Untitled

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1938, Page 3

The death of Mr- George Renner, which occurred at Wellington, on Tuesday, removes one of the oldest figures in the journalistic and public life of New Zealand. He was in his eighty-seventh year, and crowded into nearly fifty years of that period a life full of public activity. He was born at Manchester, a son of Captain F, Renner, and came to New Zealand when a lad. He joined the Pos>. and Telegraph service in Wellington, from where he was transferred to Christchurch, and at the age of 21 was appointed postmaster at Balclutra. He left the telegraph service in the late seventies, and was the editor of the '‘Mataura Ensign, when it was published in Gore. Ho removed later to Kaikoura, where he established the “Kaikoura Star . As its editor he took a leading part in the progress of the . district. His •journalistic and public life Wol y brought him into close personal touch with practically every politician of note in the Dominion for upwards of half a century. He took a tireless interest in the local social, sporting and public institutions of the township. Amongst the positions he occupier, was that of Justice of the Peace, Chairman. of the Kaikoura County Council for several terms, President of the Racing Club for at least 20 years, a member of the Marlborough Land Board, and of the Hurunui Licensing Committee, and he assisted in some way almost every local activity. Leaving Kaikoura in 1905, he edited several newspapers in the North Island, and finally joined thp reading staff of “The Press,’’ Christchurch, where he remained until about twelve years ago.