BODY FOUND IN RIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18888, 22 December 1924, Page 10

BODY FOUND IN RIVER.

DEATH OF AN OLD MAN. FORMER COUNTY ENGINEER. [BY telegraph.—own correspondent.] BLENHEIM. Sunday. The death occurred under painful circumstances this morning of Mr. Thomas Frazer Thompson, for many years engineer to the Buller County Council, in which capacity he was responsible for the construction of many of the difficult roads which traverso the West Coast. The lato Mr. Thompson, who waa about 80 years of age, retired Bonie five or six years ago and took up his residence in Greytcwn. He had been under medical attention for an xaffection of the heart for some months recently, and was staying in Blenheim for a few weeks with his daughter, Mrs. C. E. Butcher. He went for a walk this morning along the Omaka river bank, close to his daughter's residence, and within half an hour of his departure his body was found in the river.

In addition to Mrs. Butcher the family includes Mr. J. S. Thompson, solicitor, of Greytown, Mr. Sinclair Thompson, a farmer of the Greytown district, and Miss Ivy Thompson, a member of the staff of lona College. The late Mr. Thompson was a native of Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands, and came to New Zealand nearly 60 years ago as mate of a sailing vessel. Ho was well known and highly respected in many parts of New Zealand.