Geraldine community leader dies

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32702, 3 September 1971, Page 25

Geraldine community leader dies

The Mayor of Geraldine for the last six years (Mr Henry William Walter Williamson) died at Timaru on Tuesday. Recently Mr Williamson announced his retirement from local government after 33 unbroken years of service on the borough council. Before his election as Mayor, he had served as DeputyMayor for many years, and was chairman of the Finance and administration committee for 25 years.

He was educated in Geraldine and in 1917, he joined the Geraldine branch of a stock firm, Guinness and Le Cren which, in 1919, merged with the Christchurch firms

of Pyne and Company, and Gould, Beaumont Company. Mr Williamson became their branch accountant in 1922, and in 1941, was appointed manager of the branch. He held this position for 25 years until his retirement in 1966. Mr Williamson served for 15 years on the Geraldine Urban Fire Authority. He was the immediate past-president of the South Canterbury branch of the Justices of the Peace Association, a member of South Canterbury Public Relations Board, an associate member of the N.Z. Society of Accountants and a member of many other local bodies. He was borough area controller of the Geraldine county civil defence, a member of the Geraldine Patriotic Welfare Committee, and a former treasurer and member of St Mary’s vestry at Geraldine. Mr Williamson was president of the Geraldine Tennis Club for 16 years, and a life-member, and he was also a life-member of the Geraldine Sports Association. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.