Obituaries Australia

At the age of 80 years Mr. John Herbert Syme, eldest son of the late Mr. David Syme, died at his home, Rockingham, Kew, yesterday morning. Mr. Syme was one of the proprietors and trustees of the Age and the Leader newspapers.

The funeral will reach the Box Hill Cemetery at 11 a.m. to-day. The arrangements are being made by A. A. Sleight Pty. Ltd.

Mr. Syme was educated at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne, where he graduated in law. Although called to the Bar when aged 26 years, he did not practise, but took an active part instead in the management and in the commercial and technical departments of the Age and the Leader.

When the late Mr. Joseph Syme retired in 1890, Mr. Herbert Syme assumed control of the commercial side of the Age, and took an active part in the management until about 18 months ago.

Mr. Syme was a keen amateur engineer, and mode a hobby of marine engineering. He had one of the best-equipped private workshops in Australia at his home at Kew, and he installed his own electrical plant and his own water service at his country home on an island near Lakes Entrance. He had a number of ocean-going motor launches and speedboats.

He was interested also in cricket and football, and at Scotch College he was a leading member of the football team, and later played for Melbourne.

Mr. Syme was a member of the V.R.C., the M.C.C., and the Athanaeum Club. He was one of the earliest members of the Old Scotch Collegians' Club, and was a member of the Yorick Club for more than 50 years.

Mr. Syme married in 1894, and is survived by Mrs. Syme and six children—Mrs. Gutteridge, Mrs. K. Macdougall, Mr. Hugh Syme, Miss Maisie Syme, Mr. David Syme, and Mrs. Geoffrey Norris—and by his brothers—Dr. A. E. Syme, Mr. Geoffrey Syme, and Mr. Oswald Syme.