PERSONAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10531, 18 January 1912, Page 4

PERSONAL

Mr W. McLaren, of "lastcrton, av.d formerly of Busk Gully..underwent « somewhat serious operation in Mustorton a few days ago. His friends will be pleased to hear that he is making satisfactory progress. The Rev. T. G. Butler, of Mangacoroto, will supply the pulpit of the Congregational Ghurdh in Masterton lor tfliree months, after the departure of the Rev. A. Hodge. Mr Frank Evans has joined the firm of James Macintosh and Co., and will act as their auctioned' at Masterton.

The death is announced by cable of Lord Wenioek, formerly Governor of Madras.

A London cable announces the death at Florence from heart failure of MiHenry Labouchere, editor of "Truth.*' The late Mr Labouchere was eightyone years of age, and occupied a seat in tihe House of Commons for a number of years. Mr G. jR. Sykes, M.P., of Masterton, intend? being present at the Reform Party's "rally" in the Auckland Town Hall on January 24th.

Miss Irene May Jiidd. aged fourteen years, daughter of Mr W. Judd, jun.. of Wellington, died at the residence of 'her- grandfather in Villa Street, Masterton, on Tuesday night. Sir Joseph Ward and party passed tllirougih MastertoM by motor car for Taupo, but did not wait to receive eitiher congratulations or deputations. Inspector Tennant, of the Wellington Education Board, who has been on a visit to tlhe Old Country, is expected to return by the end of ' the present momth.

Mr Frank Hodge, who has been on the literary staff of tihe Wairarapa Age for the last twelve months, leaves in a few days' time to fill a position on the staff of the "Hawke's Bay Herald." He will be succeeded on the Age by Mr John Grant, who has resigned his position as teadher at the Te Wlharau school to enter the ranks of journalism.

Mr J. C. Better, a well-known | Hawke's Bay settler, and father of i Refefcer, of Masterton, died at •his residence at TepapaMfcu, Dannevirke, on Tuesday evening. The parents of the late Mr Retter were among New Zealand's earliest colonists, and with their family endured the vicissitudes of early colonial life. By a strange coincidence the late Mr Retter I died at exactly the isame age as his : father —64 —■while his mother lived to the ripe old age of 92. Bom at Wei- I flington in 1847. the late Mr J. C. Better came to Hiawke's Bay in 1871, where. he^-took; up farming, and }a>ter he removed.to C3ive'.:>here for many years* he carried on .business as a fari mer and;, butcher;..'ln-. 1898, voitji his : family, he removed ioPJannevirke, .and has been residing at Tepapakuku. since i that time.

Says the London "Express" of November 28th: —Mrs Susan Smith, of Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, who has just celebrated her.96th birthday, has made six journeys to New Zealand, her last being at the age of 92, when she manifested her hardiness as a. sailor,. by appearing at the breakfast one morning alone.