University of Adelaide. He served a s Divisional President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Australian Veterinary Association, as well as on a number of federal committees and Council. He was a foundation member of the Henty Branch of the AVA and of the Australian College of Veterinary ScienisLs. He was also a foundation member and executive of the South Australian branches of both the Australian Society for Animal Production and the Australian Public Health Association. He was an active member of the Medical Sciences Club of South Australia.

In other fields, Jo Fearn was equally involved. As the first secretary of the Naracoorte Apex Club, he had much to do with its establishment and was an active Rotarian from his Naracoorte days. He was a keen churchman, from serving at the altar in his youth,

through Parish Council to Councillor of St Peters Church of England Grammar School, Glenelg and Governor and Diocesan Representative. Walford CEGGS, Adelaide. His main sport was rowing, in which his crew won the Adelaide Head of the River. H e retained his interest in and contact with this sport throughout his life. Jo Fearn’s vigour and versatility made a success of the wide range of activities to which he turned his hand, in professional, community and private life. He was liked and respected by all with whom he came in contact.

Jo Fearn was a devoted husband and father and our deepest sympathy is extended to his wife June and his children Amanda, Alistair, Virginia and Philippa.

(M.F.P.)

GORDON DOUGLAS ROBSON, B.V.Sc. Gordon Robson was known to many veterinary

colleagues by the nickname “Sam” which he acquired in first year (1943) at Badgery’s Creek where his riding school horse was called “Sam”. Typically, he bestowed more than usual care on the animal.

He was born at Gunning, New South Wales in 1925, youngest son of a Methodist minister and throughout life had a genuine love of family life and its pleasures, combined with a strong sense of community as well as vocational responsibility and skills. As an under- graduate he was an excellent athelete, footballer and cricketer, and an outstanding musician with a tenor voice of solo quality. He generously shared his musical gift performing at church services and the wedding service of many friends.

After graduation in 1948 Sam worked as assistant with Mr R. T. Hoskins at Dulwich Hill and then he pioneered practice on the Blue Mountains at Leura.

It was not an easy area to work, being difficult geographically, and he did not enjoy robust health but by dedication and perseverance he overcame these diffculties to build an extensive one-man practice. He was skilled in his work and more than usually sensitive to the needs of others. Few would be aware of the extent of his generosity to less fortunate members of that mountain community.

He later sold this practice and moved to Sydney where he worked with Mr. E. M . Broe at Balgowlah and Mosman from 1970 until his sudden and untimely death.

Sam was a good mixer who enjoyed the company of friends from his many interests and he is greatly missed. Our sympathy goes to his wife Barbara who was closely involved with his many activities and to his children Peter, Philip, Timothy and Helen.

(A.N.S.)

KASSIM BIN ISMAIL, M.V.Sc., Ph.D. Friends, acquaintances and fellow contemporary and

professional colleagues will be shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of Kassim in a car accident in Malaysia, Marih 1975.

Kassim was awarded a Colombo Plan Scholarship for Veterinarv Science and arrived in Sydney in March 1956. An &blemished and distingtAshed academic record resulted in him graduating B.V.Sc. from Sydney University in December, 1960. Not content with returning home with only a bachelor degree Kassim immediately enrolled the next year at Sydney Univer- sity for a Masters degree, attaining his M.V.Sc. in April 1963.

Kassim returned home to Malaysia to work as a Veterinary Officer at the Federal Poultry Research and Breeding Station, Johore, a position he occupied from June 1963 to November 1964. Here he was engaged in formulating breeding plans, management systems and disease control measures for intensive poultry production units. Promotion followed and at the end of September 1966 Kassim again ventured overseas, this time travelling on a Fulbright Scholarship to the University of Maryland, USA, where, after three years, he attained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Nutrition.

On 1 August 1970 Kassim attained the great dis- tinction of being appointed Director-General Division of Food Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, a position he held up to the period of his untimely death. Shortly after his appointment as

Director-General he was concurrently appointed Head of the Animal Research Division of the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute.

One could be excused for thinking that all Kassim’s achievements were in academic and professional fields, but this could not be further from the truth. While at University Kassim was very active in both University and Faculty affairs. In 1959 he was Vice President of the Asian Students Council and Chairman of the Asian Festival Committee, and Secretary General of the Malaysian Students Organisation in 1959-60. At faculty level Kassim was on the Executive Committee and Dance Committee in 1959, and was always an avid vet supporter at both sporting and social functions. On the sporting scene Kassim was captain of vet hockey team in 1957-58 and played 1st grade soccer for Sydney University in 1961-62. At home in Malaysia Kassim was a committee member of the National Golf Club, Subang, and a Committee member of the local Residents’ Association.

Besides being an esteemed member of the veterinary profession. Kassim will be remembered by all who knew him for his wonderfully warm personarity, delight- ful sense of humour and general aura of goodwill that he generated wherever he went. To his wife Barbara and the four children are extended deepest and most profound sympathy from the veterinary profession in Australia.

(J.B.)

Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 52. September. 1976 43 1