PERSONAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1942, Page 2

PERSONAL

The Hon. J. G. Barclay, Minister of Marketing, returned to Wellington today from the north. The death occurred at Wellington on Saturday of Mr Roland Guy Wilfred Hunter, of Makara, and son of Mr and Mrs J. C. Hunter, Pahiatua, at the age of 41 years. A motion of condolence with Mr E. G. Eton, a former chairman of the Wairarapa Hospital Board, in the loss of his wife, was passed at yesterday’s meeting of the board. Mr C. C. Munro, Auckland, was yesterday elected a life member of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, now holding its annual conference in Wellington. Notice of motion was given for the 1943 conference proposing Mr E. H. Murney, Tapanui, Otago, as a life member. There are now 13 life members of the union. The appointment of Mr Geoffrey Cox, a New Zealand Rhodes Scholar, as first secretary to the New Zealand Legation in Washington, is announced. Mr Cox was born in Palmerston North in 1910, and has gained considerable distinction, both as a journalist and as a writer. Following the fall of France, Mr Cox enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and went through the Battle of Crete. Mr Cox’s wife and: two children live in Auckland. The funeral of the late Mr J. McGillicuddy took place yesterday afternoon, there being a representative attendance of settlers. The Right Rev. J. Davie officiated and Mr G. G. Jackson read the Foresters’ Lodge service. Among the many beautiful wreaths was one from the chairman, councillors and executive staff of the Masterton County Council. Messrs A. Daysh, J. Stempa, M. Sinclair, J. Gordon, L. Larson and R. Walker were the pall-bear-ers. A well-known Auckland barrister and solicitor, Lieutenant-Colonel (temporary Brigadier) John Russell Gray is reported to have been killed in action on July 5. He took a keen interest in the Territorial forces and was for a number of years before the outbreak of the war a senior officer of the Ist Battalion, Auckland Regiment, succeeding to its command in 1939. He was appointed to command the first Auckland infantry battalion formed for overseas eservice after the outbreak of the war, the 18th (Auckland) Battalion. Brigadier Gray left New Zealand early' in 1940 with the first echelon and commanded his battalion with distinction in Greece and Crete.