OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 136, 4 March 1940, Page 4

OBITUARY

Mr. G. H. Bennett The death occurred in Palmerston North on Saturday of Air. George Henry Bennett, founder of the firm of G. H. Bennett and Co., booksellers, Palmerston North, at the age of 73, states a “Dominion” Special. Service message from Palmerston North. Born in Auckland, Air. Bennett was educated in Thames, where he was afterward apprenticed to a drapery firm. In his early twenties he went to AVellington, whore he joined the bookselling firm of Porter and Co. In 1891 he removed to Palmerston North and opened a bookselling business near the post office. This grew with the development of the city. In 1918 he built premises, in what is now known as Broadway, which are still occupied by tire firm. He was actually the pioneer of this now busy shopping centre. Air. Bennett played an active part in the religious, civic and social development of Palmerston North, and was’ for some years a member of the AA r anganui Education Board, a member of the board of governors of the AVanganui Girls’ College, a member of the Terrace End school committee, and for some years its chairman and chairman of the now defunct Palmerston North Citizens’ Association. He was a member of the New Zealand Booksellers’ Association, of which Te had been president. Throughout his residence in Palmerston North he was closely identified with St. Paul’s Methodist Church, and took a leading part in the Bible class and Sunday school work, for some years acting as superintendent of the school. It was largely as a result of Iris efforts that the pipe organ was installed in the church. He was the first treasurer of the Palmerston North Bowling Club and a foundation member of the Northern Bowling Club, of which he was a member till his death. In 1890, Air. Bennett married Miss Amos, Nelson. He is survived by his widow and a family of four, Alessrs. I-I. B. and E. G. Bennett, Palmerston North, and Mesdames R. H. Boys and H. K. Pacey (both; of AA r ellington). Mr. W. B. Jones fi’he death has occurred in Auckland of Air. William Baxter Jones. Born in Birkwood, Oehterlong, Forfarshire, Scotland, on October 23, 1860, Air. Jones came to New Zealand in 1865. settling at AVaipnkuran. He entered his father’s business of Alexander Jones and Son, farm implement manufacturers, Waipukurau, in 1873. In 1892, after starting a branch of the firm in Hastings, Air. Jones bought his father’s and brother’s interests and conducted business on his own account till 1906, when the company was turned into a limited liability company and Mr. Jones retired. From 1912 to 1923 Air. Jones managed the Hastings branch of Booth, Alacdonald and Co., Ltd., Christchurch. He is survived by three daughters, Airs. L. N. Bowling (Waipukurau), Airs. Arthur Gammon (Kaikohe), and Mrs. Alorris Fossey (AVellington), and three sons, Alessrs. Colin A. Jones (Dargaville), Allan L. Jones (Hawera) and Ralph I-I. Jones (Auckland).