CAREERS OF VICTIMS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 8

CAREERS OF VICTIMS

GREAT PUBLIC SERVICES STATESMEN AND SOLDIERS The Hon. Geoffrey Austin Street, who was born in Sydney in 1894, had represented Corangamite, Victoria, in the Federal Parliament since 1934. He served with distinction in the Great War. He was at the Gallipoli landing, and subsequently in Egypt, France and Belgium, being awarded the Military Cross and mentioned in despatches. Mr Street was a grazier and a breeder and exhibitor of Polwarth sheep. The Hon. James Valentine Fairbairn represented the Flinders seat in Victoria, formerly held by Mr S. M. Bruce. Forty-three years of age, he saw service with the Royal Flying Corps in the Great War, and remained a keen aviator. Mr Fairbairn was a director of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney and of the Union Trustee Company of Australia, Limited. Sir Henry Gullett, who was born in Victoria in 1878, began life as a farmer, and in 1900 became a journalist. He was official correspondent for the Commonwealth Government with the Australian Forces in France i-n 1915 and afterward official historian to the Australian troops in Palestine. He had represented Henty, Victoria, in the Federal Parliament since 1925. Sir Henry was Minister of Trade and Customs in the Bruce-Page Ministry. When the Ministry was defeated at the polls in 1929 he became deputy-leader of the National Party and of the Opposition.

When Mr Lyons stepped out of the Labour Government to lead the newly-formed United Australia Party, Mr Gullett was one of the first to offer to stand aside in the interests of the formation of a consolidated opposition party. Sir Henry returned to the Federal Cabinet again last year as Minister of Information, exchanged that portfolio for External Affairs, and in the last reshuffle was appointed to the post he held at his death. Very Distinguished Soldier Lieutenant-General Sir Brudenell White, who retired from the active list m 1923, was recalled in March last and appointed Chief of the Australian General Staff, which post he had held with distinction from 1920 to 1923. Born in Victoria in 1876, Sir Brudenell joined the Queensland Permanent Artillery in 1899 and served in the South African War and the Great War and was at the landing ; at Gallipoli. Received several dc- i corations. Previous Accident Eighteen persons were killed when I the Douglas monoplane Kyeema crashed at 200 miles an hour into ; Mount Dandenong. 28 miles from Melbourne, on October 25, 1938. The victims included Mr C. A. S. Hawker, j M.P., of South Australia, Mr L. S. J Abrahams, K.C., of Sydney, and three women, one of them being an air I hostess.