OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21940, 29 April 1933, Page 9

OBITUARY

SIR ALEXANDER GRAY / (Per United Press association.) WELLINGTON, April 28. The death occurred suddenly to-day of Sir Alexander Gray, K.C., president of the New Zealand Law Society. The Magistrate’s Court was adjourned for a quarter of an hour out of respect to the memory of the deceased. Messrs E. Page, J. G. L. Hewitt, and T. B. M'Neil were on the Bench. Mr Page, moving the adjournment, referred to the deceased as one of the most noted advocates of his day.

Sir Alexander Gray, who was one of the most eminent barristers in the Dominion for the past decade, was a legal authority whose services in a consulting capacity were eagerly sought by members of the profession in all parts of New Zealand. He was educated at Wellington College, and, after having been articled to the well-known Wellington firm of Messrs Izard and Bell, was'admitted to the Bar in 1881. He first practised in Greytown, and after practising there for five years removed to Wellington to found the firm of Messrs Gray and Jackson. He was appointed a King’s Counsel in 1912, and from that time onwards he was prominently associated with the New Zealand Law Society, of which organisation he became vice-presi-dent in 1918. In 1926 he sat as a member of the Auckland Hospital Commission of Inquiry, and was in the same year elected president of the Law Society. Two years later, when the New Zealand Legal Conference was inaugurated, he was appointed chairman of the first gathering in Wellington. In the list of Birthday Honours issued at New Year he was awarded a knighthood, a distinction upon which he was warmly congratulated by both Bench and Bar.

SIR GEOFFREY, SALMOND

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 27. (Received April 28, at 5.5 p.m.) The death is announced of Sir Geoffrey Salniond; aged 54. He had been gravely ill during the last few weeks. He succeeded his younger brother, Sir John, as Chief of the Air Staff on April 1, but three days later it was announced that owing to his serious illness Sir John would temporarily resume those duties. Sir Geoffrey’s career was one of great distinction. He originally entered the Royal Artillery and served in South Africa, including the siege of Ladysmith, and in China, but took a pilot’s certificate in January, 1913, a few months after his younger brother, and he was transferred to the Flying Corps. During the war he served on the western front, but later commanded the British air forces in the Middle East. From 1931 until he succeeded his brother he was Commander-in-Chief of the British Air Defences.