VETERAN JOURNALIST RETIRES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 13, 11 October 1943, Page 2

VETERAN JOURNALIST RETIRES

Doyen of Wellington journalists, Mr. George Osborne has retired from service on the literary staff of the “Evening Post,” after 36 years connexion with that newspaper. Mr. . Osborne was born and educated .in London, and, as a boy, served m a stationers’ establishment, in Chancery Lane, which gave him his first insight into letters Seeking a knowledge of the world Mr.’Osborne failed to qualify as a stay-at-home Londoner. His first step was to find himself, and he did so by shipping before the mast while still in his teens-. Elis life as a reporter began in Hobart in 1887, where he was attached to the statt of the “Mercury.” The year 1596 found him sub-editor of the “Shanghai Mercury and while in the East he gained more than a passing knowledge of northern China, Korea, japan and the Philippines. On returning to England Mr. Osborne was employed by the lllxcluingc lelegrapn Company, and also helped in the complin* tion of the “Encyclopedia Britannica (geographical section). Resuming Press work, he was employed at different times on the London “Morning Post, ’ Lloyd s Weekly,” “The Echo,” and ‘Morning Herald,” newspapers which are all defunct. Among his many associates in those days wore such famous men of letters as S. K. Ratcliffe, Percy Alden, Ramsay Macdonald, and Arthur Mee. At the beginning of the century Mr. Osborne conic to New Zealand, and in 1903- joined the staff of the “New Zealand Herald,” Auckland, and, in 190 i. left that employ to take a position on the “Evening Post.” At a good-bye function on Wednesday, Mr. J. R. Smith, editor of the ’‘Post, in presenting a cheque on behalf of the

literary stuff, referred to the many fine qualities Mr. Osborne had displayed as a friend and colleague. .He bad done much to raise the status of his profession, and journalists owed him a debt of gratitude.