PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1921, Page 4

PERSONAL.

A telegram from Dunedin says Mr. T. Parata has definitely decided to contest the Southern Maori by-election as an Independent Liberal. Constable Penson, of Whangamomona, has passed in English, geography and arithmetic in the examination for the rank of sergeant. Messrs. C. H. Burgess, J. R. Cruickshank, S. W. Shaw, W. H. Skinner and W. C. Weston, of New Plymouth, have recently been elected non-resident Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute. Our Waitara correspondent . writes: The Rev. F. B. Lawrence has received notice of transfer to Blenheim, where he takes up the position of second minister. He anticipates leaving about April next. He will be succeeded by the Rev. H. W. Avery, of Kaponga.

Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P. for Taranaki, and Mr. E. Dixon, M.P. for Parea, returned to Taranaki by the mail train last night. Mr. R. Masters, M.P. for Stratford, motored through yesterday with Mrs. Masters and family. Mr. O. Hawken, M.P. -for Egmont, returns today. The Hon. W. L. F. Carncross was also a passenger to Eltham by the mail train last night.

The Wanganui Chronicle understands that Mr. J. Nairn, until recently headmaster of the Durie High School, and now at Ashhurst, is to exchange with a London teacher, and expects to leave for England about the middle of next year. The exchange is arranged by the New Zealand Education Department and the London County Council. On Wednesday afternoon members of the Legislative Council presented the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, the Leader of the Council, who leaves for England shortly, with an illuminated address and roll of the members. This is to be accompanied by a casket containing the address. The gathering was largely attended, and among those present were Lady Bell, Miss Bell, and wives and lady friends of the Councillors. Mrs. Carncross was hostess. Mr. Frank Spedding, managing director of the Glasgow Daily Record and Mail, one of Lord Rothermere’s group of papers, of which he was formerly editor, arrived by the Niagara from Sydney on Monday, accompanied by Mrs. Spedding. They are on a pleasure and health tour of the world, and aftej{ spending about two months, in Australia have come to New Zealand to visit the various resorts. They will shortly go to Rotorua, and will leave for England early in the New Year, travelling by way of the Panama Canal and the West Indies.

Mr. J. B. Roy, of the firm of Roy, Nicholson and Bennett, who is retiring from active practice at the end of the present year, was the guest of .the firm’s staff at afternoon tea on Wednesday at May and Arrowsmith's tea rooms. Mr. R. B. Reid, on behalf of those present, spoke of the kindly relations existing between the principals and the staff and assured Mr. Roy that he would carry with him on his retirement the respect and hearty good wishes of all those who were associated with the firm’s business. He asked Mr. Roy to accept from the staff a travelling rug and binoculars, which they hoped he would find useful on his forthcoming travels. Mr. Roy, in a pleasant and reminiscent reply, thanked the staff for the kindiv sentiments expressed on their behalf and the accompanying gifts, which had come as a very pleasant surprise. Although officially severing his connection with the firm, he would still retain an interest in the members of his staff, and he expresses) the hope that each of them would have .a successful career.