OBITUARY.

NZ Truth, Issue 474, 18 July 1914, Page 12

OBITUARY.

David Swanson, Journalist. A Well-known "Truth" Rep. "Truth"__has a melancholy duty to perform Tin recording: the death, at his home m Alison Avenue, Devonport, Auckland, early on Wednesday morning .last, of one of the most talented members of its literary staff, Mr. David Swanson, more familiarly known as "Davie" and "Swanny." . The deceased had been connected with- "Truth"' for the past six or seven years, and at different periods represented the. paper at Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland, more recently being: the chief reporter of Auckland "Truth." '"Davie," was a native of the North of Scotland and was about 37 years of age.. He was a versatile writer, having a large share of peculiar pawky Scots make-up. He was a well-known figure m the Magistrate's Courts m ail the centres wherein at, various times he represented this journal. There the humor as well as the tragedy of things always, appealed to his kindly nature, and where the down trodden • and suffering, cquld, always count on getting a "Square Deal" from "Davie" as far. as rested m the power of his., pen to 'do so. ' ' . . Apart from hispeculiar gifts of writing up m a humorous or pathetic vein the scenes and situations with which the Police Court reporter is daily confronted, Mr.' Swanson brought to bear m his literary work on "Truth" a knowledge of the world which betokened much travel. Indeed, the deceased was a much^travelled man and had seen life m several continents. Mr. ■ Swanson was educated at the George Watsoa College, Edinburgh, and at the University of thnt city matriculated m medicine, but realising thnt he was not cut out to be what he frequently described m these columns as a "Sawbones" he set out for other parts and was for some time, m Africa, and later on m India. Eventually he drifted to New Zealand, wliere he took up the occupation of a journalist, -first on the staff of the "New Zealand Times" and subsequently on "Truth," where he was constantly employed- until his death. For some time past Mr; Swanson'i'health had been anything but satisfactory arid though often enjoined to take a rest, he plodded on, his invariable reply to the suggestion that he should- ''spell," being ; that he would not know what to do with himself. A week ago last Wednesday he was, however, forced to take to his bed and, as stated, on Wednesday he breathed, his last, death being due to consumption. 1 Deceased leaves a widow and a bonny little boy of three years of age. All who knew "Davie" will regret to hear of his early demise. Ho was wellknown 1 m all the centres where he' represented this paper and made a host of friends. /He was quiet, unassuming and not'inclined to burden others with Mis "own worries and troubles. A fitting epitaph to the deceased journalist wduld bo, "Ho was a casual sort of chap."