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Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 84, 3 January 1929, Page 6

When Playing cr’>ket for his school, a bov at Edmonton. England, named Shelfer. hit the ball through the '•nt™ window of a passing train. ’ • travelled about four mi es t” th" Enfield Town terminus. . Ttosf ball, six. was recorded in the score book. Regret will be felt at the death of Mr. A. A. Thornton, chief dairy produce grader for many years. He died on Tuesday at the residence of his son-in-law at Morrinsville (states a Special Service message from Auckland). It is to the work of men like Mr. Thornton that New Zealand owes its proud position in the markets of the world for its butter and its cheese. Some years ago there were sundry disputes between vested interests and Mr. Thornton over the matter of grading, some of them holding that he was ■ too strict, but he always came out on top, and the Dominion can be thankful that it has officers of such undoubted integrity. Mr. Thorntons strong point was that his work was also his hobby. He was never happier than when judging butter and cheese, talking about them, or talking to men who made them. At every annual conference of factory managers he was always one of the keenest people present, and his talks on butter and cheese and grading were probably the most important part of such gatherings. Mr. Thornton’s friends showed their opinion of him when he retired from the Government service last year, and presented him with valuable evidences of their esteem, including a cheque for a large amount. Even after his retirement Mr. Thornton continued to take the keenest interest in New Zealand’s butter and cheese trade. Mr. Thornton was 62 years of age. He came to the Dominion at the age of 18, and started produce grading work, at which he remained for 42 years. For 33 years he was chief grader, and he was stationed at Lyttelton, Wellington, Dunedin, Bluff and Auckland. He was 22 years in Auckland.