THE LATE J. A. TORRANCE

Evening Star, Issue 14515, 5 November 1910, Page 8

THE LATE J. A. TORRANCE

At yesterday's meeting of tho Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society a life-hko portrait of tlio lato J. A. Torrance, who for many years acted as the society's agent, was presented to tho Early Settlers' Association. His Honor Mr Justice Williams, in making the presentation, said that, aa they were aware, the memoirs of the late Mr Torrance had been published, and through tho energies mainly of tho agent, Mr Gumming, a small profit was yielded by that publication. It occurred to the Committee of the society th.it the best thing to do with that small amount would be to invest it in the purchase of a porirait of the late Mr Torrance, and to present it to tho Karly Settlers' Association. He did not know if Mr Torrance himself could be said to come within the definition of an early settler. Ho arrived. His Honor believed, after the goldlields rush had broke:) out. He came out in the Ben Lomond, of which ship he was chaplain. He bad always understood —he might be mistaken—that an early settler was one who arrived before the outbreak of the goldfields. Whether, however, Mr Torrance could be called an early settler or not, it was fitting that his counterfeit presentment should find its home in the Early Settlers' Hall. Mr Torrance was of spiritual kin to tho early settlers. Like them, he worked hard, be disregarded comfort, and ha li;;d a high spiritual ideal. He was sure that the representatives of tho early settlers would cherish the memorial of so remarkable a man—a man who for forty years served the interests of the poor' and the afflicted. It was quite tit ting that there should be so mo public memorial of him in the City. And this was the nearest approach to a memorial that at present they wero able u> establish. He would ask Mr Donald Hi-id, as representing the Early Settlers' Association, to accept the portrait on its behalf. It was a great pleasure to himself and to all of them to see Mr Donald Iteid, a worthy representative of the early settlers—(applause)—still to the fore, still ready to work, and ready to take part in anything that acted for the good of tho community. He had pleasure in handing Mr Iteid the portrait. Mr lipid said he felt it an honorto accept the picture, of Mr Torrance on behalf of the early settlers of Otago. He might explain that the date of entry into the Early Settlers' Association had been extended to 18P>3, and perhaps, that being so, they might get a great influx of worthy men and women to swell their ranks. Mr Torrance was a man among them. He was one of Nature's noblemen—a man who devoted his life to the uplifting of tho downtrodden, to giving spiritual comfort, and to assisting those released from prison. He was a man without any ostentation. The Early Settlors' Association would feel proud to have his jxirtrait. He hoped that many mora photographs of their citizens would be hung in what might fittingly be called their roll of fame.