OBITUARY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13431, 23 March 1907, Page 4

OBITUARY.

- MTt W. GRAY.

Per Press Association.

-WELLINGTON,- March 23. Tho death occurred at midnight of MrAV. Gray, Secretary ,to the Po *£ Office. Ho 'had' been connected witfc the department Tor over 40 years. Born in Aberdeen in 1€44, he> ame to the colony when a boy, completing his studies at Now Plymouth. His first experience here was in a newspaper ojfice, but in 1854 he joined the Postal Department at- Dunedin, and ten years later became Secretary to the, Postal Department, and for over a., garter of a .century held this important position.. His heaHdi Lad been faiHrig for some time. Apart from his ofßcial position, he was well known throughout the colony, as an. enthusiastic bowler* and was universally liked and resbected. IVj The late Mr Gtay 'was regarded as the doyen of the Civil Service, > which ;he enters on -February lst, ' 1864. [When he became secretary to the Postal Department oil May Ist, 1874, letters received and posted in the co!eny numbered nine millions per annum ; now they reach seventy millions.. The efaff . then comprised 735 ; it is How 3209. The revenue, not including telegraphs, was £60,535; last year it was £445,310, or, with telegra'pKgy £743,090. Mr Gray served under eighteen po4feniasierVgfeiieral, the first being the late Sir Julius Vwgel. . Previous to joining the'tJivil Service he was for Ja short time on the statf of the Taranaki News, and afterwards on the Nelson Colonist. The funeral takes place at 9 o'ebt-k on Monday morning.

(Tho late Mr Gray was a member of the Imperial Service Order.) >