OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25085, 17 January 1947, Page 8

OBITUARY

MR H. F. SKEY Mr Henry Fawcit Skey, who died suddenly in Christchurch yesterday, was for many years director of the Magnetic Observatory in Christchurch. Born in Dunedin, he received his secondary education at the Otago Boys’ High School, and later attended the Otago University. In 1897 he graduated M-Sc., taking honours in physics. Mr Skey joined the New Zealand Magnetic Survey in Christchurch in 1899, succeeding Mr W. T. Neill as assistant to Dr. C. Coleridge Farr, who wasthen director. On Dr. Farr’s retirement in 1903, he was .appointed director, a position which he held until his retirement in June, 1940. He conducted magnetic surveys throughout New Zealand, and also in the Chatham, Auckland, and Campbell Islands. In the early days of magnetic survey. travel was particularly arduous. Instruments and equipment often had to be transported by packhorses, along

rough roads, where highways now exist. On one occasion he,was a member of a party which travelled through Westland with the idea 'of crossing into Otago by way of the Haast Pass. When the surveyors reached the Haast river, they decided that instead of following up the river to the pass they would go on to the next river, and make another attempt to work over farther south. This next river was high and someone had to try the conditions for fording. Mr Skey tried it. riding one of the horses. About half-way over the horse was swimming hard, and so strong was the current that the attempt had to be abandoned. Eventually the party used the Haast river and the Haast Pass. Mr Skev was a man of retiring nature. and’in his later years was never in robust health. He is’ survived by Mrs Skey and two daughters. MR A. L. S. ARMSTRONG From Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, January 16. The death occurred at Greymouth to-day of Mr Alfred Leo Smith Armstrong, a well-known warehouseman and a resident of Greymouth for the last 46 years. He was born at Nelson 87 years ago and was a son of Mr John Armstrong, who arrived there on the Will Watch in October, 1841. Before coming to Greymouth Mr Armstrong lived at Wellington for about 20 years. For a period he was at sea and was a member of the crew of the Aurora at the-time of the rescue of the passengers of the Queen Bee at Nelson. Un his early days Mr Armstrong was well known for his acrobatic and athletic performances, particularly in walking championships. More recently he was a keen bowler, being a member of the Greymouth Bowling Club. He had been in retirement for some time. On July 23. 1945. Mr and Mrs .Armstrong celebrated the sixtyfifth anniversary of their wedding. Mrs Armstrong survives her husband, and there are also two daughters. Mrs A. J. Williams (Greymouth) and Mrs E. F. Guinness (Auckland), and two sons, Mr W. A. Armstrong (Nelson) and Mr L. J. Armstrong (Greymouth) .