DIED SUDDENLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 260, 2 November 1932, Page 3

DIED SUDDENLY.

MR. PHILLIP ROUSSELL. MANAGER OF RAILWAYS. INTERMENT AT WELLINGTON. Flags were flying at half-mast at the Auckland railway station this morning as a mark of respect to the memory of Mr. Phillip George Roussell, general manager of Now Zealand railways, agca 55, who died suddenly at 2.30 p.m. yesterday at the home of his sister, Mrs. H. Jcnkin, IS, Schofield Street, Grey Lynn. Mr. Roussell had a heart seizure on Lis way to Auckland by the Limited express on Monday, and was attended on arrival by Dr. C. E. A. Coldicutt, who ordered him to bed. He went to his sister's residence, where he died five hours after the arrival of the train. It had been Mr. Roussell's intention to join the Niagara, which sailed last evening for Sydney, the New Zealand Railway Board having commissioned him to make inquiries regarding the operation of the Australian railways. Became 111 on Train. Mr. Roussell appeared to be in his ordinary health when he left Wellington, but during the night he became ill and was in great pain for some hours. The sleeping car attendants kept him under observation and as the result of a message forwarded by the Railway Department Dr. Coldicutt met the train, which arrived at 9.40 a.m. Mr. Roussell appeared to bo much improved, and was able to leave the train without assistance. He went to his sister's home, and was again seen by Dr. Coldicutt about noon. His condition became worse in the afternoon, and Dr. Coldicutt called in Dr. T. W. J. Johnson for consultation, but nothing could be done. According to relatives, Mr. Roussell had never previously complained of heart trouble.

A New Zcalander by birth, Mr. Roussell joined the Railway Department as a cadet in the Auckland office in 1893. For the first 12 years of his service he was at various stations in the Auckland and Wanganui districts. Afterwards lie was stationmaster successively at Turakina, Otahuhu, and Te Aroha. He was appointed assistant relieving officer in the Auckland district in 1913 and two years afterwards, was stationmaster at Henderson. In 1910 he was transferred to the district traffic manager's office at Auckland, and in 1922 became district chief clerk to the district manager at Ohakune.

Manager Since December. Mr. Roussell was promoted to the position of chief clerk at the head office, Wellington, in 1924, and the following year was appointed secretary to the then recently created Railway Board of Control. He was next appointed general superintendent of transportation, and when Mr. H. H. Sterling became chairman of the Railways Board in December of last year Mr. Roussell succeeded him as general manager. Mr. Roussell leaves a wife and_ a family of thi;ee sons and one daughter, all of Wellington. The sons are Messrs. P. H., R., and E. A. Roussell, and the daughter Miss M. V. Roussell. Mrs. H. Jenkin, of Grey Lynn, and Mrs. RoussellCossey, of Mrnmt Albert, are sisters. Two' brothers arc Messrs. A. and G. Roussell. Mrs. Roussell and her family arrived in Auckland this morning, and will return by this afternoon's train. The body will be taken to Wellington by the same train, and the funeral will take place at 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. The interment will be at Karori cemetery.

Wreaths were sent by the following: District traffic manager and staff, district engineer and staff, locomotive engineer and staff, stationmaster and staff, Railway Officers' Institute and the Auckland 'branch of the A.S.R.S. The wreaths were placed on the coffin immediately before the departure of the train by senior officers of the Department.