LIFE OF SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25346, 30 October 1945, Page 7

LIFE OF SERVICE

SOCIAL WELFARE pEATH OF MRS W. R. WILSON ' The death occurred yesterday of Mrs jr uc iiicla Henrietta Wilson, 0.8. E., wife pf Mr W. K. Wilson, chairman of of Wilson and Horton, Jjimitecl. Mrs Wilson was widely known for her philanthropy and for her untiring work in the interests of women and children. Mrs Wilson was the daughter p f the l!ev. Kdwnrd Best, of Northern Ireland, and she married Mr Wilson in JB9"- nt *' ie n " e The Girl Guide movement in New Zealand ones ils establishment to Mrs Wilson. She visited Kngland in 1 923 to ronfer with the Chief Guide on the question and on her return founded the v (! w Zealand organisation. She became the first ''ief Commissioner and held this appointment for 12 years. Her work f or the jiiiides was recognised by the presentation to her of the Silver Fish, the highest ol the guide awards. With jl rs Bertha WiNon. she gave "Otiinai," Ihe training home in the Waitakeres, jto the movement. War Emergencies jlrs Wilson also founded the Auckland Women's Club, now the Lyceum Club, and was its first president. She wa s later made life patron. Another of her offices was that of president of ihe y.W'.C.A. Down Town Club, which did 'notable work during the war, and she jlso established Hostess House at t'apaJcura, where wives and fiancees of loldiers could stay to be near the Army tamp.

Long interest in and work for the Order of St. John resulted in Mrs Wilson being made an Officer (Lady) of the Venerable Order of St. John. She was a member of the'joint committee of the Order of St. John and the Red Cross Society. In 1939 Mrs Wilson visited England and spent much time there acquainting herself with air raid precautions schemes. She took a course of anti-gas and Red Cross lectures and spent some time with the emergency fire brigade. After she returned to Auckland she actively interested herself in the organisation' of the Air Raid Precautions Scheme, later the E.P.S., in the city. Child Welfare Mrs Wilson's interest in child welfare Was shown by the enthusiastic aid she cave to the Door of Hope Home and by Eer wartime work for British evacuee children. She and Mr Wilson some years ago gave their Takapuna home for the establishment of the Wilson Home for Crippled Children. Tp 1935 Mrs Wilson was included in the King's Birthday honours, receiving the award of 0.8. E. Mrs Wilson is survived by her husband nnd by two sons, Messrs R. B. Wilson and S. S. Wilson, and two daughters. Mrs N. L. Macky and Mrs H. C. Colson. "WONDERFUL GENEROSITY" HOSPITAL BOARD'S TRIBUTE A tribute to the work of the late Mrs W. R. Wilson on behalf of crippled children was paid by the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board. Mr A. J. Moody, at a meeting of the board last night. Mr Moody said tho board was appreciative of the wonderful 2euerositv of Mr and Mrs Wilson, who had donnted the Wilson Home and had taken great interest in it. On the chairman s motion, the board passed a resolution expressing deep regret at the death of Mrs Wilson and sympathy with Mr Wilson and family.

LITERARY CONTEST THE AWARD OF PRIZES Prizewinners in the literary competition conducted by the Sunlight League of New Zealand for servicemen and women have been announced. There were two classes in the competition, one for men and women serving overseas, and one for those in New Zealand. Seven prizes were awarded in each class, the prize' money totalling Competitors were required to express their opinions on "What the World Needs" or "What New Zealand Needs, and many of them emphasised the need of individual effort and co-operation. The winner of one of the £lO prizes. John Daysh-Davey, aged 20, who had been in the Navy for 3-j years, advocated the introduction of travel bursaries for schoolchildren of 14 to 16 years of age to enable_ them to go abroad in a specially designed _ ship, where their studies could be continued. The judges for the overseas class were Mr Alan Mulgan and Professor A. L. G. Sutherland, and for the New Zealand class, Miss Alice Candy and Captain 0. A. Gillespie. M.8.E., M.M. The first prize winners were: ve J" leas Class: John Daysh-Davev, 57 Carlton Mill Road, Merivale, Christchurch. New Zealand Class: Aircraftman J. Child, Ross Place, Lawrence, Otaijo. HATCHMAN'S DAMAGES JURY'S AWARD UPHELD In a written judgment Mr Justice Blair has dismissed the motion for a Hew trial in the case in which a hatchUlan, Walter Miles Soares (Mr Finlav), claimed damages against the State I'ire and Accident Insurance Department's general manager, as indemnifier of the United States Army Transport Service (Mr V. R. Meredith and Mr Rosen). "While employed as a hatchman on July 13 last plaintiff had his lcfj;s crushed bv a heavy beam, and a jury .found tnat the accident was due to negligence of winchmen in placing a tray where they clirj without the authority of plaintiff. It also found that he had not Deen guilty of negligence contributing to the accident. The jury awarded £52/ •special damages as agreed upon and £375 general damages. In dismissing a motion for a new trial on the ground that the verdict *as against the weight of evidence His Honor held that there was evidence on the jury could find as it did. He § a ve judgment for plaintiff for £902 damages, as awarded, with costs, disbursements and witnesses' expenses, and gave a certificate for a second day at £ls 15s.