PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1922, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mr. C. H. Burgess returned from Wellington yesterday. Mr. W. T. Hookham, of New Plymouth, left on Saturday on a visit to Sydney.

Sir Eric Geddes has been selected a director of Dunlops, Ltd., according to a London cable.

Mr. W. B. Blennerhassett, a prominent tennis player at Hawera, has been transferred on promotion to the Hastings branch of the Bank of New Zealand, and left Hawera on Saturday.

Passengers from Newcastle (Australia) by the Port Victor, which arrived at New Plymouth yesterday morning, were Mr. and Mrs. Wallis and Mrs. de Gruchy, all of Wellington. They leave for the south by this morning’s mail train.

Mr. J. O’Shea stationmaster at New Plymouth, who has been away on a month’s holiday, spent in the Auckland and Wanganui districts, has resumed duty. During his absence Mr. Stephens, chief clerk, was in charge.

Mr. W. H. Keasbery, who. has been a prominent resident of the coast for many years past, has disposed of his interests at Warea, and is leaving shortly to reside at Paraparamu. -

It is understood that Mr. J. R. Corrigan, of Hawera, has definitely decided to accept nomination for the Patea electorate, in the Liberal interests (says the Eltham Argus). Sir Joseph Ward, who is at present in Wellington, states that he has been asked to contest fourteen seats at tne next general election, but so far has not decided to stand at all.

Captain West, marine superintendent in New Zealand for the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, is at present at New Plymouth on business in connection with the Port Victor, now in port. Mr. de Gruchy, one of the joint managers in New Zealand of the Line, also came to New Plymouth to meet Mrs. de Gruchy, who arrived by the Port Victor yesterday.

Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., has informed the Taranaki Agricultural Society that, in accordance with the wishes of the society, he communicated with the Prime Minister asking him to attend and officially open the show,and that should it be impossible for Mr. Massey to attend he would endeavour to arrange for another Minister to attend and perform the ceremony.

Mr. Christopher J. W. Griffiths (father of Mr. E. Griffiths, of New Plymouth), who died at Blenheim, was closely identified with the life of Marlborough over a period of some sixty years. He was one of the leading Freemasons of the Dominion: As a Grand Lodge officer, he controlled the Marlborough and Nelson district in the capacity of Grand Superintendent, and in 1910, on the retirement of Lord Plunket, he was appointed Grand Master for New Zealand, occupying the position for two years. Born in Worcester 79 years ago, the late Mr. Griffiths came to New Zealand in 1861, and after serving on the staff of the Bank of New Zealand at Picton and Nelson, took up farming in the Blenheim district. Then he was appointed clerk of the court in Blenheim, and in 1870 he established the business now conducted by Griffiths Bros., Ltd.