ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 22041, 14 June 1933, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

Mr C. H. Long, manager of Milford Hostel, reached Invercargill by the express last evening. Mr J. A. Lindsay, district traffic manager, returned to Invercargill by the express last evening. Recent arrivals at the Grand Hotel include Misses Mann and Sanson (Dunedin), Messrs H. Angell (Christchurch), L. Moss (Wellington), O. J. Wilson (Christchurch), J. Sutherland Ross (Dunedin), J. Evans (Dunedin), A. D. Strachan (Dunedin), O. B. Shand (Timaru), J. H. Pennington (Wellington) and P. H. Bailey (Dunedin). The death occurred at sea on Sunday of Mr Blakelock, Chief Engineer of the steamer Surrey which was due at Auckland from Liverpool last night. Mr Blakelock had been in ill-health for some time and was to be buried at sea. News of his death was reported by wireless to the New Zealand Shipping Company—Press Association message. Mr W. L. Mclntosh, of the district railway traffic manager’s office, left by the express yesterday morning for Christchurch to which centre he has been transferred. On Monday evening Mr Mclntosh was met by his colleagues when Mr F. J. Raines, in the unavoidable absence of the district traffic manager, Mr J. A. Lindsay, presented him with a suitcase and an appropriate gift for his son. Mr Raines referred to the excellent record of service of Mr McIntosh and to his popularity among his fellow-workers. He wished him every success in his new position. After other speakers had endorsed _ Mr Raines's remarks, Mr Mclntosh suitably responded. Born at Springvale, Wanganui, 40 years ago, Mr L. A. Robb, now high up in the Civil Service in New South Wales, has been included in the King’s Birthday Honours List, having been appointed a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. As a youth, Mr Robb attended several schools in the Wanganui district, and completed his education at the Stratford District High School. He joined the Railway Department as a cadet, but could see nothing ahead of him in that direction and left for Sydney, where he joined the electrical engineer's staff of the Central Post Office, Sydney. After returning from the war he was transferred to the Taxation Department, where he has earned rapid promotion. About two years ago Mr Robb passed through Auckland on his way to an ex-servicemen’s conference at Toronto as a representative of the Australian Returned Soldiers’ and Sailors’ League, of which he is the New South Wales president. Just now Mr Robb is travelling to London to attend a similar conference. His father, Mr D. A. Robb, is an old Wanganui resident, though lately he removed to Auckland, where he now resides. The death of Mr Samuel Dalrymple, former inspector of machinery in Dunedin and well known in maritime circles because of his association as chief engineer with many Union Company steamers, occurred at his residence, Epsom, Auckland, last week. Mr Dalrymple was believed to be the last survivor of the crew of the Taiaroa, which was wrecked north of Kaikoura, with the loss of 33 lives, 47 years ago. Born in Monmouthshire, England, lie was the eldest son of Mr Robert Dalrymple, of Balcray, Whithorn, Scotland. He served an indentured apprenticeship with Messrs Smith Brothers and Co., engineers and boilermakers, of Glasgow, and later decided on a sea-going career and was at different times engaged in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic and Eastern trades. Coming to New Zealand, he entered the service of the Union Company, and was successively chief engineer of the following vessels of that fleet: Taiaroa, Mawhara, Taieri, Rotorua, Wakatipu, Tekapo, Flora, Tc Anau, Liddesdale, Rotomahana, Talune and Mararoa. The period of that service was 11J years. Having passed the New Zealand Marine Board examination as a first-class engineer in the Merchant Service, Mr Dalrymple later passed the Board of Trade examination, firstclass, in England. Leaving the sea, he joined the Government Inspection of Machinery Department, being successively stationed at Dunedin, Auckland and Wanganui. In 1909 he succeeded Mr H. Wetherilt as senior inspector of machinery, senior surveyor of ships and senior examiner of engineers in Auckland, positions he held for 14 years until his retirement in 1923.