PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1940, Page 6

PERSONAL

Mr. Alfred John Williamson has died at Taradale at the age of 76. In his early days Mr. Williamson had an intimate connection with the wool industry, being an expert woolclasser and having practised his profession all over Hawkes Bay and as far afield as the inland Patea and Taihape districts. Mr. G. R. Weir, New Plymouth, has been instructed to x-eport at Papakura early next month for service as a lieutenant with the 8th Infantry Brigade, 4th corrtposite company, Army Service Corps. Though Mr. Weir was too young to see active service in the last war as a cadet in the Defence Department he was stationed in the United Kingdom and while there was a member of the New Zealand Rughy team caplained by Teddy Roberts, Mr. Weir played outsirle the captain as first five-eighth. He also had considerable success as a boxer and reached the final of the featherweight division in the international amateur tournament at London early in 1918, losing on points to an American, Lieutenant Johnny Lowe. His Rugby career was ended by an injury in 1919. After the war Mr. Weir entered commercial life at New Plymouth and was a captain in the Taranaki Regiment. In 1923 he went to Wellington. returning in 1936 as manager of the Atlantic Oil Co., of the staff of which he had been a foundation member in New Zealand.