OBITUARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24876, 24 April 1944, Page 6

OBITUARY

KB,. GREY CAMPBELL WIDE VARIETY OF INTERESTS One of the most prominent figures in public life in Auckland for manj years, Mr. George Grey Campbell, of 38 Croj'don Road, Mount Isden, died at the Green Lane Hospital early yesterday morning after an illness of about three months. A sou of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Campbell, of Auckland, Mr. Campbell was born in Ponsonby about 57 years ago. He was educated at the I 011sonby and Parnell schools. For 13 years he was accountant for Wilsons Portland Cement Company, Limited. After the last war he went into partnership as a public accountant with Mr. J. Victor Macky, in the firm of Maeky and Campbell, which has been established 24 years. As an accountant Mr. Campbell undertook a great deal of investigation for the Crown and he was entrusted with the compilation of a comprehensive report on the administration of the Auckland Hospital. He was a member of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and a past-president of the Public Accountants' Association. He was a fellow and a former chairman of the New Zealand division of the Incorporated Institute of Secretaries.

Mr. Campbell first gained prominence in local bodv affairs when he championed the cause' of the Motor Omnibus Association in a lengthy struggle over the rights of bus companies to run in competition with tramcars. He was elected to the Auckland City Council in .1929 and at the election in 1931 he topped the poll. During his terms on the council he was chairman of the Waterworks Committee and sat on other committees. Mr. Campbell had also been a member of the Auckland Transport Board. He was a member of the Auckland Urban Land Sales Committee. University College administration and improvement occupied a great deal of .Mr. Campbell's time in recent years. For over eight years before his retirement a few weeks ago he was a Government representative on the Auckland University College Council, and he was on the council of Massey Agricultural College since 1937, being chairman for the pas! year. Interest In Rugby League Always interested in organising entertainment, Mr. Campbell was connected for vears with the Auckland Community Singing Committee. After the outbreak of war he was responsible for taking many concert parties to military camps around Auckland. The side of Mr. Campbell's life which was perhaps best known to the majority of Aucklanders' was his lengthy connection with the Auckland Rugby League. For nine years before 1942 he was chairman of the league, after which he was elected president, a position he held at the time of his death. Mr. Campbell is survived by his wife and two daughters. JOURNALIST'S DEATH MR. R. H. MELVILLE WAR AND LITERARY CAREER The death occurred suddenly yesterday of Mr. R. H. Melville, night editor of "the New Zealand Herald. Born at Northern Wairoa in 1890. Mr. .Melville was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Melville, a pioneer Scottish family. He was educated at the Auckland Grammar School and completed his education at Auckland University College, graduating 13. A. in 1912 and joining the literary staff of the New Zealand Herald the same year.

When war broke out in 1914, Mr. Melville, who was a member of College Rifles, joined the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and took part in the landing on Cailipoli. He served there with Divisional Signallers for five weeks before being wounded and eventually invalided home. Resuming his. literary career, Mr. Melville served in the Press Gallery as Parliamentary reporter for the New Zealand Hekalb during the closing years of the Massey Government and the early years of Mr. Coates' regime. In 1922 he was appointed to the leader writing staff of the paper and ia 1933 became night editor. Throughout his career Mr. Melville's keen interest in literary affairs was reflected in the encouragement and advice which lie always had tor the young journalist, In furtherance of this aspect of his work he became lecturer in journalism at Auckland University College in 1935, serving in that capacity until the time of his death. Mr. Melville also took a keen interest in the affairs of the working journalist and from 1928 until 1931 was president of the New Zealand Journalists' Association, which, in recognition of his notable service, awarded him the 'gold replica of the association's badge. In earlier life he was well known in hockey circles, first as a player and later as a referee, Mr. Melville married Miss Dorothy Hale, of Auckland, in 1925, and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. MR." JAMES ALEXANDER LAMB The death has occurred at his residence, 127 Arney Road, Remuera, of Mr. James Alexander Lamb, aged 75. Mr. Lamb was associated with the timber trade throughout his working life, and until his retirement from active participation in the business about seven years ago, he was managing director of the Parker Lamb Timber Company, Limited. He was also a director of the National Timber Company. Mr. Lamb was a native of Thames, being a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lamb, and he received his education at the Auckland Grammar School. He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.