OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 265, 3 August 1920, Page 6

OBITUARY

EX-CHIEF POSTMASTER A. V. DIIYDEN. It came as a surprise and shock to many to learn of the death on Saturday of Mr. A. P. Dryden, who retired from the position of Chief Postmaster at Wellington some three months ago. On his retirement Mr. Dryden, accompanied by his wife,' spent his final leave travelling in Australia. Ho returned about a month ago, and had' only been seriously ill for a few days, a. clot of blood on tho brain having engendered paralysis. Mrs. Dryden is at present on lier way from Sydney by the Moeraki. Tho late Mr. Dryden was a man of many gifts, and *-he possessor of a strong personality. In the lobby on tho second floor of the G.P.O. there is an honours board chronicling tho names of those whose ideas on matters concerning the improvement in the service.? controlled by the Department havo been adopted. The first name on the list is that of Mr. A. P. Dryden for improvements in tho parcels post system. The late Mr. Dryden joined tho postal service in 1878, as a cadet at Dunedin. Three yews later he wns .transferred to the Secretary's office, Wellington. In 1887 ho was appointed mail agent on tho steamers which carried the mails between New Zealand and San Francisco, and performed those duties for thirteen vears. Subsequently he temporarily filled the positions of chief clerk and chief postmaster at Nelson. On October 1/i, 1903, ho was appointed assistant chief tlcrk at Auckland, and four years later he was. promoted to be chief clerk in the same office. Three months later 110 was appointed assistant postmaster at- Auckland, a position lie hold for approximately threo years. In 1910 he became chief postmastor at New Plymouth, and in 1913 lie was appointed chief postmaster at Wellington, one of the most onerous positions in tho Department. The deceased gentleman leaves no family.

CAPTAIN D. J. WATSON. Tho death occurred at the Wellington Hospital parly yesterday morning of Captain David .T. Watson, formerly secretary of the Merchant: Service Guild, and ex-member of the Wellington Harboui Board. Tho late Cap'.ain Watson, who was horn in Scotland about fifty-threo years ago, served his time with the New Zealand Shipping Company. He later ioined the Union Company's service, and was on a number of red-funnel steamers. In 1904 ho was appointed secretary_of the Merchant Service Guild, a position he held for about elcvon years. Captain Watson was a member of the Wellington Harbour Board from April, 1913, until August, 1915, and was also a councillor of tho Onslow Borough, in the welfare of which district he took a live interest. During the war lie was in charge of n. Commonwealth steamer, and ho later visited America. Ho was second mate of the Government s.s. Tutanekai when that vessel visited tho Islands with tho Governor-General 'on hoard. Captain Watson, who has been ill for soma time, was very populnr, and his death will be regretted by a wide circle of friends. The funeral will _ take place from Khandallah to-morrow afternoon.

At a committee meeting of the Merchant Service Guild yesterday morning n motion of sympathy with the relatives of the late Captain Watson was passed. FORMER N.S.W. CABINET MINISTER (Rec. 'Augu9t 2, 9.40 p.m.) Sydney, August 2. Obituary.—Hon. J. A. Hogue, former Minister of Public Instruction.—Press Assn.

TMr. Hogue, who was born in Clarence Town, New South Wales, in 1846, was for ten vears editor of the "Sydney Evening News." Ho represented Glebo in the Legislative Assembly from 1891 to 1910. He was Minister of Public Instruction and Labour in 1898 and 1899, Colonial Secretary from 1901 to 1807, and Minister of Public Instruction and Minister of Industry and Labour from 1907 to 1910.]