PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1922, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. S. Percy Smith was last evening reported to be maintaining a slight improvement.

Private advice received in Wellington on ‘Wednesday was to the effect that Mr. E. Kellett, M.P., is in a very low condition and that his health is causing his friends the gravest anxiety. A London cable says an Earldom has been conferred on Sir Arthur Balfour, who was recently knighted for his distinguished. service at the Washington Conference.

A Sydney cablegram reports the death of Lady Dixon, philanthropist. Mr. Newton King left for Auckland on Tuesday. Mr. A. R. Bloxam, of Christchurch, is on a short visit to New Plymouth, and is staying with his son. Mr. Victor Roach, of Hastings, is on a holiday visit to New Plymouth, and is staying at the White Hart Hotel. Mr. W. S. Pratt, who held important positions on the National Mortgage Company’s staff, and was also assistant wheat controller under the Government, has been appointed general manager of the Northern Roller Mills.—Press Assn.

Mr. F. W. Hodder, some time ago a farmer at Tututawa, near Stratford, died at Auckland last week. He was born in Wellington 75 years ago and lived for many years in the Wairarapa and Dannevirke districts. His wife died at Stratford about 14 months ago. The death of the Rt. Hon. Thomas Burt, member in the House of Commons for Morpeth from 1874 to 1918, is recorded in a cable from London. He commenced life by worthing in coal mines, when ten years old and rose to become an important figure in Labor circles.

Mr. Winston Churchill was the guest of the London Press Club a few weeks ago. In response to the toast of hie health, he said:—“l feel I have a right to , eft'll myself a journalist, because when I reached the age of twenty I became entirely dependent for my support upon my own exertion, and although I had the advantage of inheriting my father’s friends, I found no other substantial means of providing for the vulgar necessaries of existence, and it was to journalism I turned in order to provide the necessary sinews of war which enabled me to enter the House of Commons. I wrote down in my election paper at Oldham ‘journalist,’ and I got into Parliament on that.”

Sir George Winteringham Fuller, the prospective Premier of New South Wales, is approaching his 61st year. His scholastic career at the University of Sydney was distinguished. While there he gained the .Marks Scholarship and his B.A. and M.A. degrees with honors. Although Sir George Fuller was admitted to the Bar of New South Wales many years ago. he rarely practised. He preferred polities to the law, ana it js now 33 years since he first entered the political arena as the member for his birth-place. Kiama. He was a member of the first House of Representatives, representing Ilawarra. Had the Holman Government not been defeated, Sir George Fuller would in all probability have gained a baronetcy. Mr. J. M. A. Hott, managing director of J. Hott, Ltd., left by the Tahiti on Tuesday for the United States, England. and the Continent. Prior to his departure, he was made the recipient of a handsome Kaiapoi travelling rug, bearing his monogram, and presented by the combined staffs of the Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin offices of the company. Mr. W. L. Chapman, manager, in making the presentation, referred to the wonderful growth of the organisation, and to the high standard of efficiency attained in all sections, both of which facts testified to Mr. Hott’s able directorship and organising ability. In responding, Mr. Jlott said that he did not expect to see in America or England a more capable or loyal body of advertising specialists than that of J. Hott, Ltd. The staff also took the opportunity of presenting Mrs. E. Bott, a director of the company, with a framed group of individual photographs of tho executives and branch managers as a mark of their goodwill and loyalty. Mrs. J. M. A. Hott, who accompanies Mr. Hott on the tour, was handed a morocco-bound diary with suitably embossed cover.