OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24389, 16 October 1944, Page 6

OBITUARY

MAJOR W. N. CARSON

The death from wounds of one of New Zealand’s leading athletes, Major W. N„ Carson, M.C., has been reported. He had the distinction of representing the Dominion at both cricket and Rugby football. Major Carson was first wounded in Crate, but rejoined his unit in North Africa, where he gained the Military Cross, and was again wounded. He was ■wounded the third time in Italy. . Educated at the Gisborne High School, he played cricket and Rugby for Poverty Bay before being transferred to Auckland. He soon displayed his prowess as an all-rounder fpr the Eden Cricket Club and gained Auckland honours at the age of 20. An aggressive left-hand batsman,' he scored 290 runs in less than, an afternoon against Otago at Carisbrook in his second innings in Plunket Shield cricket. In partnership with P. E. White- „ law, who made 190, Major Qarson added 445 runs to Auckland’s total, which stands as a Plunket Shield record. Later in the same season he scored 194 against Wellington and in all compiled 500 funs in Shield matches in the one season, a feat accomplished by only two other batsmen. He was also a useful right-hand change bowler and was a member of the New Zealand team ' Which toured England in 1937. As a Rugby footballer Major Carson played for the. Ponsonby Club and his dashing forward ability soon gained him Auckland honours. He also played for the North Island and visited Australia with the New Zealand team in 1938. He was considered a certainty for the tour of South Africa which was abandoned owing to the outbreak of war.

THE REV. W. S. ROLLINGS (P.A.) WELLINGTON. October 14. The death occurred yesterday of the Rev. W. S. Rollings, at his residence, Colway street, Ngaio, aged 73. A former" Baptist minister who came to New Zealand from Australia in 1913, and was minister of the Brooklyn Baptist Church from 1916 to 1929, Mr Rollings played a prominent part in public affairs and a leading part in the Baptist Union, serving two terms as secretary. He was president in 192223, and represented the New Zealand Baptist Union and Missionary Society at the inaugural meetings of the Australian Baptist Union in 1923. In ,1928 he was elected a member of tbs'executive of the Baptist world alliance at the congress at Toronto. , He leaves a widow, both his sons having died before him. ■