Mr. W. N. Hills

Northern Advocate, 18 November 1941, Page 4

Mr. W. N. Hills

With tragic suddenness, a wellknown and highly respected resident of Whangarei, in the person of Mr. William Norman Hills, passed away at his residence, Norfolk Street, early on Saturday morning. Mr. Hills had been an acute sufferer with asthma during the past few years, but of late had shown some improvement. He met with an accident at his work a couple of months ago, falling off the roof of ' a railway carriage, which incapacitated him for some weeks. After returning to duty he had a recurrence of his complaint, but had carried on, having worked continuously until the Friday evening. He entered into the activities of a social evening held at his home on Friday night, and retired to bed as usual About 7 a.m. on Saturday he experienced a violent fit of coughing, and in a few minutes had passed away. The late Mr. Hills was born in Swindon, Wiltshire (England), in 1888, and as a boy was apprenticed to the Great Western Railways, and later was transferred to Wrexham, Wales, where he carried on his occupation for a considerable period. In 1913 he accompanied his parents, together with a brother and sister, to New Zealand, where he immediately received an appointment in the Newmarket Government Railway Workshops. Shortly after he was married in Auckland to Miss E. J. Morris, who had journeyed from London for that purpose. In 1915 he was transferred to the Whangarei Railway Workshops, where he had been engaged as a fitter and turner up to the time of his death.

Mr. Hills was a quiet, unassuming man. and noted for his integrity and high character. He did not take part in public affairs, but had many and varied interests. He was a lifelong member and devoted worker of the Methodist Church, and had filled almost every office in the Whangarei church, besides being for several years a vice-president of the North Auckland Methodist Bible Class Union. He was an enthusiastic Freemason, being a member of Lodge Whangarei No. 102 and a Past Arch Druid of the Whangarei Druids’ Lodge. He was a playing member of the Kensington Bowling Club.

Besides his widow, a family of two sons (Norman, of Glen Massey, and Jim, Whangarei) and one daughter (Ada, Whangarei) are left to mourn their loss. There is also a brother, Fred, of Te Kuiti.

Speaking at the Kensington Bowling Club green the vice-president (Mr. A. C. Smeaton) referred to the loss of a popular member and good sportsman. As a mark of respect to Mr. Hills’ memory, members stood in silence and the flag flew at half mast. The Funeral The funeral took place yesterday afternoon, the place of interment being the Onerahi cemetery. An impressive service at the Methodist Church was conducted by the Rev. G. Brown in the presence of a large congregation, which included representatives of the lodges with which the deceased had been connected, and the railway service of which he was a member during the whole of his residence in Whangarei. The bier stood before a background of floral offerings as beautiful as they were numerous. The last rites at the graveside were performed by the Rev. G. Brown, and the burial service of the Druids’ Lodge was conducted by Bro. M. H. West. P.A.D., and that of the Masonic fraternity by W. Bro. J. A. Inkster. The pall-bearers were Messrs. J. W. George and C. V. Stringer (Methodist Church), J. W. Parkin and L. Madden, P.D.P. (Whangarei Freemasons’ Lodge, No. 102, and ‘Whangarei Druids’ Lodge respectively), and E. Dennis and F. j Tercel (Railways Workshops staff). |