'GRAND OLD MAN'

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 97, 24 April 1940, Page 5

'GRAND OLD MAN'

VETERAN RETIRES.

WORK FOR CHURCH.

ARCHDEACON MacMURRAY.

XONG SERVICE TO AUCKLAND. After more than 60 years' work for the Church, the Venerable Archdeacon George Mac Murray to-day announced that he had been compelled by ill-health to resign from the position of Archbishop's Commissary for the See of Auckland, and also from the positions of Archdeacon of Auckland and VicarGeneral of the diocese. He has been appointed an archdeacon emeritus, a rank involving no occupation of office. The "grand old man" of the Anglican Church in Auckland, Archdeacon MacMurray will celebrate his 85th birthday in August. For 48 years a resident of Auckland, he b5 3 made for himself a special place in the life of the city. Few citizens have a finer record of service to the related causes of religidh, charity and education, and *no clergyman in Auckland to-day is more esteemed and loved for good deeds and high qualities of head and heart. » The archdeacon celebrated his ministerial diamond jubilee on December 22, 1938. He retired from parochial work as vicar of St. Mary's Cathedral 21 years ago, but only to continue even more actively his labours for the Church as Archdeacon of (Auckland, VicarGeneral of the diocese, chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board, and in many other related affairs. Except for rather severe deafness, from which he has suffered for many j'ears, he enjoyed excellent health uiitil recently.

From Ireland to Australia. Born in County Donegal in 18.33, the deacon was ordained in 1878 in the little country cathedral of Kilmore, County Cavan, by the bishop of the diocese, Dr. Darley. A year later he was made a priest, and in 1880 took the B.A. degree as a "respondent" at Trinity College, Dublin. He obtained his M.A. degree in 1883. After three years as incumbent of Killinagh, County Cavan, Archdeacon Mac Murray acce.pted an invitation from the Bishop of Ballarat to take charge of the parish of Ararat, in his diocese. A fellow-passenger on the voyage tO| Australia in 1885 was Mr. James Dilworth, of Auckland. A fellow-Irishman, Mr. Dilworth had a common interest with the young clergyman, in that his old headmaster at the Royal School, Roscommon, had been Bishop Darley. In 1892, when the incumbency of St. Mary's Cathedral became vacant through the resignation of the Rev. G. H. S. Walpole, later Bishop of Edinburgh, Mr. Dilworth suggested that his friend, who was then vicar of St. Paul's, Ballarat, and a canon of the cathedral, should be invited to fill it. Under his persuasion Mr. Mac Murray came to Auckland. During liis ministry of 27 years In Parnell, the archdeacon accomplished much for the religious life of his parish and of Auckland. Largely through his efforts the cathedral building was completed in 1898, a parish hall built and the original parish debt paid off. Dilworth Trust Growth. Archdeacon Mac Murray's sound judgment and firm grasp of practical affairs ' were soon utilised by the diocese, and he !■ had much to do with the founding of 1 the Children's Home, Richmond Road, St. Mary's Homes, Otahuhu, and the . Order of the Good Shepherd. , Possibly the greatest visible result of : his work in Auckland is the Dilworth I School. He is the only survivor of the l six trustees appointed in 1894 under i Mr. Dilworth's will to administer an - estate of great potential value, and to ; establish a boys' school which the testar tor hoped would become the "Christ's r Hospital" of Xew Zealand. The bulk - of the estate consisted of a large area - of suburbau farm land, the rents from which were entirely eaten up by rates.

The trustees' first task was to build up revenue. They raised and spent large sums in the development of the property for leasing in residential allotments, and in 190ti they were able to open the school with eight small boys. To-day it has primary and secondary departments with a large attendance, while instruction is given in agriculture and handicrafts. Fine City Building. An outstanding achievement of the trust has been the erection of the fine eight-storey Diluorth Building on its property at the corner of Queen and Customs Streets, the site of the old Thames Hotel. Architecturally and otherwise, the building is a real asset to the city, and well justifies the trustees' enterprise in borrowing £100.000 to erect it. To-day the capital of the trust is in the neighbourhood of half a million, and its future promises great usefulness to the young manhood of the Auckland Province. As chairman of the trust for the past 14 years, Archdeacon Mac Murray has been very largely responsible for the sound and wise administration of its affairs, and the excellent record of the He has always taken a close interest in the life of the boy 6, who look upon him as they might upon a mucbloved grandfather. Commanding Presence. An able preacher, with a forceful style and commanding presence, Archdeacon Mac Murray is also a vigorous writer, and has always been an outstanding influence in the Synod. He has always expounded a broad human sympathy combined with sturdy patriotism. In matters of religion he has shown an example of loyalty to his own Church and Christian goodwill to other religious bodies.