OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 25680, 24 May 1945, Page 3

OBITUARY

MR JOHN CAMERON The death occurred suddenly at the age of 74 years of a well-known resident of Bluff, Mr John Cameron. Mr Cameron, who was bom in Invercargill in 1870, was the son of Mr Angus McDonald Cameron, of Corrychoillie, near Fort William, Scotland, who came to New Zealand in 1861 and had large holdings in Southland in the early days. With the exception of seven years spent in Hawke’s Bay, Mr Cameron lived in Southland all his life. On his return from the South African war where he served with the 4th Contingent (New Zealand Rough Riders), he lived in Bluff. Mr Cameron was a prominent figure in the industrial movement of the Dominion. Having organized the first Southland Freezing Workers’ Union, he was a foundation member of the first New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Federation. Mr Cameron had been secretary of the Bluff Waterside Workers’ Union since 1912. It,was mainly through his efforts that a national conference of waterside workers was convened in Wellington in November 1915. As a result of this conference the present New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation, of which Mr Cameron was a national executive member for many years, was formed. Mi' Cameron was a keen advocate for the co-operative stevedoring system recently taken up throughout the Dominion.. Local affairs in Bluff claimed a great deal of his attention. He served on the Bluff Borough Council for many years, both as councillor and Mayor. He had also been a member of the Awarua Licensing Committee and the Bluff School Committee. For the past seven years he had been a member of the Bluff Harbour Board. Mr Cameron is survived by his wife, a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs David Mitchell, of Ocean Beach, seven daughters and one son. DR B. H. GILMOUR (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 24. The death has occurred of Dr Bertram Hazelwood Gilmour, a medical practitioner at Lyttelton. He died suddenly at his home this evening. Dr Gilmour was born near Invercargill and was educated at the Southland Boys’ High School and the Otago University. After graduating in 1914 he was on the staff of the Timaru Public Hospital and later served as a medical officei' in the Ist New Zealand Expeditionary Force. On returning to New Zealand Dr Gilmour practised at Roxburgh (Otago) till 1920, when he took up practice at Lyttelton. He was appointed port health officer about two years ago. He was a member of the Advisory Board of the Lyttelton branch of the Plunket Society and was associated also with the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Dr Gilmour is survived by his wife, three sons (two are serving overseas, one of whom was recently reported wounded) and one daughter.