OBITUARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21053, 16 June 1930, Page 12

OBITUARY.

JAMES DYKES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) , r T LONDON .April 10,: Mx James Dykes, the popular publicity and exhibition officer of the New Zealand Dairy Board, died at Middlesex Ho?pital afe I o'clock on Tuesday: morning (April 8). A year ago he had an operation Tor an internal complaint, and afterwards apparently he enjoyed the best of health. Last Thursday, while in a; public telephone box at Oxford Circus, he collapsed. He was assisted to a taxi cab en to his. home, and thence to the Middlesex Hospital, where he passed away. After spending about 24 years in New Zealand, the late Mr Dykes come to London at the time of the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley. During the second year of the Exhibition he was given charge of the Kinema Hall at the New Zealand pavilion. This work be carried out to the entire satisfaction of the manager. . _ When the London office of the New Zealand Dairy Board was set up, Mr Dykes was appointed to take charge of the field work. This included the initiation and conduct of publicity campaigns m the provincial districts. Centra! shops were set up, and districts were thoroughly canvassed in order to encourage the sale and consumption of the Dominion’s produce. Visits were paid to wholesalers and retailers and m this way the markets for New Zealand were greatly extended. ~?■ yhes .was also- in charge of the exhibitions which were arranged by the board in any of the provincial centres or in London. Mr -EL E. Davis (European manager ot the board) and all those who came in _ contact with Mr Dykes, express the opinion that in him the board had a most valuable officer. He carried out his work with great vigour and enthusiasm, and among the wholesale and retail provision trade he made a host of friends. He was able to take hard knocks with a smile, and. his friendly tact, in those districts where Continental butter is more popular than the produce of the dominions; always helped him in gaining the disputed ground. Some four years ago Mr Dykes married Mrs Handley, a Indy who was on holiday from South Africa. The son of his first marriage, who was born in New Zealand has-been living with Mr Dykes’s people at Glasgow. . The funeral is taking place at Hendon Cemetery to-morrow.