OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 63, 16 March 1938, Page 14

OBITUARY

MR. W. T. WYNYARD

Widespread regret will be felt at the death of Mr. William Thomas Wynyard, which occurred in Wellington yesterday, and the many who in varied walks of life came to know "Tab" Wyhyard, as he was affectionately regarded, at work or at play will feel keenly the loss of a sportsman and gentleman. The late Mr. Wynyard had been in ill health for some years.

■In his younger days in Auckland he showed considerable promise in various branches of sport, and his rise in Rugby, as well as in cricket and athletics, made him a figure of note and a personality. As an Auckland representative he gained a place in the first New Zealand Rugby team to go to England. That was in 1888, and after that tour he settled in Wellington, where he also took a conspicuous part in sport. He represented Wellington in 1893 and 1894, and was a member of the New Zealand team which visited Australia in 1893.' He also gained representative honours for Wellington at cricket and in athletics, so that he had the unique distinction of having represented two provinces —Auckland and Wellington—in three branches of sport. That record indicates not only his versatility but also his prowess, but his activities in sport extended beyond those branches—he was a good golfer (playing as a member of the Miramar Club) and a good billiards player. •

In Rugby football he was associated in Wellington with the Poneke Club. He was a grand back, playing at his best as centre-three-quarter, and his play was in no way affected by his being given the reins of captaincy of Wellington's representatives. In cricket here he played with the Midland Club. "Tab" Wynyard was the youngest of three brothers who were members of the 1888 New Zealand Rugby team.^the other two being George and Henry. For what he had done on the playing fields and for the interest he maintained when his playing days were over "Tab" Wynyard was numbered amongst the "grand old men" of sport in New Zealand.

He was a member of a family whose name takes a place of prominence in New Zealand history. His grandfather, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Henry Wynyard, C.8., was Lieutenant-Gov-ernor of the Province of New Ulster (which comprised the major portion of the North Island) from April, 1851, until the duties of Lieutenant-Gover-nor ceased in March, 1853, and he was Administrator of New Zealand from January, 1854, to September, 1855. The late Mr. "Tab" Wynyard's father, and Sir Andrew Russell were officers in the regiment (the 57th), of which his grandfather was the commanding officer. The Wynyards were well known, too, in Sydney, where Wynyard Square is named after the'family.

The late Mr. Wynyard leaves a widow, with'whom much, sympathy will be felt by a very large circle of friends. The funeral takes place tomorrow morning, and there will be a service at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral at 9.30 o'clock.