Obituary MR W. A. J. GIBSON

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 17

Obituary MR W. A. J. GIBSON

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. The death occurred in the Auckland Hospital on Saturday of Mr William A J. Gibson, for many years one of the best-known and most widely respected journalists in New Zealand. Mr Gibson, who was 89, retained aU his faculties up to the time of his death and had only been in hospital for three days before be died. Wellington was the main centre of Mr Gibson’s journalistic activities, he having been on the staff of ‘“Hie Dominion” from 1921 to 1954. During that time he was for a period chief reporter of the paper and became prominent as a writer on golf. He also had long experience as a court reporter. On his retirement from the “Dominion,” Mr Gibson went to Auckland where he had lived since. Mr Gibson was bom in Oamaru and later lived with his family at Gore and then in the Poverty Bay district. It was while he was living in Gore that Mr Gibson became interested in journalism and took a position on the “Mataura Etosign." He joined the staff ot the “Gisborne Times” in 1902. After serving in World War I he went to the “Wanganui Chronicle” for a time and joined the staff of the “Dominion” in 1921. Mr Gibson also had an outstanding sporting career. He was nominated for the New Zealand cricket eleven under Dan Reece after being cm* of the first six batsmen to score a double century twice in representative cricket. While employed on the “Wanganui Chronicle.” he captained a Hawke Cup team in 1920 to try to gain the cup from his old team, Poverty Bay, just failing by two wickets in a most exciting finish He was a nationally known figure at golf championships throughout toe Dominion. Mr Gibson is survived by his second wife, one son. Mr Austin Gibson, of Welling-

ton, and a daughter, Mrs Yvonne Butler, of Cambridge The funeral will take place in Auckland on Tuesday.