OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 157, 30 March 1943, Page 5

OBITUARY

Viscount Galway LONDON, March 28. The death has occurred of Viscount Galway, Governor-General of New Zealand from 1935 till 1941, aged 61. George Vere Arundell Monekton-Arun-dell, was the eighth Viscount of his line, a descendant of an old English family, and a soldier. He was born in 1882, aud was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. 11l 1900 he joined the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, served in South Africa, and remained in that corps for four years, at the end of which time he was gazetted to the Ist Life Guards. In the first two years of the Mond AVar he was a Staff captain with the 4th Cavalry Brigade. From 1917 till 1919 he was A.A. and Q.M.G. to the 2nd Cavalry Division, and in the first year after the war became a brevet colonel. In 1925 he was appointed to command the Life Guards, holding that post till

1929, when he retired. Two years later he succeeded his father, and from 1933 till 1935, and again since 1941, had been Colonel Commandant of the Honourable Artillery Company. Lord Galway was 6ft. 4in. tall, a handsome and soldierly figure. Apart from his military career he was ‘early attracted to politics, and twice in 1910 narrowly failed to win Scarborough in the Conservative interests. He seemed assured of a seat when the war intervened. Lord Galway was fond of all kinds of sport, particularly riding and hunting. A prominent Freemason, he became Grand Senior Warden in 1925, and visited India, Canada, and Sweden with Masonic deputations. He was Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand from 1936 till 1938. Apart from soldiering, Lord Galway took a keen interest in farming. He had residences —The Mantles, Blyth, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Serlby Hall, Bawtry, Yorkshire. Lady Galway, whom he married in 1922, was the Hon. Lucia IVhite, and there are one son and three daughters of the marriage. NEW ZEALAND SORROW “I atn sure that I voice the deep sorrow of all the people of New Zealand at the sad news of the death of Lord Galway, the former Governor-General of this Dominion,” said the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, yesterday. “During his six years of office he greatly endeared himself to all sections of the people, and throughout he never failed to take the keenest interest in everything that affected the wellbeing and progress of the Dominion in which he so worthily represented His Majesty the King. “In particular I would like to refer to Lord Galway’s deep concern in the welfare of the’ Maori people. I should like also to pay tribute to his work in connexion with the National Patriotic Fund. “I met Lord Galway again in 1941 while I was in London,” said Mr. Fraser, “and I could not fail to be impressed with his continued interest in the welfare of this Dominion, and with the manner in which he was devoting himself to the duties he had assumed with the War Office. His service to New Zealand will long be remembered by the people— Maori and pakeha alike.”

Mr. Fraser has sent the following message to the Secretary of .State for Dominion Affairs:-r-

“It is with the deepest sorrow that news has been received of the death of Lord Galway, the former GovernorGeneral of this Dominion, and I desire on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand to convey to you, and, through you, to Lady Galway and the members of her family, a heartfelt message of sympathy in their hour of bereavement. During his term of offief Lord Galway demonstrated those qualities of heart and mind which endearei him so greatly to all sections of the people. Maori and pakeha alike. They will deeply mourn the passing of a Governor-General who had their welfare so much at heart, and of one who so worthily upheld the dignities' and tradj* tions of his high office.”

Sergei Rachmaninoff (Received March 29. 7 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 28. The death has occurred from pneumonia of the famous composer and pianist, Mr. Sergei Rachmaninoff, in his 70th year. He became an American citizen in February.

Sergei Rachmaninoff was born In Novgorod, Russia, on April 2, 1873. At nine years of age he entered the Conservatoire of Petrograd, making the pianoforte his chief study. At 12 he was transferred to the Conservatoire of Moscow, where he studied the pianoforte under both Tschaikovsky and Siloti, and composition under Arensky and Taniev. He first became known in England through the popularity of the famous Prelude in C sharp minor, which floated into England on the flood of Tschaikovsky's popularity. Rachmaninoff appeared first in England at a Leeds festival, and immediately fascinated all listeners with his compositions, his playing, and his conducting. As a pianist and composer for the pianoforte Rachmaninoff stood in recent years possibly as high ns anyone. His works include two operas, four symphonies, four pianoforte concertos. and a large number of pianoforte pieces and songs. Judge Ben. Lindsey LOS ANGELES, March 27. The death is announced of Judge Benjamin Lindsey, jurist and publicist, aged 74 years. He was the originator of the children's court procedure, and a prominent champion of companionate marriage.