OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MR JOHN SLATTERY. By the death of Mr John Slattery, which occurred during the early hours of Tuesdav morning, the Ellesmere district loses a very old and highly respected resident, one who has been associated with the district sine© the pioneering davs. A native of Tipperary, Ireland, the late Mr Slattery arrived in Nov,- Zealand over fifty years ago, and for tho last forty-eight years had resided at Leestnn. In the eariy days lie was engaged in work at the Lyttelton tunnel, where he was in charge of a team. For thirty years he was employed in road construction work by the* old Ellesmere Road Board, and in that capacity carried out work in all parts of the district. He was looked upon by successive Boards as a trusty and reliable servant. He retired from active work a number of years ago, and: up to the time of his death was living with his son, Mr P. Slattery. The late I Mr Slattery loaves two sons, both of tvhem are well-known Lecston business men. The funeral takes place this morning. Mr Charles Erickson, who died in Christchurch last week, was ihe draughts champion of the Wellington Working Men's Club, and also of the Wellington Watersiders' Club. He represented the Working Men's Club with credit at the New Zealand championship tourneys hold in Wellington, Auckland, and Gore. His fine play in the lest of these congresses (at Invercargill in 1915) approximated very closely to the Australasian championship standaid. Mr Erickson, who was a native of Sweden and about 40 vears of age, was very popular with his . comrades. He was, too, a very unassuming player, and leaves a vacancy in Wellington draughts circles that it will be very hard to fill.