OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16933, 7 September 1920, Page 7

OBITUARY.

3m ALBERT KAYE.

Keen regret was expressed in the eitv yesterdny when news of the death of Mr Albert Knye became known. Mr Kayo was deservedly and highly esteemed in business, musical, religious, and manv other circles. By his lengthy nnd valuable rorvices on public bodies, and by bis active participation in all | movements for the furtherance of the interests of the city and of Canterbury as a whole, he did much to establish the- prosperity, and to assist the prorrreas. of both town and country. For some time past Mr Kayo had not enjoyed the best of health, and about a month ago, acting on medical advice, lie left for Australia, accompanied by .Irs Kayo. Yesterday a privato cable mosst.ge from Syunev announced that .Mr Kayo had died vestcrday morning in a private hospital, and that the funeral would take place to-day in Sydney. Mr ivavp was born in Huddersfield, Yorkrhire. in 1850, and was educated at !'Y>rost House School, Woodford Greon, Essex He was brought up to a mer-•:-:uiti!e life as a shipping clerk, and afterwards served for several renrs in tlm London and Westminster Bank. Tn August, 1871 having decided to come to the colonies, Mr Knye arrived in Adelaide Smith Australia, and after sorying in the National Bank of Australia for n brief period, be became manager lor Messrs W. R. Cave and Co., grain and shinning merchants, Port Adelaide, a position lie :-o!d till lie resigned it in .November, 1383, to come to Christchurch. Hero, with Mr H. 3>. Carter, Mr Kayo established the grain and seed business of Messrs Kayo and Carter, which was carried on for many years in Cathedral souare. Ultimately the business was extended to cover frozen meat, produce, and shipping agency work, and was lemoved to its present location in Hereford street. Some time, ago the business was formed into a company, of which Mr Kave was managing director. \lniost from the day he started business, in Christchurch Mr Kave was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce; h« was twice president of the Chamber —in IPSB-89, and in 1907-08; for most of the time he was a mombcr of the Council of the Chamber, and an energetic member of tho Chamber s sectional committees. Mr Kayo, as president of the Chamber, represented it at- the opening of tlio Dunedin Exhibition m 1880; and in 1897, *boing on a visit to England, ho was present at the annual dinner of tho London Chamber of Commerce, at which function ho responded to one of the toasts. In 1909 lw i-enrc-sentcd the Chamber at the Worlds Conoress of Chambers of Commerce held in Svdnev, and in 1912 he, was tho D'lamhcr's representative at the international Congress of Chambers of Commerce at Boston, Mass., U.S.A.; and was also the Chamber's representative at the conference of Chambers of Commerce in 1910. As a member of the Lvttelton Harbour Board, Mr Kayos knowledge of the requirements of business people in connexion with, shipping facilities" was of great value. He was ahvavs a strong advocate for tho improvement of the port, and at one period was a warm supporter of tho canal scheme. Mr Kaye served two terms as cfhairman c-f the Board—tho first term being from August, 1902, to February, 1901, and the second from May. 1917, to May 1919. Another public activity that claimed much of Mr Kayo's enthusiasm was theßeautifyino' Association. He was president of the Association on several occasions, and his interest in beautifying matters never diminished. He was a lover of music, and showed \is appreciation by encouraging local societies devoted to music; ho was intimately connected with the Christchurch Musical Society and the Christchurch Liedortafel. Mr Kayo -was associated witih Knox Presbyterian Church from the time he arrived in the .city, and was one of the first body of ciders elected by the congregation, a number of years ho a-cted as superintendent of the Sunday school, a position ho resigned on leaving on one of his visits to England; pressure of business, private and public, prevented him taking up the work again. Mr Kaye took much interest in the work of tJhe Christchurch Y.M.C.A. at a time when it was not so prosperous as it is now. Amongst his other activities, he was on one occasion president of tho Canterbury Employers' Association, and for several years he was "Vice-Consui for Sweden in Christchurch. In 1870 Mr Kaye married the daughter of tho Rev. Peter Maclareri, of Port Adelaide, but no leaves no family. ROYAL MUSICAL SOCIETY'S TRIBUTE. , A meeting of the committee of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society was called for last evening, and also a rehearsal fpr the chorus, but both meetings wero adjourned out of respect to the memory of the late president, Mr Albert Kayo. Dr. Bradshaw spoke feelingly of the high worth of their late chief. Mr Kayo waa president in 1905, when he (Dr. Bradshaw) was first appointed conductor, and the news of his death came as a great blow to all. A cablegram was despatched to Sydney, expressing tho Society's regret* at the loss of their president, and of sympathy with Mrs Kaye. The lato Mr Kaye was president of the Society for eight years from 1905 to 1912, and also for the current year. Mr Kayo was a very generous supporter of the Society, and when the financial position almost necessitated tho Society suspending operations, he was determined that this should not happen, and made an eloquent appeal for a further effort, which proved entirely successful, and so saved the Society from going into recess. In fact, it was entirely due to his efforts that tho Society was able to celebrate this year its diamond jubilee—6o years of continuous service in the cause of good music. On the eve of leaving for Sydney ho issued an appeal under his signature for now subscribers, an appeal " that was eminently successful. This was his last kindly 'act for the Society. The late Mr Kayo was a member of the Industrial Association for many years, and out _ of respect to his memory the meeting' of the Association called for to-night will bo (postponed for a wedk.