PERSONAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1938, Page 6

PERSONAL

The Governor-General, Lord Galway, and Lady Galway arrived at Auckland from Lake Tarawera yesterday afternoon. They were accompanied by the Hon Mary and the Hon Celia Monckton and by Lieutenant S. R. le H. /LombardHobson, R.N., and Captain R. Stuart French, A.D.C.’s. Their Excellencies have taken up residence at Government House, where they will remain for some time.

Mr W. J. Richards, of Masterton, has been successful in passing the final examination of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Society. Mr F. H. Waters, Commissioner oi Crown Lands, Dunedin, has received notice of his transfer to Wellington to take over the position of deputy Valuer-General. He will leave Dunedin toward the end of January.

The Rt. Rev. T. E. Riddle, of Khavav. the Punjab, India, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, is < visitor to Masterton, and on Sunday will take the morning service a: Knox Church. He will also preach a Eketahuna on that day, and will conduct the evening service at Lansdowne at 7 o’clock. Tomorrow afternoon, Mr Riddle is to lay the foundation stone of the new Knox Churc. Sunday School. During his stay ii Masterton, Mr Riddle is the guest o the Misses McGregor, “Bnlquhidder,’ Upper Plain. The death occurred at 68 \ Dixor Street, Masterton, this morning'of Mr. Helen Matilda Dew. a resident oi Masterton for 48 years. Mrs Dew war born at Taita. Wellington, 90 years age and was the only surviving member ol the Harris family,' well known pioneei settlers of that district seventy years ago. She married Mr George Dew, o Taita. She is survived by four daugh ters, and five sons. Among the lattei are Messrs A. H. Dew (Masterton), ant H. Dew (Dannevirke). The daughters are Mesdames W. Baker (Wellington). E. Benbow (Masterton), Gaskin (Mangatainoka), and C. King (Lansdowne). Mr Dew senior, died eleven years ago. The death occurred at the Wairav Hospital this week of Mr Ernest Douglas Dobson, of Blenheim, at the age of 75 years. The late Mr Dobson, w'hc was one of the oldest licensed surveyors in New Zealand, was, a member of a family connected with early survey work in the South Island, being the son of the late Mr Alfred Dobson, firs; provincial engineer of Nelson and Marlborough, who was responsible for much of the early survey work in Blenheim. Born in Blenheim he was educated there, and in 1879 joined his father on the land plans of the railway from the Grovetown school to Bien heim. In 1880 he was associated with various road works undertaken by the Public Works Department in Marlborough and afterwards he rejoined his father. In 1887 he set up in private practice, being engineer to the Wairau River Board, and was engaged on flooc relief works. In 1887 he became a licensed surveyor and in 1897 an associate member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, London. He was a member of °the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers. In 1901 he accepted a position as engineer at Masterton. During this period he extended the sewerage scheme of Masterton and installer the first public septic tank in New Zealand. He was connected with a water supply and land drainage scheme at Eketahuna, being consulting engineer to the council there. In 1903 he left for Westport, where he was appointed general manager of the borough. In 1919 he left for Samoa and installed a water supply at Apia. Returning to New Zealand in 1921 he undertook survey work for the Public Works Department in the Gisborne district and from there he returned to Blenheim, where he continued his private practice. Mr Dobson, who was twice married, leaves a widow, six sons and six daughters.