PERSONAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 134, 7 May 1928, Page 7

PERSONAL

A Press Association telegram from Christchurch announces the death of Major James Alfred Nortbcote, aged 67, of Wai.au, who was formerly a prominent volunteer officer.

Messrs J. A. Nash, M.P., and C. E. Dempsy left by the Main Trunk express this morning for 'Wellington, where they will attend a special general meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club this evening, at which insurance matters arc to be discussed.

|| The health o? Mr H. Croad, of Ran|t furly Street, which of late has been P causing grave anxiety to relatives and p friends, is now, showing a slight imp provement. His many friends especial ally in the Palmerston North Bowling H Club, which he is a member, will wish H Mr Croad a speedy recovery. I New Zealand’s first Rhodes Scholar, p Dr. James Alan Thomson, M.A., D.Sc., fl E.G.S., Director of the Dominion H Aluseum, died at his late residence, M Knrori, Wellington, yesterday afterm noon. The late Dr. Thomson was a | brilliant student of geology, and some S of his papers on that subject earned I world-wide recognition. He was born f at Dunedin in 1881, a son of Hon. G. a M. Thomson, M.L.C., and was edueatU ed at the Otago Boys’ High School and | the Otago University, where, in addifj tion to his scholastic attainments, he § earned renown as a Rugby footballer, ‘I playing in the first fifteen of both j§: colleges, and captaining one of them, f From New Zealand Dr. Thomson pro--8 ceeded to Oxford and pursued his Stull;. dies at St. John’s College, where he 3§ graduated M.A. His prowess on the gf football field resulted in his selection §?’ for representative honours and his app pearance in the Scottish trials. In 1903 he won a senior university scliolarship, and the following year was p awarded the Rhodes Scholarship, he- . ing the first New Zealander chosen for 1 that honour. Rater, he returned ,to the Dominion, taking up the position ■ of first lecturer in geology to Victoria IS University College. In 1911 Dr. Thomson was appointed palaeontologist to the New Zealand Geological Survey remaining there until his appoint■■v Tnent as Director of the Dominion (Museum in 1914.