OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 98, 25 April 1919, Page 7

OBITUARY.

KS W. J. SPEIGHT. A NOTABLE CAREER. The many friends of Mr. William Jamee Speight will learn with regret that he died at a private hospital yesterday afternoon, after a brief illneae.

Mr. Speight wae born in Dublin in 1843, being a son of Mr. Richard Speight, of the firm of Haigh and Speight,; engineers, of the above city. After completing his education at the Dublin Blue Coat School and serving hk apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer with - his father's firm, he came out to Auckland in 1865 in j the ship Maori, just two years! before the outbreak of the , Thames Groldficlde, which not long after reached the zenith of rich finds. Thither Mr. Speight went, and established himself in his own line of business. Well informed and of a distinctly literary turn of mind, he subsequently conducted the "Thames Advertiser" newspaper for some years with great vigour and success. He was associated with the inception of borough government at the Thames, and was for the whole eighteen yeare of his residence there an unopposed member of its council. He was on several occasions pressed to accept the Mayoral chair, but declined the honour. During the same period he was continuously a member of the Thames School Committee. In him the cause of temperance always had a staunch and powerful advocate. Several terms of office as Grand Chief Templar for the Colony brought him into colonial prominence at a time when Good Templary flourished. The Grey party recognised in <Mr. Speight a man of mental force and platform ability in the stirring time of political struggle which resulted in the dawn of democracy in this country, and selected him in 1879, though then a resident of Thames, *v contest the Parliamentary election for Auckland City East against Mr. McCosh Clark, at the time the successful and popular Mayor of Auckland- The fight was a close one, Mr. Speight only winning by eight votes. In Parliament his usefulness was at once manifested. The late Sir William Fox and Sir John Hall gladly availed themselves of his skilful services in shaping the latter's 'Licensing Bill, co as to secure elective instead of nominee licensing benches. Mr. Speight aleo ardently supported the great reforms advocated by Sir G. Grey, amongst them manhood suffrage and triennial Parliaments. Always the fearless upholder of all that is clean, straightforward and manly, he vu ready and strong in denunciation of abuses actual or threatened. The passing of the Triennial Parliamcnta Act brought about another general election in 1881, and with that loyalty which is the attribute of the true party men, Mr. Speight, at his party's suggestion, stood aside in favour of his chief, Sir Geo. Grey, in City Eaet, and consented to contest tl»e Thames electorate. The Hon. John Sheahan, also a man of brilliant abilities, stood ior the same seat, and was returned t>y the narrow majority of seventeen votes. Three years later c closer, but hardly so keen a contest ac the previous one, for the same constituency, took place betwen Mr- Speight and the late Colonel Fraser, resulting in the latter's return by the small majority of seven votes.

In 1886, Sir Julius Vogel, Colonial Treasurer in the Stout-Vogel administration, recognising Mr. Speight's popularity, ability, grasp of details, and organising capacity, offered him the appointment of District Manager at Auckland of the Government Life Insurance Office, a position which he filled successfully for over 21 years, and upon his retirement he was appointed to the office of secretary of the Dioeeean Trust Board. For some time he was Rejected by members of both Houses of Parliament as their representative on the Board of Governors of the . Auckland Grammar School. As an ardent Churchman Mr. Speight has done good service as a member of both' the General and Diocesan Synods and of the Diocesan Trust. He was the founder of the Clergy Pension Fund. In Synod debate, his strong sense of what is right in the religious and social fabric found fervid utterance, undismayed by the more or less placid surroundings. Withal broad-minded, and tolerant of the opinions and beliefs of others, he conceded to his neighbour an equal right and equal sincerity to hia own in walking life's path uprightly. Mr. Speight married hie cousin, the daughter of the late Mr. Isaac Speight, of Parnell. His wife and second son predeceased him. The surviving children are Mrs. O. Buchanan, Mrs. W. E. j Jernam, and Miss Carrie Speight, Mr. R. | Speight, of Te Papapa, Mr. C. G. Speight, i man&ger of the National Bank, Hamilton, Sergeant C. E. Speight, on active! service, Second-Lieut. H. B. Speight, and Sergeant R. J- Speight, both recently returned from active service. His sister, Mrs John Somerville, of Gisborne, also survives him

The interment will be at P-urewa Cemetery to-morrow afternoon, leaving his late residence, St. George's Bay Road, Parnell, at 2.30, a short service being held at the house at that hour.