Obituary Mr W. H. Kirk Was Leading Figure In Croquet

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30420, 20 April 1964, Page 12

Obituary Mr W. H. Kirk Was Leading Figure In Croquet

One of New Zealand's leading croquet administrators and referees and the man who pioneered indoor croquet in the Southern Hemisphere, Mr William Henry Kirk, died in Christchurch yesterday after a short illness. He was 68. During his long association with croquet; Mr Kirk was a national president, an international referee, and a provincial champion player. His visits to England and Australia in an official capacity did much to strengthen the relationships of the three croquet-playing countries. Mr Kirk was a member of the New Zealand Croquet Council for 17 years, and president for nine of these years. He was handicapper for New Zealand for eight years, the Canterbury association’s referee, and referee examiner for the South Island. He was a former president of the Canterbury association, and last year was referee in charge of the Macßobertson Shield test matches in this- country. Mr Kirk won a number of titles. He was the holder of the Canterbury open championship and also the men’s championship. . In 1949, his second year as national president, Mr Kirk took a party of 30 New Zealand players on a goodwill tour of Australia. During the

<visit he attended the inaugural meeting of the Australian Croquet Council, in Brisbane, and, drawing from his experience and knowledge, gave the new body advice and encouragement. Mr Kirk aided effective liaison between cro-quet-playing countries during a visit to England in 1956 as manager of the New Zealand team. Born in Springston, Mr Kirk served overseas in World War I. After his marriage he settled in Geraldine land was in business there for 127 years. For the last 13 years he and his wife lived in Christchurch. Mr Kirk was a member of Lodge Geraldine No. 27 and was Worshipful Master in 1935. He was Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works of Canterbury Province in 193738. He was also a past district president of the Druids’ Lodge and an elder of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. The introduction of croquet as an indoor game was a task :into which Mr Kirk poured lall his enthusiasm and vast experience during the last four years. Largely through I his efforts, the Dominion's first indoor croquet tournament was held in Christchurch last year to mark the jubilee of the Canterbury association. He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs N. Chapman, of Geraldine.