DEPARTED LEGISLATORS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 1, 1 July 1925, Page 9

DEPARTED LEGISLATORS

TRIBUTES FROM THEIR COLLEAGUES

THE HONS. O. SAMUEL AND J. GRIMMOND. /

The.Legislative Council placed on. record last nighS its sense of the distinguished services rendered to New Zealand by the late Hon. O, Samuel, Chairman of Committees in the Council, and 1 of the Hon. J. Grimmond. Resolutions of sympathy were passed "with the realtives of the deceased members. The Loader of the Council (Sir Fran-- • cis Bell) made special reference, in de- ' ploring the loss of Mr. Samuel, to his ■ lengthy occupancy of the position as Chairman of the Statutes Revision Committee, ;ind to the valuable work he performed in criticising and reconstructing in proper legal form many of the measures that were considered by the Council. It was work for which Mr. Samuel was specially .fitted, and he delighted in' it. By general consent he was an admirable Chairman of Committees, fair and decisive in his decisions. Ths Standing Orders were a monument to his industry, and remained a splen-' did record of his valuable services. No one'in the Council was more competent to undertake such a task, nor possessed of the industry and determination to enable him to carry out such a work. Mr. Samuel was a man of .real distinction in Parliamentary life. Referring to the deceased legislator's part in ths work of the Council, Sir Francis said he could not remember an occasion when Mr. Samuel was more than momentarily at angry issue with any of his colleagues, and he knew no councillor whose loss would be' so generally fe!t by all. Professionally, Mr. Samuel w?*r. a careful arid accurate lawyer.' Personally he was possessed of a genial nat-' ure, he was good company, and a good friend, and impressed in his own special work. Sir Francis remarked, iir conclu-' sion, that there was no one •in the Council to whom he was more indebted, and he deeply regretted his death. Other tributes were paid by the Hon: Sir John .Sinclair, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, and the Hons. J. Barr and G. W. Hislop. "One of ih » kindliest men I have ever met or known in my life," was how Sir Francis Bell described the Hon. Mr. Grimmond. Mr. Griumond, he said, was ah instance of ths splendid physique of the men who came to New Zealand in the gold rush. He was full of the enterprise of the miner, and of ' the spirit of good fellowship which distinguished that class of, man. He led a : most interesting, adventurous, and happy life, and his' early years as a miner specially qualified him for his position as Chairman of the Goldfields and Mining Committee; More than any other man in recent years, Mr. Grimmond held the affectionate regard, of the members of the Council.' Sir Francis said that he moved the motion "of regret in his death with a personal sense of a great loss from the Council Chamber. \ Sir William Hall-Jones also referred to Mr. Grimmond's qualities and services. ■ : .-'■.■ ..'■ ,-■'•■