OBITUARY Mr R. R. Menzies, Road Builder For Northland

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1945, Page 6

OBITUARY

Mr R. R. Menzies, Road Builder For Northland

! The death occurred at his residence, 30 Mill Road, Whangarei, of Mr. Robert R. Menzies. aged 74, one of the best-known and most widely-respect-ed personalities of Northland. For over 40 years Mr. Menzies held positions, of responsibility with the Public Works Department, and for the greater part of this pexfiod was supervising overseer in the Northland disj trict. When the then chief engineer i of the department, Mr. J. Woods, paid his last official visit to Whangarei, lies, commented at a public gathering: “There is only one man who really knows the North —and he is my old friend and colleague, Bob Menzies.” Born at Auckland, Mr. Menzies was educated at the Auckland Grammar School. He succeeded his father, the late Mr. G. G. Menzies, a pioneer of the Hokianga, as Public Works overseer in the Far North. Making his headquarters at Rawene, he travelled long distances on horseback to plan and supervise a great variety of undertakings. When his career started the North deserved the reproach of “roadless;” that this stigma has been removed was in no small measure due to undivided loyalty and practical foresight of Mr. Menzies. For a period he was stationed at Bargaville, and for six years was at Auckland as overseer for the district extending from Warkworth to Hamilton. FRIEND TO LOCAL BODIES Thirty-two years ago he was transferred to Whangarei as supervising overseer for the Whangarei public works district, responsible only to the district engineer. He was regarded as a walking encyclopaedia on all works in progress, and urns an unfailing friend to local bodies and settlers. It was said of him that right through his association with the department, he was always first man on a job and last off. - Following his retirement he organised a large' taxi business in Whangarei, which he conducted for several years. He served one term on the Whangarei Borough Council. As a young man Mr. Menzies was a prominent member of the West End Rowing Club, a keen Rugby, hockey and tennis player and an excellent wicket-keeper. As a Rugby administrator and referee he did much to further the game in Northland. Mr. Menzies was a past master of the Hokianga Masonic Lodge.

His wife predeceased him three years ago. Mr. Robert Menzies, of Mill Road, is a son.

The funeral took place at Maunu Cemetery this afternoon.