OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 64, 9 December 1936, Page 6

OBITUARY

Lord Islington

London, December 7. Tiie death has occurred of Lord Islington, Governor of New Zealand from 1910 to 1912. Lord Islington (John Poynder DicksonPoynder) was born in 1866 and created a baron in 1910. He succeeded his uncle in the Dickson-Poynder baronetcy in 1884, and it was then that he took the additional surname of Poynder. Lord Islington came of' fighting stock, for' of the five previous holders of the baronetcy four were distinguished naval officers and the other a veteran of the Indian Army, the baronetcy having been conferred in the first place in recognition of the services of Admiral Sir Archibald Dickson under Lord Nelson. Lord Islington followed the family tradition by serving in the Boer War. where he was an aide-de-camp to General Lord Methuen and won the Distinguished Service Order for conspicuous gallantry. He was elected to the I-louee of Commons in 1892 and remained a member until 1910, although in the meantime he had crossed the floor of the House to join the Liberals in 1905. He held progressive ideas on education and disliked the Conservative Government’s Education Bill, while he felt that loyalty to his party should not prevent him from criticising the mistakes of Ministers. However, when the Liberals came to power Sir John, as he was then, still, according to newspaper comment at the time, was not amenable to party discipline and not completely in sympathy with the views of his party leaders. He was created a baron in 1910 and appointed Governor of New Zealand, as it was felt that his marked talent could be turned to very advantageous account in such a position. He arrived in New Zealand on June 22. 1910, and his term of office ended on December 2, 1912. On his return to England Lord Islington was chairman of the Imperial Institute in 1914-21, chairman of the Royal Commission on Public Services in 1912-14, chairman of the Royal Northern Hospital, Islington, in 1891-1912, Under-Secretary for the Colonies in 1914-15, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for India in 1915.18. He was also chairman of the National Savings Committee in 1920-26. Before his term of office in New Zealand he was for six years a member of the London County Council. He married in 1896 Miss Anne Dundas, and had one daughter. There is no heir to the title. Mr. Charles Clemens The death occurred recently of Mr. Charles Henry Clemens, of Kilbirnie. Mr. Clemens was born at Plymouth, England, and arrived at Auckland in I his early teens. He later took a keen interest in the volunteer movement. He tvas for many years captain of the Auckland Navals, later receiving the rank of major. Mr. Clemens was a member of the Baptist Church, and was known for his staunch temperance principles, and bis work in connection with the Blue Ribbon Army. In 1916 he moved to .Wellington, joining the Government Statistician’s Office in connection with the administration of the Military Service Act. and becoming officer in charge. Base Records, where he proved himself a friend and adviser to many members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. With the closing of Base Records, he was transferred to the .State Advances Department, where he served until big last illness. He is survived bv his widow and a daughter, Mrs. K. H. Cole, of Auckland. The funeral took place at Auckland last Wednesday.