OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18420, 29 June 1925, Page 8

OBITUARY.

MR ALFRED 15IRP

Many old residents of Duncdiu will loam with regret, of tlio death of Mi Alfred Bird, which took place, at las daughter's resident, Kliorbourno street, Cliristehurch, on Thursday ln.-t. at the advanced of D") years. ( " censed was a native of Essex. England, and was well known throughout the Otago district as a builder and oontr.iotor. principally of schools and other public buildings forty years ago. _ lie is survived by throe, soup, Mr "\\ . V\ • Bird, Chief Inspector of Schools. "Wellington : Inspector A. S. Hird of tlio Police department. Invorcaigdl. and Mr A. Bird, of Christohureh. and iwo daughters. Mrs W. 1). Orchard, of 7>uiiodin. and Mrs T>. MePavitr, nf (hr;>tchurch, also twelve grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs Bird predeceased her husband 1"> years ago tin. late Mr Bod was a week old •■lien Georce IV. died in lS;)i). and had therefore lived during the reign oi five Sovereigns.

The death occurred in "Wellington on Friday of Mr Fred Palmer, consulting mechanician in the Post and IVlenrapli Department, at the ago of .'*> years. The lcto Mr Palmer was a >m\ of ihe late Mr George Palmer, ami was.mini in Nelson. Ho was educated in W>• - Hngton, and at an early .100 he developed inventive faculties. "Wlien ho''as eleven years af age lie made a steam engine," and he also made motor dynamos at the early ago of fourteen years. Hi- served for a time in Cable's Foundry, but later went to America to gam further ,knowledge, staying there ior four vears. On his return to Wellington in lSt)-S, he -joined the P. and 'l. Department, ami ho was responsible for carrying out many improvements to slot telephones and the cable system. There passed awav recently, ab tho Tuapeka Honpit.nl. "Mr Andrew Doig. at tho ago of 77 yours. Trained as a ships' carpenter on the Clyde, Mr Doig spent the greater part of his life in New Zealand. For many years lie was station carpenter ,it Greenfields, and remained thero until tho Government resumed the estate for closer settlement in 1900, when he took up his residence at Tunpcka Mouth. His onlv brother, Mr Thomas Doig. who died in 1922. was caretaker at the Addington Saleyards for many years. Tlio death of Mr Andrew llatcliffo Hunter, which occurred on Friday, removes a Ten* popular resident of Auckland. Mr Hunter, who was aged 71, was perhaps best known as a band conductor, and was lieutenant-conductor of tlio Auckland Artillery Band for 36 years. Ho took a keen interest in all matters relating to music. The death occurred at Auckland on Friday of Mr Herbert Hooper Oxley, aged (19. Mr Oxley was a commercial traveller, who was very widely known throughout tho North Island and the West Coast of tho South Island. Ho was prominent in Masonic circles.