PERSONAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1942, Page 2

PERSONAL

The Governor-General and Lady Newall, returned to Auckland from Wanganui yesterday. The death occurred on Monday at Pahiatua of Mrs Margaret Loughlan Cooper, widow of Mr James Cooper, at the age of 86 years. The engagement is announced of Mary, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs T. G. Hardie, Featherston, to Selwyn Clive, younger son of Mr and Mrs F. Sunkel, Napier.

The engagement is announced of Betty Agnes, elder daughter of the late Mr and Mrs F. A. Judd, Masterton, to Kenneth Tancrcd Palmer, eldest son of Mr and Mrs -M. Palmer Chapman, Martinborough.

A well-known Wellington business man, Mr Thomas Byrne Guscott, formerly general manager for McKenzie's Department Stores, Ltd., died on Monday night after an illness extending over some years. Mr Guscott was born in Auckland in 1880.

The following officers were elected by the Dominion conference in Nelson of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows:—Grand Master, Mr N. J. M. McKay (Hawke's Bay): Deputy Grand Master, Mr J. E. Allan (Auckland); directors, Messrs W. B. Brown (Wellington), T. M. Hctet and F. A. Smith (Auckland), G. Wilson (Wanganui), A. H. Robinson (Hawke's Bya), and A. Gow (North Canterbury).

At the request of the Minister of Justice, Colonel the Hon. Mr Justice Northcroft is being released from the command of the Christchurch Fortress Area. This step has been rendered necessary because the duties of the command have become so expanded as to require full-time service —a situation that was not contemplated when the Minister consented to the judge’s making his experience as an artillery officer available to the defence authori--11 es.

For his sixth term of office, Mr James Roberts was re-elected national president of the New Zealand Labour Party by a large majority at the party’s conference, which continued in the Wellington Town Hall yesterday. Other nominees were Dr. McMillan, M.P., and the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, who was elected vice-president. Mr M. Moohan was re-elected secretary. After his re-election, Mr Roberts said that his term was the longest of any president in the history of ihe New Zealand Labour Party, and also, he believed, of the Labour movement in the British Empire. Divisional area representatives on the national executive elected were: —Messrs Boswell. M.P., T. P. McCready. Coleman. M.P.. R. Coulter. Rogers. M.L.C., G. Hanson, Combs, 1 M.P., Meachcn. M.P., John Roberts. P. Malthus. Neilson, M.P., and D. W. Stalker. This is substantially the same as last year.