SERVICE TO SCOUTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27386, 11 May 1950, Page 2

SERVICE TO SCOUTING

Death Of Sir Joseph Smith Special to the Daily Times

AUCKLAND, May 10. Sir Joseph Benjamin George Smith, Kt., C.1.E., died in Auckland on Monday after a short illness, aged 72. He was prominently associated with the Boy Scout movement in Auckland for many years and was County Commissioner at the time of his death. Born in Buxar, India, Sir Joseph joined the Irrigation Public Works Department in the Punjab in 1898, becoming chief engineer and secretary before his retirement. He retired in 1933 and was knighted in the same year Sir Joseph was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1927. , , . Shortly after his arrival in New Zealand, Sir Joseph was elected to the Dominion Council of the Boy Scouts’ Association in 1934. He was metropolitan honorary commissioner in Auckland for a number of years, and was Acting Dominion Chief Commissioner for several months in 194041 He twice received the Scouts Thanks Medal, in 1937 and 1948. A member of Rotary from a time before coming to New Zealand, Sir Joseph was associated with the’movement’s organising of youth employment schemes during the depression, shortly after his arrival here. It was this youth work that led him to take up Scouting. ~ Sir Joseph is survived by his wife, a daughter and two sons.