Mr D.C. McKechnie

Press, 26 December 1987, Page 14

Mr D.C. McKechnie

Douglas Crichton McKechnie died in Geraldine recently, aged 78. He was widely known as New Zealand’s oldest active journalist. He was formerly the youngest mayor in New Zealand, as well as being a prime instigator for improved national health services. He became the Geraldine correspondent for the “Timaru Herald" when he was 17 and joined the Timaru office a year later. After five years he returned to Geraldine as the local correspondent and continued with freelance journalism for 40 years. Mr McKechnie was the Geraldine correspondent for “The Press” in Christchurch and the “Timaru Herald,” and a regular contributor for radio. He established an agency for the South Canterbury Electric Power Board, supervised paper boys to the time of his death, and was always active in community groups and associations. Mr McKechnie helped the Geraldine Swimming Club and acted as the club’s secretary. As a transport officer for the Geraldine club he became

one of those who succeeded in bringing the club back into the senior competition. He supervised netball teams in Geraldine, and became the inaugural chairman of the Geraldine netball subassociation. By 1939 he had become the youngest mayor in New Zealand. Although ill health prevented him from serving overseas, he put all his energy into the war effort. He became president of the Red Cross, and was on the patriotic committee, and emergency precautions service — a forerunner of Civil Defence. In 1948, after 10 years as Mayor, during which he was also known to act as Town Clerk, ill health forced him to resign. But he returned as a councillor in 1966, maintaining the seat until 1974. Mr McKechnie became the only life member of the Geraldine Business Association, helped found the Linen Flax factory in Geraldine and fought strongly to retain it after the war. He served as chairman of the Geraldine District Hospital Committee, seeing the establishment of a new maternity hospital

and the old maternity hospital converted into a geriatric hospital.

He was later instrumental in starting the Aged Persons’ Welfare Council in Geraldine which built the Waihi Lodge for the ambulant aged. One of his greatest life achievements was contained in becoming a foundation member for the Canterbury Association for Mental Health. In 1958 he launched a national campaign to draw attention to the need for improved national mental health services. It was a campaign which contributed to improved conditions and led to the establishment of the Mental Health Foundation. In 1938 he took on a cause ahead of its time by promoting a form 1 to 7 high school for Geraldine. In 1963 Geraldine became the first place in the South Island to have such a school. He was widely known for his work in a range of historical, local body, and service organisations, and was co-author of a book on the Geraldine jubilee. Mr McKechnie was awarded the Queen’s Service Order in 1977.