LOSS TO SHIPPING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21807, 23 May 1934, Page 11

LOSS TO SHIPPING

ME. AIKEN'S DEATH - UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANV OVER FIFTY YEARS' SERVICE; 1 [by TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] j WELLINGTON, Tuesday ! The death occurred suddenly thiij afternoon of Mr. David Alexander Aiken, managing-director of the Union ; Steam Ship Company. Mr. Aiken, who was at Heretaunga, died as the result, of a heart attack. He was 70 years of j age. Born at Wanganui, and educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, Mr. Aiken joined the service of the Union Steam j Ship Company as a cashier in the Wellington office, taking up his duties on \ January 1, 1883. His progress and-pro-: motion were rapid, and in July, 1898, j he was appointed to the head office of j the company in Dunedin as assistant! accountant. In November of the fol-1 lowing year he became inspector at head office.

In June, 1908, Mr. Aiken was ap- j pointed assistant general manager atj head office, a post lie held for six, years, and in January, 1914, he became general manager of the company, j In the following year Mr. Aiken was j appointed to a seat on the company s j hoard of directors. Mr. Aiken came to Wellington when j the head office management was trans- j ferred from Dunedin in January, 1922, j and in January, 1931, following the! retirement of Sir Charles Holdsworth,! he was appointed managing-director of the company, a position he held at! the time of his death. The jubilee of Mr. Aiken's entry into;; the service of the company was marked in January last year, when the direc-! tors and senior staff of the head office< assembled to congratulate him. Mr. Aiken is survived by his wife. ' v '