OBITUARY

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28016, 10 July 1956, Page 17

OBITUARY

MR C. L. LESTER Mr Clarence Lionel Lester, a wellknown and respected resident of the North Loburn district, where he had lived for many years, died on Saturday. Mr Lester was born 60 years ago at Riverside at the mouth of the Ashburton river. After attending the Hampstead (Ashburton) and New Brighton schools, he joined his father. Mr T. Lester, a well-known roading contractor in the New Brighton district. While working for nis father, he became interested in rowing and boxing. At an early age he enlisted for service in World War I. In France, he won the Military Medal and afterwards he gained his commission. At the end of the war, he was in charge of the New Zealand sports division. He was a member ot the New Zealand rowing eight that beat all-comers, including the Americans, in Paris. After returning to New Zealand, he took up farming at North Loburn. He took a keen interest in all activities in the district and served on the Ashley County Council and the Ashley Rabbit Board. Mrs Lester, who was formerly Miss Doris Bishop, a daughter of the late Mr G. W. Bishop, of New Brighton, died about two years ago. There were no children of the marriage. Mr W. J. Lester, of Christchurch, and Mr J. T. Lester, of White’s Bridge, are brothers of Mr Lester.

SERGEANT J. F. MAHON Sergeant John Frederick Mahon, offi-cer-in-charge of the Addington Police Station since November, 1949, died suddenly on Friday. He was 55 years of age. Sergeant Mahon was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary at the time it was. disbanded. He joined the New Zealand Police Force in April, 1927, and from the training depot in Wellington was appointed to Dunedin. He served there as a constable until 1929. and was transferred to Christchurch. Two years later he was transferred to Port Chalmers. In December. 1943, he returned to Christchurch on his promotion to sergeant. He was in turn sectional sergeant and then in charge of the inquiry office before being appointed officer-in-charge at Addington. Sergeant Mahon was awarded a record of merit for his arrest of’ a man later convicted of discharging a firearm with intent to wound. Sergeant Mahon is survived by his wife and six children.

MR A. L. REYNOLDS Mr Arthur Lerington Reynolds, the only son of Mrs Marion Smith, of 369 Manchester street, and formerly a lieutenant comamnder in the Royal Navy, died recently. He was aged 42. Mr Reynolds was educated at the Sumner District High School and Johnson’s Wireless College, Wellington. In 1938, he joined the Merchant Navy and was a ipember of the radio staff of the Queen Mary when war was declared in 1939. He the joinbd the Royal Navy and served in the North Atlantic, Burma, and the Far East. After the war, Mr Reynolds rejoined the Merchant Navy and serveo in an oil tanker operating from the Persian Gulf. He returned to NevZealand a few years ago.