DEATH OF MR. JOHN BOLLARD

♦ A VETERAN POLITICIAN NOTABLE RECORD OF PUBLIC SERVICE. (by telegraph— press association.) AUCKLAND, 23rd March. Mr. John Bollard, ex-member for Eden, died this afternoon aged 75 years, after an operation which took place on Sunday. Although he* was ripe in years ' the death of the late Mr John Bollard was not anticipated until shortly before his end (telegraphs our Auckland correspondent). Mr. Bollard was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, on New Year's day, 1840. He arrived in Auckland as a young man in 1860. That year he was attracted to the Australian gold fields, and he spent a short period at Snowy River. The results of this venture did not tempt him to remain there, and in the same year or early in thd following year he returned to Auckland in charge of 200 horses, which, on behalf of the military authorities, he brought from Sydney for the use of. the militia, the Maori War having broken out a short time previously. 'after his return to Auckland he met his future wife, who had also come out from Ireland as a young girl. After a short acquaintanceship the young couple were married at St. John's College on 9th May, 1861. They at once made their home at Avondale, where they resided on th& one spot ever since. For several years Mr. Bollard followed the, occupation of a farmer, and he subsequently took up the calling ' of a land _ agent and valuer. "^During - the Maori War he served as a sergeant in the Militia. He took a great interest in local affairs at Avondale, where fiftyfour years ago, the year of his marriage, he was elected a member of the school committee. That position he retained until his death, and for some fifty-one of those fifty-four years he was chairman of the committee — a record which is probably almost unique in the Empire's history. Mr. Bollard's jubilee as a member of the » school committee was celebrated in 1911, on which occasion he was presented at a public meeting with an illuminated address in honour of the occasion. Mr. Bollard attended the last meeting of the school committee, held about three weeks ago. The Avondale' Road Board is another body of which Mr. Bollard was chairman for -many years. He was chairman of this body for twenty-eight years. Mr. Bollard had been a Justice of the Peace for thirty or forty years, and he formerly held the office of Coroner at Avondale for about thirty years. Mr. Bollard represented the Eden electorate in the House of Representatives for eighteen y&ars, or no fewer than six Parliaments. He was first returned in 1896, and each succeeding election saw his return by substantial majorities, the confidence of the Eden ' electors in their representative being one of the by-words in r political circles. At the recent General Election, Mr. Bollard, owing to his advancing years, did not again seek re-election, and at the close of last session he received a presentation from the members of the Reform Party; of which he had always been a consistent follower. The presentation was made by the Prime IMinister, an old personal friend of the recipient. Mr. Massey also handed Mr. Bollard a letter expressing the Reform Party's appreciation of his long and faithful services to his electorate • and country. The esteem in which Mr. Bollard was held was not confined to members of his own party he being held in high rpspect by members of- both sides of the House and, politicians of I>r all shades of political opinion. There is no member of the last six Parliaments of New Zealand still in the land of the living who will not feel that in the death of "Honest John" Bollard, as he was popularly known, both in and out of Parliament, he has lost a friend. Fourteen children ''in all have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bollard, and ten of these — five sons and five daughters — are still living, the/eldest son being Mr. R. F. Bollard, M.P. for Raglan. Their golden wedding was celebrated at Avondale in May, 1011. Mrs. Bollard, who has also reached the age of 75 years, survives her husband. The late Mr. Bollard's health remained fairly satisfactory until recently. , For some years he had been subject to intermittent attacks of -an internal 'complaint. On Sunday last a severe recurrence of the disease necessitated his removal to a private hospital, where he underwent an operation. This appeared to be successful, and on Monday Mr. Bollard seemed to be making favourable progress. He took a change for the worse about 6 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and he passed away afc 3.30 p.m.