitzroy, but that is the record possessed by Mr. Henry Putt, of Vogeltown, who celebrated his 96th birthday recently. The old gentleman, however, was unable on this occasion to see Lord Jellicoe, but he is looking forward to meeting him on his return visit. The New Plymouth Savage Club, who were gathered for the seventh korero on Saturday night, took the opportunity of acknowledging the services of Mr. C. EL Wyatt, who has acted as secretary to the club since its inception about six months ago. Tributes were made to Mr. Wyatt’s energy and enthusiasm in the formation and carrying on of the club. The presentation was made by His Excellency the Governor-General, who was a guest at the korero. At a social evening held in the New Plymouth Fire Brigade station on Saturday night, Fireman H. Inch was presented with the U.F.B.A. gold star in recognition of twenty-five years’ service. He was also the recipient of a gold albert from members of the brigade, the presentations being made by the superintendent (Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer). All of Mr. Inch’s term as brigadesman has been served in the New Plymouth brigade. Gn his return to town yesterday, the Governor-General called at the home of and saw Mr. S. Percy Smith, who has been ill for some time. He offered him his sympathy, and expressed the hope that his health would soon be fully restored. Mr. Percy Smith up till recently had enjoyed particularly good health, and for some years has been busily engaged in compiling the histories and mythologies of the Polynesian races. His many friends will be glad to learn that he has taken a favorable turn lately. The death of a well-known Christchurch lady. Mrs. Maria Stevens, widow of the late Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, M.L.C., took place at a nursing home in Christchurch. Mrs. Stevens, who was formerly Mrs. Hemy Whitcombe, came to New Zealand in 1858 with her first husband and family. She married the Hon. Mr. Stevens in 1869, and has always made her home in Christchurch, though she has been in England and other places. The late Mrs. Stevens, says the Press, took a keen interest in the activities of the early days of the t province, and in an unostentatious manner she gave generous assistance to certain institutions. She was greatly interested in racing and trotting, being the first lady member of a trotting club in the Dominion, and at the time of her death she was a life member of the Metropolitan and Canterbury Park Trotting Clubs. The late Mrs. Stevens leaves a family of three sons and one daughter, besides numerous grandchildien.