PERSONAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1940, Page 4

PERSONAL

The Hon P. C. Webb, Minister of Labour, will leave Wellington today for the West Coast.

Mr W. R. Birks has been appointed Acting-Crown Prosecutor in Wellington during the absence on military service of Colonel W. H. Cunningham. Mr. and Mrs. E. Richards, of 35 Cole Street, Masterton, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary today. There was a large gathering of members of the family relatives and friends for the occasion.

The following have been instructed to report to Royal New Zealand Air Force stations for preliminary training: Levin, pilot, R. J. Clarke (Masterton); air gunner, E. F. McKenna (Featherston), E. H. Smith (Eketahuna). The Rt Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, Bishop of Wellington, who has been recuperating in Kawau since a recent "peration, is at present visiting Mr and Mrs T. H. Lowry, Hawke's Bay. With Mrs Holland he will visit Mangaweka and Featherston before re- : timing to Wellington in about a fortnight’s time.

Mr William T. Burr. Gonville, has died at the age of 67. Mr Burr, who was born in Matamata, was prominent in Rugby and athletic circles in Wanganui. He represented Wanganui in many matches in the nineties. Later he went to Wellington and earned further distinction there as a Rugby representative. Mr Burr also proved himself one of the finest sprinters of his day. scoring many brilliant wins over distances from 100 yards to 440 yards.

Mr Sydney James Thomas Branson, who was well-known throughout New Zealand, died in Wellington recently. He was born in 1880. and he was educated in Dunedin. After some experience in the law offices of Stout. Moody and Sim in Dunedin, he joined the New Zealand Railways Department, and in this service was stationed successively at Stirling. Balclutha, Dunedin, Palmerston and Marton Junction. On leaving the railways he became associated in the management of Branson’s Hotel. Dunedin, and in later years was for some time licensee of the Crown Hotel. Dunedin, in partnership with his brother. He also engaged m farming at Clevedon in the Auckland province and later was employed by the Land and Income Tax Department in Wellington.