OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 24437, 17 May 1941, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR W. B. STEEL Mr W. B. Steel, a prominent and respected citizen of Dunedin, died from a heart attack on Thursday. He was well-known in the city because of his work for Druidism, and as secretary of the Otago Expansion League. He was in his seventy-eighth year. Born in Scotland, Mr Steel came to New Zealand about 45 years ago, and in 1913 became Grand President of the United and Ancient order of Druids. In 1916 he succeeded the late Mr David Larnach as Grand Secretary of the U.A.0.D., and held that office until his death. His work in lodges was not confined solely to Druidism, however, for he was secretary of the Masonic Lodge Celtic and the Grand Lodge of Scotland before being elected District Grand Master of the Scottish Freemasons in January of this year. A few years ago he represented the New Zealand Scottish Freemasons at a convocation held in Scotland. He was a member of the Forbury School Committee and received a recognition of his work from the householders in that district. In the early years of the Great War, Mr Steel became secretary of the Otago Expansion League and held that office at the time of his death. He championed the cause of the backblocks of Otago, and collected important data for agitation for the construction of the Haast Pass road. His executive ability, which found full scope in his secretaryship of the Expansion League, was also shown in his organization of the Otago Court at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in 1925-26. He was the local agent for the Government, art unions. He was also an accomplished public speaker, and was well versed in early British history. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

MRS W. J. POLSON (Special) WELLINGTON, May 16. The death has occurred of Mrs Florence Ada Mary Lamb Polson, wife of Mr W. J. Polson, M.P. for Stratford. She was bom in Melbourne in 1879, and was the fifth and youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs Alfred Wilson, of that city. Educated first at the Presbyterian Women’s College there, and at the Academy in Paris, Miss Wilson, as she then was, spent a number of years living on the Continent, during which time she acquired an intimate knowledge of the French and German languages. She travelled extensively and lived in South Africa for two years before returning to Australia. She was married in Melbourne in 1910, and came to Manurewa, Fordell. In 1928 her husband won the Stratford seat, after which she divided her time between the two places of residence. Mrs Polson founded the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, and did a vast amount of work for it. She was predeceased by her sisters, Mesdames Henry Butler and Francis Harman, both of Melbourne, and her son, Mr Donald Gunn (“Jim”) Polson, who died in 1927. She is survived by her husband, her daughter, Mrs James Cranstone, and two sons, Messrs John and Robin Polson, and also by her sisters, Mesdames I. M. Moss and Edward Chase, both of Melbourne.