LONG SERVICE TO PUBLIC BODIES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27191, 7 November 1953, Page 8

LONG SERVICE TO PUBLIC BODIES

MR WALLS’S CAREER (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN. November 6. Long service to public bodies was given by Mr Robert Walls, member of I Parliament for North Dunedin, who ■died early today. Apart from his local body and Parliamentary career, he had been a trustee of the Dimedin Savings Bank, j chairman of the National Savings Committee, and president of the' Otago Justices of the Peace Associa-j tion. One of the pioneers of broadcasting in New Zealand. Mr Walls owned: (Station 4ZM until it was taken over: r by the Government and closed down. , After one unsuccessful attempt to! '.secure election to the Dunedin Cityj {Council, Mr Walls was returned in; 11938 as a Labour member qt the coun- ♦ cil. the Hospital Board, and the Har|bour Board, and held office for 10 I In 1945 he was elected member of for North Dunedin and

,bad held the seat ever since. He was ’president of the Dunedin Savings ■ Bank in 1944, and was a deputy--1 member of the Otago Land Sales Committee. Mr Wails was born in Dunedin and . educated at the High Street and lUnion Street Schools. He served his • apprenticeship to the cabinetmaking I trade. Later he and the late Mr John i McCracken took over the piano re- > pairing and tuning business of Laid'law and Sons and established the ' company now known as McCracker I and Walls. Mr Walls was a member of Lodge 1 Dunedin 931, of which he was Master Ijn 1917-18. Later he was Deputy- ’ District Grand Master for Otago and Southland. He was for many years a member of the Royal Dunedin Male Choir and the Dunedin Orphans’ Club, and was 'also a member of the Roxburgh Health Camp Committee.