OBITUARY Mr Walter Prosser

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31256, 31 December 1966, Page 10

OBITUARY Mr Walter Prosser

Mr Walter Cook Prosser, formerly a public accountant in Rangiora, died on Thursday. He was 74.

Mr Prosser was probably best known for his long connexion with the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association, of which he was secretary for 30 years. After serving as president he was elected an honorary life member in recognition of his long service to the association, of which he had been a member since 1916.

Mr Prosser took a special interest in the pony sections at the show, and for many years was a member in charge of one of the pony judging rings. About 1961, Mr Prosser and Mrs Prosser' invested £lOO in perpetuity to provide prizes for one of the pony sections. Mr Prosser was born in Timaru. In 1915 he left New Zealand with the Ist Expeditionary Force, and settled in Rangiora after being invalided home in 1916. During World War 11, Mr Prosser was an area adjutant in the Home Guard. He was an honorary life member of the Rangiora Returned Services’ Association. Mr Prosser served several terms on the Rangiora Borough Council, and was chairman of its finance and lib-

rary committee. He was largely responsible for the establishment of the free public library in the town and was later president of the New Zealand Library Association.

Mr Prosser was a member of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries. In addition to his accounting practice, he established a seed-cleaning business, which he sold later. He had previously been associated with the grain industry as a buyer for the Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Association and the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Associa. tion, Ltd. Mr Prosser was a past-pre-sident and a charter member of the Rangiora Rotary Club, and was a lay reader of the Anglican Church. Formerly a keen sportsman, he was one of the founders and a past-president of the Rangiora Tennis Club. He had been club captain of the Rangiora Golf Club, of which he won the championship five times.

As a member of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, Mr Prosser represented private motorists on the No. 13 District Roads Council for five years. Mr Prosser is survived by his wife and five sons.