PERSONAL

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1931, Page 6

PERSONAL

Mr. E. Jeffries, a former Tukapa player who represented Taranaki at half-back, is paying a visit to Taranaki. The death of Mr. Francis Read, Pihama, occurred yesterday at his sons residence, Morrinsville. Mr. Read 7S years of age. Mr W. S. Mackay, Auckland, vicepresident of the Methodist Conference, is paying an official visit to New Plymouth during the coming week-end. A Gisborne message states that the Governor-General yesterday visited. Maori community centre and received an enthusiastic welcome. He also inspected the freezing works and later lunched with the Rotary Club. There passed away on June 14 at Geraldine, South Canterbury, one of the oldest surviving pioneers of the. Auckland district, Mr. Peter Billings, who was born in the Jersey Islands 90 years a«o. In the early days of the colonisation of this country Mr. Billings served with the Forest Rangers under Major von Tempsky. Later he was in charge of a schooner trading between Whangarei Heads, Kjiwau Island and Auckland. He finally settled at Geraldine. The death occurred at Wanganui yesterday of Mr. Frank Crotty, aged 33 years. Mr. Crotty, who was a member of the 19th Reinforcements of the N.Z.E.F., saw three years’ service and returned to New Zealand while still under the military age. A prominent Rugby football player for the Marist Club, Mr. Crotty was also a Wanganui representative player, and in amateur theatricals he was one of the Wanganui Amateur and Dramatic Society’s leading comedians. In rowing circles he was known in all parts of the Dominion as a member of the Union Boat Club, having competed in most of the inter-provincial regattas. Although his health was not good for some months his death at such an early age came as a shock to a wide circle of friends.