OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1876, 9 October 1913, Page 10

OBITUARY.

MR. WILLIAM A. FORDHAM. _ Mr. William A. Fordham, son., 0110 of Wellington's very early settlers, passed away at his residence, Baden Head, Kilbirnie, on Tuesday afternoon, aged 78 years. Mr. Fordham, who was a con of Mr. Tlios. W. Fordham, of "Manor House," Broxburno, Herts., England, camo to New Zealand in 187(3 in the ship Avalanche, and t-ook up his residence in this city. As a crickctor ho was well known in New Zealand, and in this connection a. writer in tho London magazine "Cricket" of April 19, 1913, says:— " . . . Curiously enough the same post brought .me a letter from my good friend, Mr. Anders F. AYiren, of Wellington,' N.Z., in which reference was maclo to another of the gamo's grand old men in tho person of Mr. AV.. A. Fordham. Ho was one of tho original members of t-h'p Middlesex C.C.C., and ho played in tlio match between tlio Gentlemen of Middlesex and Gentlemen of Kent at Motto Park, in which that splendid cricketer and great-hearted gentleman, Vyell Edward Walker, took all ten wickets of tho Kent side. W. G. Grace, J. C. Gregory, and that wonderful veteran, Charles Absolon, woro among Mr. Fordhani's cricket -friends, and bp and Gregory played together in single wicket matches, on several occasions. Playing for Stamford Hill v. Bow at Tufnoll Park, Sir. Fordham -scored 37 in a total of 164, and lowered 13 wickets in How's two winnings. Ho appeared for XXII of Hertford against tho United Xl inISGG, though with lio success. Emigrating to New Zealand shortly after this, ho was a member of the Wellington team iu tlio first iu-ter-provincial game, Wellington v. Canterbury, on January 9, 1878, in which Wellington scored 32, and Mr. Fordham was second top scorer with 9, so that he can claim to havo assisted in tho foundation of representative cricket in Now Zealand." Playing for XXII of Wellington v. tlio Australian team for England in January, 1878, b'o bowled .David Gregory (tlio father of Australia's Syd. Gregory) with his first ball. Whilo playing for AVellington against Marlborough in 1879 he took fivo '.•ickets for 8 runs. Mr. Fordham used to play for tho old Star Club in Wellington, and was a contemporary of the Saimond Bros., J. P. Blacklock (undo of tho present J. P. Blacklock), Houghton, Garwood, Lock'ett, and others, and was a useful change bowler and ■steady bat. Thoso surviving Mr. Fordham aro a widow and son and daughter—Mr. W. A. Fordham, of the Public Trust Offico, AVellington, and Mrs. J. P. Engelbretson, of Dannevirke.

The Govornmo'nt Labour Bureau in Christchurch has been instrumental in finding employment for many men out. of work this past winter. In August 147 liion were put on to Government and private works by tho Bureau, and last month 132. This month the number of applications for employment has dropped considerably.