OBITUARY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11739, 29 January 1924, Page 3

OBITUARY

FAMOUS JAP. SOLDIER. Reuter’* Teleeram. TOKIO, January 27. The death is announced of FieldMarshal Count Yoshimichi Haeegawa, the most famous militarist in Japan. He had been ill for a fortnight. He was seventy-four years old at the time or his death. Field-Marshal Count Yoshimichi Hasegawa, Ist Class Golden Kite, Grand Cordon and Hieing Sun and Paulownia (war honour) was born m 1856. He was a major in 1872, a major-general in 1886, and a lieu-tenant-general in 1898. He commanded a brigade in the Japan-China war, and took a distinguished part in the battle of Port Arthur and Mei-hai-wei. In 1904-5 he commanded the Imperial Guards Division, and led it to success at the Yala and the hattlc of Liaoyang. He was later Comman-der-in-Chief of the Korean garrison and member of the Supreme War Council (1909), being Chief of the General Staff, 1912-16. He was promoted marshal last year.

MR WILLIAM GARDINER

The death has taken place of Mr William Gardiner, who in his younger days was a prominent footballer and cricketer. In business circles the late Mr Gardiner was also well known as a builder and contractor, having been, connected with many important works of construction. The deceased was born in Auckland fifty-eight years ago, and it vas in the northern city that he gained prominence on the field of sport. He was a member of the Grafton Rugby Football Club, and his form in club matches gained for him a place in the Auckland representative team. He was perhaps best known as a wingforward, although he could tically any place in a team. Prior to the departure of the New Zealand native team in 1888 his form was 60 good that he was looked upon as a probable member of the New Zealand team, but he had the misfortune to injure a shoulder, and that had an effect upon his subsequent career as a footballer. On the cricket field he was a member of the Parnell Club, Auckland, and on coming to Wellington some thirty years ago he joined the Midland Club and subsequently represented Wellington. Of the many constructional works with which he was connected, the most notable were: •‘The Dominion” newspaper offices, the Rona Bay wharf, the new ferry wharf, the Whangarei wharf, and the Raglan wharf. iJls work also included the construction of numerous bridges in both islands. He was a man of retiring disposition, sterling character, and integrity, and at his passing much sympathy will he felt for his widow and his son, Mr Norman Jacob Gardiner, of Wellington.