The late Mr W.T. Glasgow, for 48 years an official in the Customs Department, who died at Dunedin aged 80. — Otago Witness, 15.7.1924
Mr William Thompson Glasgow, who was for many years a prominent figure in the public service of New Zealand, died at his residence No 1 Dunblane street, Roslyn on Thursday at the age of 80 years.
For 48 years Mr Glasgow was an official of the Customs Department, of which he was for about 17 years the departmental head. During all that time he carried out his duties in an efficient and conscientious manner and made many staunch friends in various parts of the dominion. Mr Glasgow was born in India, where his father, the Rev A.D. Glasgow, of the Irish Presbyterian Church, was engaged in missionary work. He was educated in Ireland, and came to New Zealand in the ship Derwent Water in 1861.
He joined the Government Service as a clerk in the Customs Department in the same year, and in 1872 he was appointed to take charge of the New Zealand Distillery Company in Dunedin on behalf of the Government. Three years later he was appointed to the position of landing waiter in Dunedin, and afterwards filled the same office in Invercargill.In 1880 Mr Glasgow held the position of acting landing surveyor in Auckland for a short time, and was then promoted to be chief clerk at the head office in Wellington. For the year ended June 30, 1888, he held the office of Secretary and Inspector of Customs, and afterwards was Collector of Customs at Wellington till May 1, 1892, when he was permanently appointed Secretaryand Inspector of Customs, Secretary for Marine, and, ex officio, Chief Inspector of Distilleries.He retained office until 1909, when he retired, and after making a trip to England he settled down in Roslyn, where he spent the remainder of his life. Mr Glasgow was ill for only about a fortnight before his death.For many years he was an elder of Knox Church — a position which he occupied at the time of his death.The deceased was married twice. His first wife was a daughter of the late Mr Thomas Younger and his second was Miss Thomson, whom he married 23 years ago. His family consists of four daughters and two sons, one of the latter being Dr Glasgow, while the other is a student at the Otago University.The flags on all the Government buildings in Wellington were flown at half-mast yesterday as a tribute.
Columnist’s sober reply
Here, in all courtesy, let me make answer to a request — "challenge" I think is the word — addressed by puss*foot: "Now, I challenge ‘Civis’ to bring to bear his good sense, learning, etc, and give us reasons why poisonous alcoholic liquors should be used as a beverage."It is a pity that puss*foot’s logic is tolerant of so childish an error as "petitio principii." His habit is to speak of wine that maketh glad the heart of man as "intoxicating"; here he calls it "poisonous."These epithets beg the question. I have been drinking wine and its equivalent for a life-time; they have never intoxicated me; still less have they poisoned me. There are thousands of honest folk in Dunedin who can say the same thing.Green tea will intoxicate if you drink it by the gallon; tobacco is poison if you swallow it; and so is the salt on every dinner table if you take enough for the purpose; — common salt is an irritant poison.So when I buy wine or whisky I am not buying intoxicating drink any more than when I buy a razor I am buying a throat-cutter, or when I buy a rope I am buying a hangman’s noose. — by ‘Civis’
Rubber processor explodes
Shortly after 11.30am yesterday a loud explosion on the premises of Messrs D. McWilliam and Co’s cycle and motor repair works in Moray place startled those in the vicinity.
The explosion which was caused, it is thought, by either a faulty casting or a defective gauge, shattered a large plate glass window in the front of the shop, while the vulcanising plant in the interior of the building was also damaged.
Three men who were within a few feet of the plant at the time of the explosion fortunately escaped injury. The damage is estimated at £75. — ODT, 5.7.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
