OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 23677, 10 September 1940, Page 7

OBITUARY

MR GEORGE TODD Mi- George Todd, who tiled on Friday last after- a somewhat lengthy illness, was a well-known eiti/.en. He was born at Gnillanc, Scotland, and had reached the ripe age of 00 years. As a lad he went to school on the Isle of Man, and r-arno to New Zealand with his parents from Scotland in ISfi‘2 in the sailing ship Chariot of Fame; he was then 13 years of age. The late Mr Todd’s family settled at Opawa, Christchurch, for a few years, and later Mr Todd, who was sin the stock agency and auctioneering business, was at Balclutha from 1877 to 1880, and at Invercargill from 1885 to 1887. He was a wellknown figure throughout Otago owing to_ his, many visits to the country districts. In 1896 he was appointed by

the Hon. R. J. Seddon to the chairmanship of the Assets Board, which position he occupied for 10 years, during which period he lived in Wellington. Ho realised many very largo properties, both city and country, for the board, and could give many very interesting reminiscences of his travels at that period. When the work of the Assets Board was completed Mr Todd joined Messrs M'Leod Bros. Ltd., occuping the position of manager of that well-known company for a period of In years. On his retirement ho accepted a seat on the board of directors. Mr Todd’s wife (nee Miss Elespie King) died in November, 1931, and there was no family. The only relative in New Zealand is Mrs Josephine Day, of Perth, Western Australia, who had resided with him for the last four years. Mr Todd was an enthusiastic golfer from the early days of golfing in Dunedin. and was largely instrumental in securing the Bnlmaccwen golf course property for the Otago Golf Club. Ho was an honorary life member of the Otago Golf Club. MR WALTER ROSS The death occurred recently of Mr Walter ißoss, one of the earliest settlers of the Shag Valley district, at the advanced age of 94 years Born at Altass, Sutherlandshire, Scotland, in November, .1845, .he sailed; from Glasgow, for New Zealand, with his wife and two children, his parents, and a brother, and a sister, in the ship Dunedin, which reached Port Chalmers on December 2, 1876. On arrival in the colony Mr Ross, who was a blacksmith hy trade, commenced business on his own account at Macrae’s Flat, but within a short time he accepted a position as blacksmith with Sir Francis Dillon Bell on his Shag Valley station. He remained in the employment of the Bell family for 42 years. On his retirement he went to live in Palmerston. Five years ago Mrs Ross passed away, and thereafter Mr Ross resided with his daughter at Shands, near Outram. He was held in high esteem by all with whom he came in contact. The funeral took place at Palmerston, the Rev. Mr French officiating. . Mr Ross is survived by two sons, Mr Thomas Ross, of Middlemarch, and Mr Fowler Ross, of Dunedin, and a daughter, Mrs David M'Donald, of Shands. MR BERNARD ALLEN [Pea United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 10. Mr Bernard Allen, New Zealand manager of United Artists (Australasia) Proprietary .Ltd., died suddenly this morning at a private hospital in Wellington. Mr Allen was born in Brisbane 49 years ago, and came to Wellington in 1929 as New Zealand manager of United Artists. He was a keen golfer and fisherman, and made a number of deep-sea fishing expeditions, being successful with swordfish oft' Cape Brett.