OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 24882, 23 October 1942, Page 4

OBITUARY

MR V. T. DREW (P.A.) AUCKLAND, October 22. The death occurred suddenly of Mr Vernon Thomson Drew, general secretary of the Auckland Young Men’s Christian Association. Mr Drew was engaged in his usual duties in the association’s buildings when he collapsed. An ambulance was summoned from the station near by, but before Its arrival he was found to be dead. Mr Drew, who was 56, had been associated with the Y.M.C.A. movement for 23 years. MR W. R. GAUVAIN (P.A.) AUCKLAND, October 22. Cabled advice has been received in Auckland of the death in England of Mr W. R. Gauvain, aged 65, a consulting engineer who was prominent in electrical reticulation work in New Zealand 20 years ago. He was a director of various Waihi mining companies and returned to London several years ago. LIEUT.-COLONEL L. M. SHERA (P.A.) AUCKLAND, October 22. A notable veteran of the South African War and the last war, Lieutenant-Colonel Louis Murray Shera, 0.8. E., M.C., of Remuera, has died at the age of 63. Lieu-tenant-Colonel Shera was the third son of the late Mr J. M. Shera, who once represented Auckland City in the House of Representatives. Through his mother, who was a daughter of Colonel H. C. Balneavis, of the 65th Regiment, he had a Maori as well as a pakeha inheritance of soldierly qualities. At Gallipoli he did very fine service and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry. He was also mentioned in dispatches by General Sir lan Hamilton for his work in the August advance. In France he at first had charge of an engineer- company, but at the close of the war he was appointed to command all the engineers of the New Zealand Division. He was also awarded ,a military 0.8. E. He was not married. (