Obituary MAJOR W. C. FINNIS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29872, 12 July 1962, Page 8

Obituary MAJOR W. C. FINNIS

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 11

Major William Charles Finnis, a member of the former New Zealand Staff Corps, has died in Auckland. He was 91. Major Finnis served in the Victorian (Australian) Militia, then in the Christchurch Cycle Corps Volunteers for nine years, and the Ist (North Canterbury) regiment.

He held high rank in the Masonic Order, being a past master of the Combined Forces Lodge, and past grand warden of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand.

i MR A. R. CHRISTIAN e (N.Z. Press Association) '■ WELLINGTON, July 11. A widely-known Rotarian, lt engineer, and a resident of Ngaio for almost 40 years, Mr A. R. Christian, died at ' his home last week. He was 79. Arriving from England in 1907, Mr Christian was first employed in Wellington as a woodworker. In 1909, a fortnight after his marriage to Miss Ada Blackwell, Mr Christian began business in Christchurch as an engineer pattern-maker. After a visit to England in 1921, Mr Christian formed the present company of A. R. Christian, Ltd. Mrs Christian looked after the business many times during her husband’s absence. Mr Christian had been a member of Rotary since 1934. Mr Christian is survived by his wife and three children. MR DICK THOM (N.Z. Press Association) ROTORUA, July 11. The death occurred at his home in Whakarewarewa, Rotorua, yesterday of Mr Dick Thom (Papakura) known as the “Greyhound of Geyserland.” He - was 87. Papakura is an adopted Maori name. Mr Thom was one of three survivors of the Rotorua Maori Rugby team which beat the 1904 British Isles side, 8-6, at Rotorua. The others are Messrs Zealand Mitchell, aged 84, and Tihini Fraser, aged 86, both of Rotorua. Mr Thom was also a member of the New Zealand Rugby League Maori team which toured Australia in 1912. Although belonging to an old Rotorua family, Mr Thom was educated at Auckland and spent many years of his early life in Hawke’s Bay. He was a blacksmith by trade.

A brother of the late Maggie Papakura, the noted guide, Mr Thom was an outstanding cornet player with the now defunct Rotorua Maori Band. He played three-quarters for the Whaka Rugby Club and represented the district for a number of years. He was a distant relation of Guide Rangi.

MR W. O. CARLAW

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 11. Mr William Owen Carlaw, one of the pioneers of Rugby League in New Zealand, has died in Auckland. He was 79. Born in Auckland, Mr Carlaw, on leaving school, joined the Northern Steamship Company where he remained for 40 years. For many years

he was secretary of the company. Mr Carlaw served in France during the First World War and was badly gassed on the Somme. He was an Auckland representative Rugby player and a leading crew member of the West End Rowing Club. On his retirement from active sport he took an interest in Rugby League and was for 26 years secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Football League council of management. Mr Carlaw retired 14 years ago because of ill-health.