OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 479, 12 April 1909, Page 8

OBITUARY.

AIR. JAMES BARRY. Mr. James Barry, a very old and much- . rospccted resident of Wellington ,nnd a inemA?m of J,' 10 wc N"known firm of Barrv and , M UoH'cll, contractors, died on Saturday morning, at the age of 74. Sir. Barry came out to \ ictoria over S3 years ago, and, after spending a ycar'or.two in that colony, came to ilokitilca. Being shipwrecked on t-c coast, ho landed at Hokitika in his shirt and trousers, and with no other bcloncinqrs in tl'ri world. Mr. Barry nest went to'Otago, and atter spending a year or two in that i-o- ---. ymco, camo to Wollincton, which had been his homo for 48 years. He was a director of the Manawatu Railway 'Company) tho Wei-' lington Gas Company, and "Tho New Zealand limes Company, and was connected with various other business enternrises. His wife . survives him, together with an adopted daughter. Mr. Barry had no other children. I'eeling reference to the death of Mr. .any was made by tiie Rev. J. Gibson Smith m his sermon at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Umrch last evening "I cannot close tonight," said Mr. Gibson §mith, "without making some brief allusion to tho loss sustained- by our congregation in tho ■ deat.i which took place yesterday, of one of its most respected elders, Mr. James Barry. For over half a ccntury Mi- Barry has been i> resident in this colony. He camo to "Wellington in its early days, and by untiring industry, joined yith; much natural shrewd- ' J 1 ? 53 ability; he soon made a position for himself. He was one of the early trustees ot bt. Andrew s congregation, and all through Ins hfo never failed to show a deep and active interest in tho welfare of the congregation. Ho was in timo electcd to the eldership, and in that capacitv, as a wise counsellor and faithful administrator, ho served church in the session, tho Presbvter" ol Wellington, and tho General Assembly, though not sifted with eloquence, yet, when ho did speak, his words wero ever'wiso ami weighty, and to tho paint. Through all, his dealings wore ever manifest the signs of a true, honest, loyal, and simple heart. He was quickly and unostentatiouslv liberal with tho gifts with which God had blessed him, and not seldom tho distressed, the widow, and tho orphan found iii him a generous friend. He possessed tho confidence and respect of all his fellow office-bearers Personally, I feel that I have lost a kind' truo friend, whom I could ill afford to .spare'. But ho had passed the three-scoro years and ten spoken of by the psalmist, his strength ot body had been undermined by a long and trying illness, lasting with intermissions for over two and a half years. Wo could hardly look for him to regain his physical strength* and when at last the end came, as it did y«bterday forenoon, it came as a welcome relief from long-continued suffering. He passed away in peaco, and if wo sorrow wo sorrow not as those who have no hope, but rather as thoso who rejoice with pri'do in the good work done, in the long lifo usefully and .hon ouraDly spent, and in the assurance that tho Master whom ho sought t-o serve will take good care of His'servant. With the bereaved family, who will miss him most of all, we all of_ us deeply sympathise. I ask you now to join jn singing in memory of our dear friend, 'Now tho Labourer's Task is O'er.' "