OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 169, 13 April 1932, Page 11

OBITUARY

Mr. Thomas Fowler Tlie. death occurred in a Wellington private hospital on Saturday evening of Air. Thomas Fowler, a director of the Auto Alachine Alanufacturing Company, Ltd., of Auckland. Born in Auckland in 18S3, Air. Fowler was a son of the late Air. AV. S. Fowler, of Alount Edon. His mother, who survives him, is a granddaughter of the late Air. Spickmap, who arrived in New Zealand with the Rev. Samuel Alarsdeu’s first missionary party. After serving his apprenticeship in Auckland, Air. Fowler went to England in search of wider engineering experience, and later carried out constructional contracts for various companies in Cornwall, Austria and Australia. In 1909 he was specially engaged by Alessrs. Frank Elmore, Ltd., its erection engineer specialist of what was, at that time, the largest tin recovery plant in the Federated Malay States. At the outbreak of the AVorld Aar Air. Fowler’s health, which had been undermined during lhe years spent in the East, prevented his being accepted for active service, so he immediately proceeded to England and offered his services to the British Government, and he was appointed to a high administrative position in the Bullet Production Department of the Woolwich Arsenal. Alany New Zealand soldiers. especially those of the Wellington Regiment, have pleasant memories of the hospitality of Air. and Mrs. Fowler at their war-time home at Bexley Heath. On ids return to New Zealand he accepted a directorship with the Auto Machine Alanufacturing Company, Limited. Auckland, and shortly afterward established tho Nail Manufacturing Works in Wellington, which be managed until his death. He is survived by a wife ami two children. Mr. Hubert N. Church The dealli is reported from East .Malvern. Melbourne, of Mr. Hubert N. Churcli. formerly of the Treasury Department. Wellington. After having been attached to lhe stall’ of a legal firm in Blenheim for some years, lire late Mr. Church came Io Wellington and joined the Treasury Department. where lie occupied a responsible position for many years. He. l-elired in 1912. after 33 years’ service. on Hie ground of ilj-ho:tlth. and for some years resided in Masterton. subsequently removing to Melbourne. He was deaf for most of Ids life, having been injured by a cricket ball while playing cricket in Melbourne in Ids younger years. Mr. Church bad considerable literary atlaiununts. and was a well-known writer of verse. He published Iwo vol limes of poetry, one being enlilled “The West Wind and Ollier Poems." and lhe oilier "Eguioiil Poems.’’ He was always of a lovable and kindly disposition. and lie was a popular member of the Wellesley Club for many years. Mrs. Churcli survives her husband.

flic fomlilion ol Germany Ims imide a very big impression upon marriages in thill country. In the first half of last year the number of marriages was 79,000 fewer than the normal and 30,000 lw than in .1930.