Obituary MR H. E. McDONAGH

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30586, 31 October 1964, Page 21

Obituary MR H. E. McDONAGH

A man well known in local band and St. John Ambulance circles, Mr Herbert Edward McDonagh, died recently in Timaru. He was 82.

Mr McDonagh was born in Stoke, Nelson, and educated in Westport, where his parents have a shop. After leaving school he worked for a time in a printing shop in Westport before joining the Railways Department in the same town, and working in the railway workshops. In 1928 he moved to Christchurch, working in the railway workshops at Addington, and until he retired in 1943 he lived in Sydenham, then moving to Riccarton. Mr McDonagh was very interested in the St. John Ambulance Association, doing considerable field work as a member of the brigade and serving the ambulance from 1894 onwards. He received several long service medals for his work. He also held medals for his service in the territorials and the Colonial Auxiliary Forces, and during the First World War he was a reservist. He had a great interest in bands, and held many medals as a drum major. He was connected with the administration of bands up to the time of his death. Mr McDonagh also held an award as a blood donor—he gave more than 60 pints of blood. During the Second World War he trained police and fire brigadesmen in first aid. He was a vestryman in the Church of England, and was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Druids. Mr McDonagh was married in 1910. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.

MR J. D. MADELEY

Mr John Davies Madeley, a well-known Southdown stud breeder, of Clarkville, Kaiapol died recently. With his brother, Mr S. T. Madeley, Mr J. D. Madeley began exhibiting Southdown sheep in 1929 and over the years J. D. and S. T. Madeley became recognised as one of the leading stud Southdown breeders in New Zealand. Sheep were shown consistently throughout the country and with the importation of selected stud sheep from England, breeding reached such an exceptionally high standard that in response to inquiries from overseas, stud Southdowns were exported to Australia and South America. The sheep sent to South America from Messrs Madeley Brothers’ stud were among those in the first shipment of Southdowns from New Zealand to South America, in 1937. Mr J. D. Madeley’s wife died some years ago. He is survived by his brother and three sisters, Mesdames E. Robinson, T. Hammond and E. Collingwood.

MR W. A. TAAFFE

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Oct 29. The death has occurred in Auckland of Mr William Albert Taaffe, aged 79, a former prominent optician. He was a past president of the New Zealand Association of -Opticians. He was born in Waimate and did his early training in Christchurch before practising in New South Wales. He began practice in Auckland in 1912. He was a prominent members of the Masonic craft and held office in the Rose Croix Chapter.