PERSONAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 57, 12 February 1916, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Deputy Superintendent Champion, of the Hawera Brigade, who was elected secretary an<3 treasurer of the Taranaki District United Fire Brigades' Association at the conference last evening, lias twenty-seven years' service to his credit. Deputy-superin-tendent Champion wears the" gold star of the United Fire Brigades' Association of New Zealand for 25 years' service.

Superintendent Nuttall (Eltham), in responding to the toast of the President at the Fire Brigades' Association gathering, said his ambition for the last fourteen years, which was the length of time he had' been a member of a brigade, was to hold the office of president. During his long service he Had attended about twelve conferences. He assured members he would do all in his power to further the interests of the Association.

The death occurred on Tuesday evening, at the residence of his father, of Mr P. J. O'Leary, of Masterton. The deceased, who was thirty-four years of age, and very, popular with all classes of the community, had been seriously ill for a long time, and his death was not unexpected. The late Mr O'Leary was horn at Awatere,Marlborough. For some time deceased had occupied the position of secretary.to the Masterton branch of the Hibernian Lodge. It was as a footballer that the late Mr O'Leary was so widely known throughout the "Wellington province. He was a member of that invincible Masterton senior team of 1905 and 1906 when the back division, besides including the deceased, comprised such well-known football lights as Messrs "Joe" O'Leary (Wairarapa, Auckland, and New Zealand representative) Edgar Wrigley (Wairarapa, Wellington province, New Zealand representative, and English League player), Davy Logan (Wairarapa representative), and Alick Miller (Wairarapa representative). The deceased was undoubtedly (says the Masterton correspondent of the New Zealand Times), the finest five-eighth seen in Wairarapa for many years, and the victories of the Masterton Club and Wairarapa on the football field were in a large measure due to his fine play. The deceased, who was popularly known everywhere as "Pat," was of a genial disposition and had hosts of friends who- will hear of his death with feelings of deepest regret.