PERSONAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 212, 7 August 1945, Page 4

PERSONAL

Mr A. R. Entrican. Director of the Forestry Department, is at present a visitor to Palmerston North on departmental business. He took the opportunity, yesterday, of attending the official opening of the carpentry training centre in Maire Street. Advice has been received by the Hokowhitu School Committee from the Wanganui Education Board of the appointment as headmaster of Mr G. R. Lancaster, at present of the Porangahau School, Hawke’s Bay. Air Lancaster will take up his new duties on September 3. With the death of Captain David Connor, master mariner, aged 96, Wartganui has lost one of its oldest residents. Up till recently his was a familiar figure in Wanganui, and right to the end lie retained a vivid memory of early shipping days on the New Zealand coast.

Flying-Officer Ronald Andrews, son of Air and Airs F. N. Andrews, of Alan Street, Palmerston North, is among the airmen who have recently returned to New Zealand, and his parents visited Wellington at the week-end to meet him. Flying-Officer Andrews left as a sergeant for England in April, 1942. He travelled via Canada and went on to training for night fighting, later becoming an instructor on Beaufighters and Mosquitoes. Two days before VEDay lie returned to England from the Continent, where lie had been stationed for a brief period. Flying-Officer Andrews left 'last night for Hamilton to meet his wife and daughter. Flight-Lieutenant W. R. Alansill. who lost liis life last week in an aircraft accident near Ohakea, had completed three tours of operations in the Pacific. He joined the Air Force in 1941. Aged 25, he was educated at the Bayfield Primary School and the Auckland Grammar School. He was a prominent athlete and won several running, championships. He played senior Rugby for the Grammar Old Boys Club. His only brother recently obtained liis discharge from the Air Force after serving overseas and bis sister is a member of the W.A.A.F. at Hobsonville. His father, Air A. Alansill, is in Australia after having served with the Australian Imperial Force in New Guinea.

The death has occurred in Wanganui of Mr A. .It. Falconer, -aged 66. one of the few cricketers who could claim to have bowled the redoubtable W. G. Grace. Mr Falconer might have developed into a spin bowler with an international reputation had not taking up fruitgrowing interrupted his cricket career. Born at Napier, he was a pupil at the Napier Boys’ High School when he came under the notice of Albert Trott, the brilliant English cricketer who was then coaching in Hawke’s Bay. Mr Trott was so impressed with the youth’s spin bowling that he took the lad to England, paying his expenses. Returning to New Zealand while still in his teens, Mr Falconer entered the fruit industry at Motueka. Later ho returned to Hawke’s Bay and captained the “Invincible Greens”, a successful Rugby team which defeated most of the leading district teams in the years just before the 1914-18 war. For 14 years he had been depot superintendent at Castlecliff for oil interests.