PERSONAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1939, Page 4

PERSONAL

Mr Jorgcson, Wellington, is a guest al lhe Hotel Midland, Masterton. Messrs L. Redwood (Blenheim) and R. Cheyne (Palmerston North) are at the Empire Hotel, Masterton. Dr E. J. Stuckey, who has been a missionary in China for 33 years, is visiting New Zeaand, before going to Australia on furlough. Captain William John Burns, at one time master of the Hiinitangi, died in Christchurch Hospital this week, aged 69. He was born at Lyttelton, the son of Mr and Mrs William Burns. The Rev Father V. Ryan. 0.P., a Dominican priest of Mebourne, has arrived at Wellington and will spend about two months in New Zealand, lie will attend the Eucharistic Congress-.

Colonel Grattan, who is the chief secretary of the Salvation Army in the Dominion, will visit Masterton at the weekend in connection with the children's anniversary services at the Whatman Home. A New York cable states that Joe E. Brown, the cinema comedian, who was injured on Thursday in an automobile collision, is in a painful, but not dangerous condition. His injuries include a torn mouth.

It was hoped that before New Year, even before Christmas, the Hon P. Fraser would be back in New Zealand, said the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, at the St Patrick's College, Wellington, prize-giving last night. The Hon H. G. R. Mason. AttorneyGeneral, left Wellington last night for the South Island. He will open the Christchurch South intermediate school today, and will later inspect the Borstal institution in Invercargill. Colonel L. M. Inglis, M.C., has been appointed to command the 27th Machine-gun Battalion of the Special Force at Burnham. He is 45 years of age. and in civil life is a solicitor at Timaru. He had extensive service in the last war, and it was for conspicuous work in clearing the village of Flers during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 that he was awarded the Military Cross. F. P. O'Brien, the Canterbury cricketer, arrived at Wellington yesterday after having been absent in England for two years under engagement to Northamptonshire County. He left for Christchurch last, night. Mr O'Brien had accepted terms from Northamptonshire for the 1940 season, but as county cricket is unlikely to be played he will probably not return to England for some time.

Mr Murdoch Macaskill, a member of a well-known Lower Hutt family, died on Thursday at his residence at the age of 47 years. Mr Macaskill took an active part in Masonic affairs, and was immediate past master of Lodge Waiwhetu. He was a member of the Lower Hutt Borough Council from 1935 to 1938. As a member of the works committee of the council he did much valuable work. He did not seek re-election at the last elections. Mr Macaskill was a founder of the firm of Edmeades and Macaskill. He is survived by his widow and four young children. The staff of the Social Security Department assembled last evening to say goodbye to one of their popular young officers; Mr Lyell J. Ferguson, who has received notice of his transfer to Wellington, where he will take up duty on Monday, December 11. The Registrar (Mr J. L. L. Wood) paid tribute to Mr Ferguson’s very efficient service, and to his happy associations with the Staff. Onj behalf of the staff. Mr Wood presented Mr Ferguson with a memento of the occasion. Expressing thanks, Mr Ferguson said his fel-low-officers in Masterton had all conspired to make his tasks a pleasure.

The death occurred in Palmerston North yesterday of Mr John Maher, father of tthe well-known Awapuni woman horse trainer, Mrs Alan McDonald and himself a generation ago one of the Dominion's prominent trainers. Born in Christchurch 82 years ago, Mr Maher in his younger days was connected with the cattle trade between -Canterbury and the West Coast. At the age of 30 he came to the North Island. Mr Maher eventually entered the profession of horse training and become associated with some of the most prominent owners and horses in Hawke’s Bay and elsewhere. Owners for whom he trained included Messrs Spencer Gollan, G. P. Donnelly, Douglas, Te Mahanga. Dr Reid. Waipukurau, Captain Russell, Moore, Kai Iwi, and G. Ormond, Wairoa. Some of the famous horses placed under the care of Mr Walter included Moifa, owned by Mr Gollan. and Dreamland and Derry, owned by Dr Reid. Mr Maher also owned and raced with success two good horses in Prospector and Defeat.