OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21906, 6 October 1936, Page 10

OBITUARY

MR JAMES HIKE

(PRESS A33OOIATIOB TELEGRAM.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, October 5.

The death of Mr James Hine,, .Mayor of Waitara, and lor SB years-apromi-nent figure in the administration of the dairy industry in North Taranaki, occurred suddenly at Waitara last night. . ‘ •:*. . Bom in Devonshire, Mr Hwe, who was 89 years of age, Cahi6 to New Zealand with Ills parents in 1879. i Ha took a keen interest in the establishment of the Tikorangi dairy factory, of which he was secretary for 30 years. Ten years ago he was elected Mayor of Waitara, and this ofiice, with the chairmanship of the Waitara Harbour Board, he held until his death. Mr Mine’s opinion in dairy matters was highly regarded, and for several years he represented the Taranaki ward on the Dairy Produce Board. He was also a member of the Taranaki Mortgage Adjustment Commission, which was recently dissolved. HO leaves an adult family.

MR J. I. STRAUS

(VirITED PRESS iSSOCUtION—COPtRIGHT.)

(Received October 5, 5.5. p.m.)

NEW YORK, October 4.

The death has occurred of Mr Jesse Isidor Straus, the business man and diplomat, from pneumonia. He Was aged 64.

Mr Jesse Isidor Straus was born at New York in January, 1872. He studied at Harvard, where he took the B.A. degree in 1893. His father and mother were drowned in the Titanic disaster in 1912. Mr Straus joined the dry goods firm of R. H. Macy and Company. He began at the bottom of the ladder, determined to learn all the details Of the business, and by 1919 had become its president. He and his two brothers managed the great store, which employs 10,000 people. In search for novelties —new goods or new models—he travelled much in Europe especially in France, Germany, England, and Spain. He spoke several languages.

But buying and selling were not his sole preoccupation. He was a collector and also a politician. A strong Democrat, he supported Mr Roosevelt’s campaign for , the Presidency by speeches artd generous gifts to the party funds. During the banking crisis in the spring of 1933 he did his best to exert a calming influence. When all the banks closed, he inserted a notice in the newspapers which ran: “I have Confidence in my Government and in our banks. I do not expect the impossible. Never has it been possible for everyone to put all his money in his pockets or his safe. 1 know that. If I try to obtain all my money, I shall make the situation Worse. 1 shall hot lose my head." In March, 1933, he was appointed ambasssador to France. His retirement, because of ill-health* was announced a few weeks ago. Mr Straus provided the funds for extensions at Harvard University, of whose Board of Overseers he was a member. He also belonged to the