DEATH OF SIR GEORGE TROUP

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 4

DEATH OF SIR GEORGE TROUP

Former Wellington Mayor SERVICE TO CITY AND COUNTRY After a trying illness lasting several years, Sir George Troup, K. 8., C.M.G., died at his home, 5 Cluny Avenue, Kelburn, Wellington, on Saturday morning. So ended a life largely used in the practice of those virtues that make for the best in citizenship. For the greater part of his life in Wellington, Sir George was a civil servant, architect and engineer, in the employ of .the Railways Department, and save for his work for St. John s church and charitable institutions, he was precluded from participating in public life. On his retirement from the service, however, his energies found a congenial outlet in public affairs. He became mayor of the city, and held many offices, including a seat on the board of trustees of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum, and the chairmanship of the City and Suburban Water Board and Highways Board. He unsuccessfully contested the Wellington North seat in 1931. For some years he was interested in the breeding of Friesian cattle at Upper Hutt, and, as a judge of these, he took a lively interest in the Winter Show in those years when live stock were included in the schedule. But probably the greatest single interest in his life was his work as an elder of St. John’s Church and leader of the Young Men’s Bible Class, which proved under his influence and guidance to be a training ground for many yoiing men who now occupy responsible positions.

Sir George Troup was born in London on October 31, 1863, aud was educated at Gordon’s College, Aberdeen. After leaving school he was articled to Mr. C. E. Calvert, surveyor and architect, Edinburgh, and later served as a draughtsman to Mr. J. A. Chesser, Edinburgh. Seeking pastures new, he arrived at Dunedin in 1884 and polned the Government survey staff, later being transferred to the Railways Depart-, ment as engisering draughtsman in the Chief Engineer’s office, Wellington. In 1902 he became office engineer. Four years later he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of British Architects. When the architectural branch of tire Railways Department was created in 1919 he became its head. He retired in X92a. As architect and engineer he designed the railway station'in Dunedin (for years the finest in the country), the railway head offices in Featherston Street, Wellington (recently, modernized), and many bridges, stations, and other structures. He also did work in connexion with railway housing, being associated closely with the sectional construction plan as successfully developed in the Auckland district. After his retirement from the Government service Sir George seemed to take a new lease of life. He served on the Wellington City Council for two years and was mayor from 1927 to 1931, the term immediately preceding that of the present mayor, Mr. Hislop. As mayor Sir George was an advocate of wider streets and better roads. He conceived the idea of an 80 foot street round Te Aro fiat—Courtenay Place to the north, Kent and Cambridge Terraces to the east, Buckle Street to the south, and Taranaki Street to the west. The two first-mentioned already existed, but proclamations were placed on Buckle and Taranaki Streets. Already part of Buckle Street is widened to the new breadth and several buildings in Taranaki Street have been set back to the new alignment.

Always a lover of art and the possessor of several valuable paintings, Sir George, during his term as mayor, was a spearhead in the campaign for securing a National Art Gallery for New Zealand in Wellington. It was in a measure due to his influence that the Government was induced to hand over the Mt. Cook site in Buckle Street for this purpose. Then came the problem of financing the cost of the structure, and here again Sir George worked Whole-heartedly for the appeal made to the public of Wellington to raise £lOO,OOO, "the sum necessary to earn the Government subsidy which made the project possible. As mayor he had to face the depression and he was at the back of the loans raised by the city council for the unemployed, and the schemes of work devised for relief purposes. He was also interested in the project for an aerodrome at Rongotai. Sir George served a term as president of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, president of the Friesian Cattle Breeders’ Association, and president of the Wellington Boys’ Institute, in which he took an enthusiastic interest ever since Its establishment in a little brick building in Wakefield Street (where Smith and Smith’s premises now stand). „ . It was during his term as mayor that plans were prepared for a roadway, the alignment of which was approximately the same as the one which has since been made to solve the western access problem- In such matters his training as an architect, engineer and surveyor were of valine to the city council His energy, enthusiasm for the task in hand, and his integrity and strong character, made him an influence for good and an inspiration to the councillors who sat under him. Sir George was a well-known member of the Wellington Rotary Club. He is survived by a widow (nee Miss Sloan) and four children, one son and three daughters. His son, Mr. Gordon Sloan Troup, is teaching in Christchurch. The daughters are Miss Annie Troup, Wellington, Miss Ina Troup, librarian in the Agricultural Department, and Mrs. S Weir Auckland. There is one surviving sister, Mrs. W. P. Smith, Invercargill. ’ . The funeral will follow a service to be held in St. John’s Church at 2.30 p.m. today. -