WAS RUGBY HEAD.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20441, 20 October 1934, Page 8

WAS RUGBY HEAD.

Death of Mr G. H. Mason Announced. The death is announced from Wellington, at the age of seventy-one years of Mr George 11. Mason, registrar of Canterbury College from 1908 to 1919, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union from 1909 to 1914. and president of the New Zealand Rugby Union during the 1915-1916 season. Although he had lived in the North Island since his retirement from the service of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, Mr Mason is well remembered in Christchurch, where his work as college registrar and his enthtisiastic efforts on behalf of Rugby football won him many friends. Mr Mason was born in England but he came to New Zealand ip 1870, when seven years old. and he was educated at Sydenham School. lie entered the Canterbury College office in 1878 and after being accountant for a number of years he was appointed registrar on the retirement of Mr Cracroft Wilson in 1908. lie retired on superannuation on June 30, 1919. after forty-one years’ service with the college. He was given a fitting farewell by both board and staff and warm tributes to his efficiency and wisdom weie paid by speakers on that occasion Mr Mason then accepted employment with the White Star Touiist Company, and started a career of tourist resort managership, Brent’s (Rotorua), the Hermitage (Mount Cook) and Chateau Tongariro all coming under his control at various times. He left the company three years ago, and has since engaged in commercial pursuits, dividing his time mainly between Wellington and Auckland. Beginning his football career as a star player of the Sydenham Club, Mr Mason rose to the supreme position of administrative head of New Zealand Rugby. He was one of the founders of the Sydenham Club, and his photograph appeared in many of the early

groups displayed when the club celebrated its jubilee recently. After serving a term on the committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union, Mr Mason was elected a vice-president of the union in 1896. He was elected president in 1909. and held that office until 1914. In 1913 he was appointed manager of the All Black team that made a triumphant tour of California and British Columbia, winning every match and having only three points scored against them. He was interested, in his young days, in other sports, being for years a merhber of the Midland Cricket Club and the Union Rowing Club. He was married in Christchurch forty years ago and is survived by hu widow, Mrs Gertie Mason (Auckland) and three daughters—Miss Nesta Mason (North Island), Mrs Wain (Fiji) and another married daughter living in the North Island.