PERSONAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 April 1940, Page 4

PERSONAL

The King has approved the appointment of Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Blake to be a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty and an additional assistant of the Naval Staff to date from yesterday a British Official wireless message states. Messrs W. Letham (Napier) J. Rountree (Palmerston North) and E. G. Edey (Wellington) are at the Hotel Midland (Masterton) today. Mr A. I. Charles, of Hinakura, has been appointed sole teacher at the Dyerville School and Mr E. W. E. Butcher (Auckland), to a similar position at the Bideford School. Dr D. G. Johnston, of Sumner, Christchurch, and late of Carterton, is visiting the Wairarapa and is the guest of his son, Mr J. P. Johnston, Coradine Street, Masterton.

Mr G. H. Christie was elected president of the United Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association of New Zealand at the annual conference of the association in Wellington yesterday. The Gisborne middleweight professional boxer Clarric Marshall must hold a record as a rejected recruit for the second echelon. Four times he has enlisted, four times he has entered camp and four times been discharged. Miss Joan Curry, M.A.. Palmerston North, has joined the staff of the Y.W.C.A., Wellington, as assistant activities secretary. Miss Curry is . a member of the Student Christian Movement, and is interested in lei-sure-time education for youth. She was a teacher at Gisborne High School last year. The death occurred suddenly last night of Mr J. M. Fraser, well known for his association with the produce trade and also for his keen interest in various branches of sport, says a Press Association telegram from Dunedin. He was 58 years of age. He was president of the New Zealand Cricket Council from 1933 to 1935 and had long been an administrator of the game in Otago.

In recognition of his long public service, Mr A. G. Bignell was elected an honorary member of the Wanganui Rotary Club at its weekly luncheon yesterday. He was installed by Mr A. Doig. Before installing Mr Bignell, Mr Doig mentioned some of the public offices Mr Bignell had held, including those of mayor of Wanganui from 1904 to 1906, a member of the board of trustees of Wanganui Collegiate School for 30 years, a member of the harbour board for 25 years, for half that time as chairman; a member of the board of trustees of the Health Camp for eight years; an original 'member of the Gonville Town Board; and a member of the Patriotic Association since 1914.

Official advice that their son, PilotOfficer Wilfrid Roberts, Royal Air Force, died in hospital in England on Sunday, after being picked up unconscious in the sea off' the English coast, was received yesterday by Mr and Mrs W. Roberts, Remuera. Pilot-Officer Roberts was 25 years of age and was formerly employed as an assessor by the North Island Motor Union Insurance Company. He was a well-known Auckland athlete, footballer, hockey player and yachtman. He was one of 12 chosen from 2500 applicants for service in the Royal Ah- Force. PilotOfficer Roberts left New Zealand in August, 1937. His parents recently received advice from him that he had been promoted to the rank of FlyingOfficer, but the gazetting of his promotion was delayed. Mr William Miller, a well known citizen of Wellington, died recently at the age of 80. He was a son of Mr Robert Miller, who arrived in Wellington by the ship Blenheim about Christmas time, 1840. Mr Miller attended “Dicky” Holmes's Te Aro School, and afterward was one of the first scholars to attend Wellington College. After leaving school he joined the clerical staff of Messrs T. K. Macdonald and Co., land and estate agents, and became secretary and confidential clerk to Mr Macdonald. Before the death of Mr Macdonald, Mr Miller left his service to become a member of the firm of Truebridge, Miller, and Reich, land and estate agents. This was the firm which for a time held the rights in 1893 from the Government to advertise on the backs of stamps, a concession which did not last very long. After that firm dissolved partnership Mr Miller became clerk to the Miramar Borough Council, and later assumed the duties of clerk to the Johnsonville Town Board, a position he held for 10 years till he retired in 1934. since when he had lived in retirement in Wellington.