OBITUARY.

MB J. A. FLESHER. The news of the death of Mr James Arthur Fleaher, 0.8. E., which occurred about ten o'clock last night, will be received with the deepest regret by all sections of the community. There was hardly a phase of public life with which Mr Flesher was not actively connected, or in which he was not directly interested, and his services on municipal and other local bodies and on organisations having as their principal object the welfare of the community, have been long, and of the highest value. To these duties Mr Flesher devoted not only much time, but also gave of his best from his store of experience and knowledge. Mr Flesher was taken ill some months ago, but after a stay at Hanmer Springs his health improved, and he contemplated a trip to America, but this had to be abandoned on the advice of his medical man. Mr Flesher was a native of Christchurch, and was the son of William and Dorothy Flesher. He was born 011 August 13th, 1865, and was educated at Christ's College. On leaving school he entered the office of the legal firm of Mossrs Wilding and Lewis (now Messrs Wilding and Acland), and was with them in Christchurch and Ashburton for four years, and then entered the office of Messrs Joynt and ActonAdams, and remained with that firm till it was dissolved, and became Messrs Acton-Adams and Kippenberger. Mr Flesher was admitted a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in 1898, and the following year he was admitted a barrister, and started practice on his own account. Mr Flesher was prominent in municipal and local body matters, and by his knowledge of and aptitude for finance he rendered invaluable service to the ratepayers. As a member of the City Council he was a keen and able critic of expenditure, and was a tireless guardian of the interests of the ratepayers. Apart from his participation in local body affairs, Mr Flesher was actively interested in the Red Gross Society and in the St. John Ambulance To the conduct of the affairs of both these organisations he devoted much time and thought, and had their welfare ■ much at heart. Another direction in which his activities were spent was the Canterbury Pilgrims' Association, of which he was president for many years. In the pioneers and the work they accomplished, and in their descendants, Mr Flesher took a very live interest, which was manifested not only at the quarterly gatherings of the pioneers and their descendants, and at the meetings of the committee, but also at the celebrations in connexion with Anniversary Day. A staunch member of the Methodist Church, Mr Flesher was in 1896, prior to the union of the Methodist Churches, secretary of the Federal Council and worked assiduously to bring the negotiations 1 for union to a successful issue. He was a member of the General Conference on three occasions, a member of the New Zealand Conference for over thirty years, and was honorary legal adviser to the president from 1912 to 1917. He was secretary for five years of the North Canterbury Methodist Sunday School Union and in 1902 was president of that body. Mr Flesher's connexion with municipal affairs began in 1893} when he was elected to represent the Richmond Ward on the Christchurch City Council, which he continued to do till 1895. In 1918 Mr Flesher was again elected .to the City Council and was of the By-laws and Finance Committee, one of the most important committees of the Council. He remained a Councillor till 1920, and in 1923 he was elected Mayor of Christchurch, a P OB1 * tion he held till 1925. In 1028 he was elected to the Council and was a member at the time of his death. From April, 1915, to March, 1917, Mr Flesher was Mayor of New Bfighton, and did a large amount of .useful "service in connexion with the 4 war work done in the borough. In 1918 he was appointed borough solicitor, a position he continued to hoRL till his death. Mr Flesher was first elected to the Christchurch Tramway Board in 1906, and was chairman from 1913 to 1916, and was a member of the Bo&Td at the time of his death. Other local bodies i of which Mr Flesher was a member ' were the Christchurch Domains Board (1927), the Waimakariri River Trust, Richmond Domain Board (1901-11), and the Richmond School Committee. Other bodies of which he was a member were the McLean Institute (1923), Avon ! Licensing Committee (since 19i2), and the Christchurch Musical Society (1915-18). Mr Flesher was a foundation member of the Canterbury Progress League, which was established in 1918, his membership of the City Council giving hi-n a seat on the executive of the League. In June, 1929, Mr Flesher was elected president of the League, succeeding Mr J; E. Strachan. Prior to thj annual meeting in 1930 Mr Flesher advised the League that owing to the state of his health he did not intend to seek nomination for a second term, but he was asked by the League to leave the matter in the hands of the League, as it was desired that he should have a second year as president. At the annual meeting in July Mr Flesher was unanimously re-elected president. As a member of the executive and as president of the League he was untiring and enthusiastic in his advocacy of movements designed to further the interests of the provincial district as a whole. The funeral will take place to-mor-row morning. . . Mr Flesher is survived by his widow and by one son, Mr Hubert de R. Flesher, and one daughter, Mrs F. M. L. Sheppard, of River road. The death of Cr.. Flesher creates the third vacancy on the City Council so caused during its present term. The others, filled by by-electiona, were occasioned by the death of Crs. P. W. Sharps and F. R. Cooke. MR GEORGE GILLING. The death has occurred of Mr George filing, who was for a long time headmaster of the Little River Main School. He was t>orn in Nottinghamshire and came out to New Zealand when still a child He was educated in Christchurch and afterwards served aB a pupil teacher, later becoming assistant master at the East Christchurch School. In 1885 he was appointed headmaster of the Little River School, a position which he held until his retirement some years ago. MR F. B. BARKER. (press association tsusgbak.) GISBORNE, August 18. The death occurred to-day suddenly of one of the best-known residents of Poverty Bay, Mr Frank Brayton Barker, aged 67 years. He was educated at the Dunedin High School, and came ' to Poverty Bay in 1878 to assist - his father in the management of the Whataupoko Estate. Later on, in company with his brothers, he purchased and broke in Ruakaturi Station, in which property he retained an interest till his death. He was prominently associated with a number of local institu-

tions. He leaves a widow, three daughters—Mia«« Audrey, Every, and HUanr Barker—and one-sou—Mr Derek Barker. MR A. BORE. CPKBSS iSSOtIMIO* nUOIUt.) " BLENHEIM, August 18. The death oeenrred on Saturday night at the Wairau Pa o£ Mr Alfred Bore after a ..comparatively short illness. Hapareta Bore if as by descent an important rangatira. Hia family history is closely interwoven with the history of Wairau. Mr Bore's grandfather en his mother's side was Captain Blenkinsopp, whose alleged- purchase of the Wairau Plain at a price of • spiked' cannon is commonly regarded as leading up to the Wairau massaere. Mr Bore, who was sixty-seven years 'of age, was the last male representative of Ms family. A man of keen intellect M»d a ready speaker, he represented hla people with dignity' and ability. He was for three years chairman of the Maori Council for Marlborough and Nelson, chairman of the Maori Drainage; Board, and chairman of the Wairau *a Sehool Committee. He was an owner and trainer of racehorses, but of. late years had given up the sport. '->>