OBITUARY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27642, 26 April 1955, Page 15

OBITUARY

SIR JOHN REED (New Zeeland Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 25. Sir John Ranken Reed, a former Supreme Court Judge and Acting Chief-Justice of New Zealand, has died at Auckland at the age of 90. Born at Ipswich, Queensland, in 1864, Sir John Reed was the son of the late Rev. G. McC. Reed, a former leader writer on the staff of the “New Zealand Herald,” and wgs educated at the Auckland Grammar School, Otago Boys’ High School, Victoria College, Jersey, and Clare College, Cambridge. He was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1887, and practised in the Bay of Islands for nine years before coming to Auckland. In 1913, Sir John Reed was appointed a King's Counsel. He was head of the Auckland legal flrm of Messrs Reed, Towle, Hellaby, and Cooper when he was appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in 1921. Although he reached the retiring age of 72 in December, 1936, he acceded to a request by the Government to continue for a period as a temporary Judge. He finally retired on September 30, 1939. Under the Territorial system of military training, Sir John Reed was Lieutenant-Colonel in command of tbe 3rd Auckland Infantry Regiment, and retired with the rank of Colonel in 1911.' He was appointed Judge-Advocate-General for New Zealand in the same year, and for his services in that capacity was awarded the C. 8.8. in 1919. Sir John Reed was at one time a member of the Auckland Education Board. For seven years he was District Grandmaster for Auckland under the English Constitution of Freemasons. He was at various times president of the Auckland Law Society, president of the Auckland Club, and president of the Auckland Officers’ Club. He was president ol the Prisons Board from 1928 to 1936, and chairman of the Parole Board. Sir John Reed is survived by Lady Reed, a son, a daughter, seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. A private funeral was held today.

MR H. J. QUARRELL Mr H. J. Quarrell, of Fendalton, who died last week, was well known as the accountant of two coal businesses and as a public accountant in Christchurch. He was born at Bridport, Dorsetshire, in 1884, and arrived in New Zealand in 1909 to take up employment with Thomas Brown and Company as accountant in their wholesale coal business. From his post with Brown and Company he moved to take charge of the coal distribution department of J. A. Redpath and Sons, Ltd. From 1931 until ill health forced him to retire in 1944 he was in business as a public accountant. He was secretary of the Coal Merchants’ Association for 27 years. Mr Quarrell was an enthusiastic horticulturist and was particularly interested in flowers, a taste that was shared by his wife. The garden at their home in Opawa, where they lived for

many years before moving to Fendalton, was well known in the district for its beauty. He was a generous patron of art and had been a member of the Canterbury Society of Arts for about 35 years. Mr Quarrell, who was a keen golfer, was a foundation member of the Richmond Hill Golf Club, and for many years a member of the Christchurch Golf Club. He was a good chess player, and represented Canterbury in telegraphic matches for a period of years. At one time he was president of the Canterbury Chess Club. He is survived by his widow (the grand-daughter of Mr R. B. Denniston, a pioneer surveyor and mining engineer after whom Denniston is named) and a daughter, Mrs J. C. Fraser, of Christchurch.