| JUDGES |
YEAR: 1950
 |
The death had occurred of Mr J Alfred Dickson, for half a century in Canterbury a racing journalist and for many years a judge at both racing and trotting meetings and a bowling administrator. Mr Dickson's final illness was brief.
Born in Milton, Mr Dickson was educated in Dunedin and began his newspaper career in the reading room of the 'Evening Star.' He later worked on the 'Bruce Herald' at Milton and the 'Taieri Advocate' at Mosgiel, the paper then being conducted by Mr W C F Carncross, who became speaker of the Legislative Council and was knighted. When reporting at Mosgiel Mr Dickson also acted as town clerk. When he was on holiday in Christchurch in 1900 he was offered a position on the staff of the 'Canterbury Times,' a weekly publication, as assistant to Mr T H Davey. In 1902 Mr Davey became a Member of Parliament and Mr Dickson succeeded him. He was later racing editor of the 'Lyttleton Times' and the 'Star,' and of the 'Star-Sun' from 1935 until his retirement from daily newspaper work in 1939.
After his retirement Mr Dickson regularly attended every racing and trotting meeting in North Canterbury until he had a serious illness about two years ago. He was racing correspondent for several newspapers, including the 'Otago Daily Times,' and he regularly contributed special articles on famous racing stables and personalities to the 'Star-Sun' until his death. He was also often a contributor to the racing columns of 'The Press.'
For 19 years - from 1924 to 1943 - Mr Dickson was judge for the Canterbury Jockey Club, and he was also judge for every other racing and trotting club in Canterbury. He was judge from 1919 for the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club. He saw 50 NZ Cups run at Riccarton, where he declared two successive dead-heats and also the famous triple dead-heat in the Islington Handicap on August 10, 1939, the horses being Lowenberg, Tidewaiter and Settlement. Mr Dickson retired from judging with full honours by the clubs, and with a high reputation among race-goers. He acted later as a timekeeper for clubs.
Apart from racing, Mr Dickson's main sporting interest was bowls, and in 1945-6 he was president of the NZ Bowling Association, the Dominion tournament being held in Christchurch that year.
Mr Dickson is survived by his widow (a daughter of Mr Edward Cutts), one daughter, Jessie, and a son, Hamilton, a leading Wellington musician.
Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Dec50