OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24970, 17 July 1942, Page 3

OBITUARY

MR L. D. H. WHITCOMBE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 16. The death has occurred in Wellington of Mr Louis Douglas Hawkes Whitcombe, in his sixtieth year. He was born and educated in Christchurch. ,and became a member of the firm of Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., of which he later became a director. For a considerable time he was manager of the Wellington branch. EX-PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES, (Roc. 7 p.m.) July 15. The death has occurred of Dr Roberto M. Ortiz, who resigned the Presidency of Argentina last month owing to illhealth. He was 56 years of age. Dr Ortiz was elected President of Argentina in September. 1937. In July, 1940, he announced that owing to a serious illness he would have to relinquish office for an indefinite period, and he submitted his resignation the following month, but Congress, by a vote of 170 to one, refused to accept it. Though stricken with diabetes. Dr Ortiz nominally retained the Presidency, but as one commentator emphasised. the vice-president, Dr Ramon S. Castillo, “is running the Govetnment to suit himself, yet no one knows for how long. Argentina is still a country without a leader.” The same writer pointed out that, “though Argentina is split into as many factions as pre-World War II France, most of the politicians belong to one of two main groups, the Radicals of President Ortiz or the Conservatives of Vice-president Castillo. . . . The Radicals have a New Dealist tinge: the Conservatives believe in goveniment by the privileged, and are traditionally pro-British. Both are strongly nationalistic.” Last month it was evident that the President was failing rapidly, and Congress this time accepted his resignation. Dr Castillo being elected President for the remainder of the unoxpired term of office, which ends in 1944,