OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 471, 4 June 1932, Page 9

OBITUARY.

B. H. BURNS. The death of Benjamin Henry Burns occurred yesterday at hjs residence, 35, Chester Street west. * Mr Burns was a younger son of Archibald Burns, general manager of the Bank of Scotland, Perthshire, and Barbara Monteath, of Broich. He began his business career as a clerk in the Oriental Bank Corporation, London. From there he was sent by the company to Calcutta, later to Tokio, then to Shanghai and Sydney. He returned to China as manager, later going to Calcutta as general manager. Owing to health reasons Mr Burns found it necessary to leave India, and accepted the position of manager of the Colonial Bank in Christchurch. He remained in that position until the bank’s amalgamation with the Bank of New Zealand, and he was assistant manager of the Christchurch branch of the latter bank until he entered into partnership with the late Mr Henderson. For many years he carried on the business of Henderson and Burns, sharebrokers. At the time of his death Mr Burns was a director the firm of Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd.

A man with wide interests, Mr Burns was always keenly interested in sport, especially golf and Rugby football. After his arrival in New Zealand, Mr Burns was one of four promoters to form a golf club in Hagley Park. This club later became the Christchurch Club, with headquarters at Shirley. He won the Christchurch championship twice and was captain of the club, later becoming a life-member. Mr Burns began his career as a Rugby footballer when he was a small boy at Smeaton’s private school, St Andrews. Mr Burns became a member of the famous Blackheath Football Club and was chosen to play half-back for England in the first international match against Scotland, and his “ cap ” with the silver rose is a treasured possession of the family. For many years Mr Burns took a great interest in Church matters and was a churchwarden of St Michael’s. He was always read> to help in every way those in less fortunate circumstances.

Mr Burns was married in the Cathedral, Shanghai, to Alice May, younger daughter of E. H. M. Gower, C.E., private secretary to Sir Harry Parks. He is survived by his widow and also two daughters. Mrs Milner-llarris, and Mrs Alex A. M’Master (Christchurch) and a son, Mr H. W. M. Burns \England). WILLIAM POOL. Mr William Pool, who died at Papanui on Thursday, was born in Dum-fries-shire, Scotland, in 1854. He came to New Zealand in 1874 and in 1875 joined the Otago police force. He served at Queenstown and afterwards at Cromwell, Clyde, Roxburgh and Kaitangata and for two years was on the gold escort from Queenstown to Dunedin. He had experience with all sorts of crime in the early days of the gold fields and on one occasion he had charge of three cases of murder at the same time. Coming to Canterbury, he was in charge at Southbridge for twelve years and at Papanui for ten. He was Grand Master of the Oddfellows’ Lodge, M.U., and Master of Progress Masonic Lodge No. 22, Southbridge. After retiring he lived at Papanui for ten years. He took an active interest in public affairs, being on the executive of burgesses’ associations. treasurer of the Papanui Memorial Hall Committee, and one of the founders of the Papanui and Southbridge bowling clubs. He is survived by his ■widow, three sons and three daughters. The sons are' Mr William Pool (Dunedin), Constable Thomas Pool (Cheviot) and Mr James Pool (Wellington) and the daughters, Mrs Sanders (Christchurch), Mrs A. B. Truscott (Christchurch) and Miss E. Pool (Papanui).