PERSONAL

Southland Times, Issue 24859, 26 September 1942, Page 4

PERSONAL

Mr W. Excell, of Nightcaps, a member of the Southland Education Board, was granted three months’ leave of absence by the board yesterday. Mr S. Rice, of Wyndham, was reelected chairman of the Southland Education Board yesterday. His past services in the position were praised by Lieutenant-Colonel W. Bell and Mr L. S. Alsweiler. Messrs Rice, and F. G. Stevenson and Lieutenant-Colonel Bell were reappointed the appointments committee. Mr W. W. Butchers, a member of the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, tendered his resignation at a meeting of the committee last night because of his pending departure on military duties. Mr P. L. Hodge, chairman of the committee, paid a tribute to the valuable service that Mr Butchers had given as chairman of the Publicity CommitteeAdvice has been received by Mr and Mrs W. W. Murray, of Auckland, that their son, Acting Leading Airman Roy W. Murray, has been appointed to a commission in the Fleet Air Arm. Born at Invercargill in 1920, Sub-Lieutenant Murray was educated at the Remuera School and the Auckland Grammar School, where he took an active interest in football and cricket. Flight-Sergeant W. H. Gray, R.N.Z.A.F., who has been awarded the D.F.M., is the son of Captain W. A. Gray, a well-known ship master who frequently visits Bluff. The citation accompanying the award states: “Warrant Officer Gray is an exceptionally fine aircraft captain and always achieves good results, irrespective of the nature of his engagements. In all of his sorties he demonstrated unswerving determination.” He was born at Wellington in 1916, and began training in the R.N.Z.A.F. in 1940.