BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES.

Chronicle (Levin), 8 April 1949, Page 4

BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES.

Biographies of the contestants are given below along with a brief summary of what their aims will be if elected. Mr. R. S. Antcliff. Mr. Antcliff was born in Marton in 1914 and educated at the Dannevirke South and Dannevirke High Schools. Upon leaving school he commenced employment in the woolie'n goods manufacturing trade with other members of his family, and Continued in this business until the outbfeak of war- 'when, -in 1941, hd- joined '•■the R.N.Z.A.F., servirig for!fbur and a half years. An "enthusiastic member of the Levin Juhior Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Antcliff is at present ^engaged in. one i oL/Levinls =few secondary industries. For' a number of years he has been seeretary of •the Levin Lawn Tennis Club. ,t If elected, he wo.uld . promise nothing but conscientious attention ,to the needs of the boroUgh and diligent service to . the ratepayers, said Mr. Antcliff. Mr. F. Croot. Mr! Croot 'is an Australian. He was born in' Sydney in 1914 and was educated at the North Sydney Te'chnical School. After serving his time with a Sydney firm of leather goods manufacturers, he was appointed as production man•ager of that firm's branch at Lower Hutt in 1938. He left this firm in 1939 and promoted the present company, whose factory is in Levin. Prior to coming to New Zealand he was the assistant organiser for the Sydney HoSpitals Appeal and took a prominent part in Y.M.C.A: debates. Since moving to Levin in 1945 he has taken an. active interest in the Levin Ratepayers' Association, holding the position of vice-president. He is managing-director of the New Zealand Belting Company. Mr. Croot's objects are to promote industry in the town, thus bringing .a greater volume of the younger generaticn into the dist'rict, thus providing a larger rateabel revenue and in turn bringing about . f unds for improvements needed in the borough. He also wishes to pursue the economic question so that the best advantage can be made of whatever funds are available. He will generally support any objects for the betterment of Levin and its environments. Mr. R. A. Jones. Mr. Jones was bofn in Scotland in 1904 and was educated both

there and in Melbourne, Australia. In Australia, tipon leaving school, he learnt the fibrous plastering trade, in which he has remained all his life. Sent out to New Zealand in 1927 by his firm, he shortly afterwards started business on his own accouht. He came to Levin in 1945 and has his own business here. Mr. Jones has been a member of the Levin Junior Chamber of Commerce since" its inception and was seeretary of the Wellington Plasterers' XTnion for a length of time. Mr. Jones is of the opinion-that a person belonging to . a borough council, or any other local body, should devote all of his available tirrie to it. . He added that he was d'efinitely against the council going into committee and^possessed an open mind on all matters. Mr. A. W. Parton. Mr. Parton was born in Wellington and came to Levin 12 years ago. On two succes'sive occasions hp was a member of the Wellington City Council and was organiser of the amalgamation of the Miramar Bohmgh With Wellington City. He is president of the Wellington Provincial Poultry-keepers' Association,

president of the Levin Poultry)keepers' Association, past president hf the Levin Beautifylng Bociety arrd has previously served jor a term on the Levin Borou'gh Council. At one time he was sanitary inspector for Canberra, which is reiPuted to have the most advanced sanitation system in the world. If elected, Mr. Hafton wil1 Seek td get urgent prdgress with th§. sewerage scheme, protection. for borough assets, the immediate prosecution of a water supply which is not so frequently tainted, less secrecy about the council's work, and more encouragement to industry. Mr. Wm. Seddon. Mr. Seddon was born in Swintoh, Manchester, Engiahd, in 1893. He was educated at a Chtirch of England school, the Royal Salford Technical Institute of Engineers and grammar school. He stiidied flve years under Victoria' Univ'ef■sity professors on economics and finance after coming to New Zealand in 1905. On leaving schdol, he completed his apprenticeship at a firm of electrical and vehtiiating engineers. In New Zealand he •worked .five years in Dunedin in the engineerihg trade before entering business as a manufacture? and motor engineer in Timaru. In 1915, shortly after the outbreak oi war, the Government required hif services as a technical expert and later during the epidemic, he war 'employed in scientific instfumeht work. In 1934 Mr. Seddon came to Levin and took up residence, resuming duty with the railways for a further 10 years, including the wai period. He retired from active service in 1946. Prior to leaving England he was interested in criekei and was a professional English association referee. A past presiden of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (N.Z.) and a grand councillor of the New Zealand Railway Engineers and Trades, he was seeretary of the Hutt Valley High School Committee and vice-presi-dent of the Hutt Valley Ratepayers' Association. He was librarian of the Victoria University evening. educational classes and president of the Levin Ratepayers' Association. Mr. Seddon's policy will be a review of the finance and administration of the borough with .vision for the future. Mr. A. J. Shaw. Mr. Shaw was born in Wellington in 1911. He received his early education at Hataitai School and Ruaroa School, Dannevirke. He spent some time at the Culduthal Schoo1, Inverness, Scotland, before returning to New Zealand, where he attended the Eastbourne Schoo' and the Levin District High School. Leaving school, he took up employment in his father's hardware business. Mr. Shaw is a member of the Levin 'School Cohimittee, is seeretary of the Horowhenua •School Committees' and Education'al Association, a member of the Levin Rotary Club, the Horowhenua A. and P. Association and the Levin Racing Club. If elected, Mr Shaw wants to see more industries brought into the town and wil" fuhy support the sewage disposai and drainage scheme. Generally, he will do his utmost to see Levin advance on sound economic lines. Mr. N. Thomley. Mr. Thomley was born in Manchester, England, in 1908, and received his early education there He came to New Zealand at the age of 12 and completed his education at Warkworth, Auckland, and the Feilding Technical School. Leaving school, he took up the business of clothier and came to Levin in 1930, where he took- over the management of a local business. He entered business on his own account in 1938 and -closed down in 1942, when he joined the R.N.Z.A.F., serving for four, years, including three years in the Paeific area. Mr. Thornley has taken an active interest in the Levin Junior Chamber of Commerce, and is a past president and foundation board member. He held various offices in the Levin Lawn Tehnis Clu'b during the 12£ years he was a member. His sporting interests lie in golf, while for many years he was the treasurer of the Levin Combined Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club. He has taken a prominent part in the Dramatic Society and the Levin Playreaders. Mr. Thornley is mainly interested in the promotion of secondary industry and the general advance- : ment of the town along sound ( economic lines.

Mr. E. Tbmlmson. Mr. Tomlinson was born , in Christchurch in 1910. He was educated at. the Christchurch Technical College and has led a varied and widely travelled life. Be served his time at signwriting and then spent 12 1 years in the drapery business. Following a period as staff supervisor for James Smith's, • Wellington, he spent three years wdrking his way around the world, visiting 18 different countri'eS. He came to Levin in 1939 and has been" > in business on his own account for 10 years. Mr. Tomlinson has takeh an active interest in the Manchester Unity Lodge and was a member of Toc H in Johannesburg, South Africa. He holds an independent opinion von all matters, and considers the well-beihg of the town as a whole as a matter of vital and first interest. * Mr. L. V. Trass. Mr. Trass was born in Feilding in 1909, receiving his education in that town. He entered the building trade upon leaving school and re-

mained in it until 1944, when he came to Levin. Ih that year he joined the armed forces and was discharged at .the end of the war. He then opened a building business on his own account. Hockey ' has beeh the ehief interest of Mr. Trass in both Levin and Feilding. He was an enthusiast of the Feilding Hockey Association for 15 years and is now president of the Horowhenua association after being the prime mover in fostering interest in that sport once again in the district. A~keen member of the Levin Fire Brigade> he saw service in the Feilding organisation for nearly 20 years, b'eihg seeretary of that body. 'He is seeretary of the Levin Builders' Federation and was a member of the Lyttbn Street School Committee for some time. Mr. Trass is in favour of more industry and would like to see the town get such benefits as the sewerage disposai scheme! He wished to see the Weraroa ratepayers get better treatment, he added.