OBITUARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19996, 13 January 1927, Page 10

OBITUARY.

MR NEIL GALBRAITH. The news of the sudden death of Mr Neil Galbraith, general manager of Messrs John Mill and Co., which took place yesterday at his residence in Koslyn, caused quite a shock to his many friends in Dunedin. Mr Galbraith had not been in the best of health lately, but there was nothing to indicate that he was seriously ill. His end was peaceful, as he passed away in his sleep. Mr Galbraith, who was born in Lyttelton 59 years ago. was the second eldest son of the late Captain Galbraith, head -'■'os of the Lyttslton Harbour Board for many years. He was educated at the Lyttelton School, and on leaving school was employed with the firm of Messrs Kinsey, Burns, and Co. Shortly afterwards —about 1868 —he received an appointment with the New Zea land Shipping Company as a junior, and was employed in the Lyttelton office for a few years. He was then transferred to the Wellington office, occupying in turn the positions of shipping clerk, accountant, and then acting manager. In 1914 Mr Galbraith was appointed manager of the Dunedin office of the company, in place of the late Mr G. B. Bullock, who had received the appointment of genera! manager of the company, with headquarters in Wellington. Mr Galbraith occupied his now position till July, 1920. when he was appointed general manager of Messrs John Mill tnd Co. Mr Galbraith was a member of the Otago Harbour Board for some years, and served a term as its chairman. Ho was chairman of the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Co-operative Waterside Labour Employment Association, and also chairman of the Waterside Disputes Committee. He was eminently fair in all the disputes with the men, and was always prepared to look at an industrial dispute from every side. Mr Galbraith had a most likeable disposition, and had many friends right throughout the Dominion. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Rugby Football, and had a wonderful fund of anecdotes connected wita the game in the Dominion. It is no exaggeration to say that he had seen more big football than most people in the Dominion, and bo was a regular spectator at the local club games. He was treasurer of the New Zealand Rugby Union for some years, and also a chairman of the Management Committee. He was manager through New Zealand of Bedell-Sivright’s English team in 1904, ana manager of the New Zealand team which went to Australia just prior to the departure of the New Zealand team to England in 1905. _ He was an active member of the Athletic Senior Football Club, of which he was a life member. Cricket also attracted him greatly, and he was a spectator at eveiy match he could conveniently attend. Another sport in which he was interested was rowing, and he was a member of racing crews in Lyttelton and Wellington. Yachting claimed his attention in his early life, and he was a member of the crew of the second-class yacht Neva, which won the race for her class at the Lyttelton regatta for five years running. Mr Galbraith, in his later years, was a devotee of the game of golf, and about five years ago was captain of the Golf Club. He was also a member of the Dunedin Jockey Club. Mr Galbraith is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter. The eldest son is emplyed in the office of Mr Walter Hill, Christchurch, and the second son in the Bank of Now Zealand here. A sad feature of the death is that Mrs Galbraith is absent in Wellington, owing to the illness of her father there.

'MR LAYINGTON GEORGE ROOPE. (From ora Special Cobebbpondent.) INVERCARGILL, January 12. There passed away this morning after a lingering illness one of Invercargill’s best known citizens-—Mr Lavingtop George itoope, aged 82 years. Born in Hobart, Tasmania, where his father was a leading merchant, he arrived at Invercargill in 1878 as district manager of the first branch of the bank of Australasia to bo opened here. He occupied this position for some three or four years, resigning to go into business as a general merchant in partnership with che late Mr Joseph Stock, who was also a well known figure in the early ijxys of Invercargill. Phis partnership was dissolved about 1887 when Mr Roope purchased the Southland Brewery from Mr Thomas Surman. He was then in partnership with Mr Joseph Clarke, of Round Hill who retired from the business two years later. This business Mr Roope carried on until local prohibition was carried, when he built a brewery outside the no-licenso area. He was actively engaged in this business until the time of Ills death. He was connected with very many of the business enterprises in the early days of the town, and was indeed the leading member of a small syndicate which started the manufacture of condensed mik at the Underwood works. This business, which did not then prosper, has now developed into a very large concern operated by the Nestle Company, of Switzerland. Mr Roope was popular, open-handed, and generous to a fault, giving largely to help any struggling causes. He dispensed a great deal of private charity, and did not seek publicity for his good actions. He left Invercargill only once after his arrival in 1878. Mr Roope never married, end his only relation is Mrs Frost, wife ot Dr Frost, of London: