OBITUARY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 14

OBITUARY

MR O. A. MOLLER Mr Oscar Adildgaar Moller died at his home at 47 Wroxton terrace, Fendalton, on Monday. He was 79. After serving an apprenticeship in the jewellery trade with Messrs Kemnitz and Nicholson, Dimedin, he came to Christchurch and, in partnership with Mr James Young, in 1897, established the firm of Moller and Young, engravers. He was only 19 when he entered business on his own account. The firm built its own premises in Worcester street, and the partnership continued until 1913. Recently new premises were erected in Oxford terrace. Mr Moller was one of the founders, in 1908, of the Civic Masonic Lodge. He was later Master of the lodge. He also helped to found the Westminster Lodge at Wellington. An enthusiastic Rugby footballer, Mr Moller was a member of the Canterbury representative team in 1899. He was a keen swimmer, oarsman, and yachtsman. He was one of the founders of the Cornwell Cup contest and an early member of the Takapuna Boating Club. Mr Moller was Dominion organiser of the United Party, of which he was one of*the founders. The party became the Government under the leadership of Sir Joseph Ward. Mr Moller is survived by his widow (formerly Miss L. F. Cottrell), and one daughter, Miss N. G. Moller. MR A. T. COX Mr Albert Thompson Cox, Dominion superintendent engineer for the New Zealand Shipping Company, died in Britain recently. He was 61. After completing his engineering apprenticeship at Rugby, Mr Cox joined the New Zealand Shipping Company. He was chief engineer of the Durham on her maiden voyage in 1934, and made several voyages in the Sussex. He was appointed superintendent at Wellington in 1947. Mr Cox was chief engineer of the Rangitane when she was sunk by the German raider Orion on November 27, 1940. He was taken prisoner, but was among tho'.-.? released a fortnight later. For the rr' of the war, Mr Cox served as t.u engineer’s surveyor for the British Ministry of Transport at New Brunswick. He was visiting Britain on the company’s business at the time of his death. MR A. REID (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 22. A well-known Auckland sportsman, Mr Allan Reid, has died at the age of 60. He was a New Zealand Soccer representative and captain of the Auckland team on several occasions. Mr Reid was born in Scotland, and before leaving there for New Zealand in 1925 he played Soccer for the St Mirren Club, Paisley. He was Auckland’s star full-back for many years, and was selected to play for New Zealand against the 1927 Canadian te.un. Mr Reid is survived by his wife, four sons, and a daughter. MR J. STEEL The death occurred at Greymouth on Monday of Mr James Steel. Born at Humphreys Gully 84 years ago, Mr Steel was the son of pioneers of the Westland gold diggings. In his younger days he was gold digging in Kumara. Interested in gold mining all his life, he was associated with many claims on the West Coast. Mr Steel was in the hotel business for a long time, and was proprietor of the Otira Gorge Hotel during construction of the Otira tunnel. He was later proprietor of the Golden Eagle Hotel, Greymouth. He was a past master of the Kumara Masonic Lodge. Mr Steel is survived by three sons, James (Greymouth), Harold (Carterton), and Hugh (Christchurch). Another son was Mr Jack Steel, the famous All Black wing- three quarters, who was killed in a motor accident some years ago.