FATAL HEART ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21329, 2 November 1932, Page 10

FATAL HEART ATTACK

MANAGER OF RAILWAIYsjB DEATH OF MR. P. G. ROUSSELt. ! II SEIZURE WHILE ON TRAIN'S® ' ' : ~ s |||ll EVE OF VISIT TO SYDNEY SB _ -jrfi Following a heart attack while travelling A by train from Wellington to Auckland J nn Monday night, Mr. P. C. Roussell, C";| general manager of railways, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. H. Jenkin, 18 |i Schofield Street, Grey Lynn, five hours HI after the arrival of the train at Auckland yesterday. He had intended joining the Niagara last evening for Sydney to '■.% make inquiries regarding the operation of S| the Australian railways on behalf of the S New Zealand Railways Board. According to relatives, Mr. Rotissell had never complained of heart trouble before. | He left Wellington in excellent health and . I spirits, occupying a sleeper on the limited 1 express. During the night he suffered a seizure and was in great pain for several hours. He was kept under constant observation by the car attendants and the railway authorities despatched a to Auckland asking that medical assistance should he available on the train's arrival. > Dr. C. E. A. Coldicutt met the train at 9.40 a.m. Mr. Roussell was then greatly improved and was able to walk without assistance. He proceeded to his sister'f home and went to bed and Dr. Coldicutf ' i visited him about noon. He became worsf later in the day and Dr. Coldicutt, ealle/ in Dr. T. W. J. Johnson for consultatioi purposes. Their services, however, wen of no avail, and Mr. Roussell died a 1 2.40 p.m. Career in the ■ Service Mr. Roussell, who was 55 years of as;e, had been with the Railway Department for 39 years. He was- a New Zealander by < birth and joined the railways as a carlefc in the Auckland office in 1893. During the next 12 years he was at various » stations in the Auckland and Wanganui '* districts. Thereafter he filled successively the positions of stationrnaster at Tura- v ". kina, Otahuhu and Te Aroha. In 1913 he was appointed assistant relieving officer in ,1, the -Auckland district and after two yean - in that position he went to Henderson as stationrnaster. In 1916 he was transferred to the district traffic manager's office in Auckland. With a year's auditing to his credit and experience of control work in all phases of district office duties, Mr. Roussell was fully qualified for appointment as chief clerk to the district manager st Ohakune in 1922. Successor to Mr. Sterling % In 1924 lie was promoted to the position of chief clerk at head office, Wellington, and in the beginning of 1925 was selected as secretary to the then newly-created Railway Board of Control. He became general superintendent of transportation on the retirement of the late Mr. A. K. Harris and on the appointment of Mr. H. H. Sterling, then general manager, to the position of chairman of the Railways Board on December 6, 1931, he becamo general manager. Alii'. Roussell was recognised as an exceedinglv capable officer, with a widt knowledge of the inner workings of the service. His death will be a severe loss to the Railways Board. Besides Mrs. Roussclf, there arc :'our grown-up children, a daughter and three sons, all of whom reside in W-ellington.