DEATH OF SIR GEORGE M'LEAN

Evening Star, Issue 16351, 17 February 1917, Page 9

DEATH OF SIR GEORGE M'LEAN

Mo announce with much regret the death of Sir George M'Lean. Me passed away early this morning at his residence in Elder street.

Sir George was born at Elgin, Scotland, on tho 10th September of 1804, being the youngest son of James and Ann M’Loan. His mother’s maiden name was Jane Procter. Ho was educated at the Elgin Grammar School and at St. Andrews. Of many of mm prominent men who have died within Lie past few.years we have- had to record an emigration to Victoria in the dav.s of Lie diggings-, and Mr M'Lean is another V. ho went through that- experience. It was Hot, however, to dig for gold that ho mo ■out. Ho was trained for a banking career, iiml on arriving m Victoria in 1851 hs joined tho service of ' the Bank ot Australia. shortly afterwards changing to the Oriental Banking Corporation's employ. . he was offered and accepted a. posi--111 Otago, being engaged by Mr Larkworthy to come over as manager of tho ■U linen in branch of the Bank Zealand. On the 10th March, 1867, he .married Miss Isabel Holmes, daughter of tho late Matthew Holmes of Awainoa. In 1868 he left- the bank to go into commerce as a. partner in tho firm of GanrilL and M'Lean.

1 ho year following ho entered the political ;iieiiii, being returned in Apiil. 1869, la t -o Otago- Piovincial Council a- s member tor U aikoiuulL in room of Robert Mitchell, wio resigned. Office came to him at once, Mr Julius Vogel. Mr B. C. Haggitt, and -'tr .John Hiigiics resigned/ so Mr Macandmv had three " vacancies in Lie Executive to fill, and on the u-h A-iay, 1869. ho announced the appoint merit of Mr O, M'Lean as Provincial SecTs-lary- and Provincial Treasurer, ■ii Donald Reid m tho Departments of i-iiuds and Works, and Messiv. J. L. Gillie? raid G. Duncan as non-official members of the Executive. Mr M'Lean’s stay in tho Lou m-A was, however, of brief duration, 110 acted during the special .session of aO JJ“! ;uu (, resigned in 1870. This ta.rtc o. ]K..illc lire dul little more than .sharpen ■'nr M'Lean's ilusiie for a wider field of F C ‘ 10 ,‘/ .L‘ 1871 he sought the suffrages of j" U: »wu’Jvouiuii ■e’c'ft-oi'3. and writs roturnod u * of Kopre&ontaliv<?s, »Vhort ! v J . T this he had ;m illness, and to fc-t up -'is h"altii ho look a prolonged lour, isaiiinnffhout ibo Islands for awhile in (ho J-ras-'o Aicol, and eveiiuially proceeding Home, lei liming to Oiage, hv the ship Warwick vvluc.i arrived on the'3rd F-ebiiiaiv. 1877 in -’-ay of 1875 he. -stood again lor Wai Kmi:ii(j, and was once more returned. On t-i v nth duly. 3876. he accepted office as V onuiua-snuwr of (T-doms in tint Vogel

--lomiins!raiion. ami when Sir Julius w<mt iJomo ns A gent-Genera!. in September of tiuu. year, Mr M’Lean took the poitfolios '-oiuniissioue-r of Custom,;. Postmaster-l-'cncra!, and Commissioner of Telegraples m ine Ministry that .Major Alkmoon remirianctwl. This ainmgt-inent lasted nmi! UroiKu' of 1877, when the Atkinson Go-' ve’immm were replaeed by an Acini mist ranon wi-L.ii Sir George Grey at the head. Chi tnr 12*1 !r December. 1881, Mr M’Lean eaJi.d io (he Legislative Council bv -■ i (mm Sir John) Hall, (he appoiuliPen* oemc; lor life.

Meanwhile Ik had been employing part 01 l!s time in his oid jtrofession. ' There 1,5 ‘i b'ywra! idea chat Sir G. ATLean was (go ,1-j and only chairman of directors of the Colonial flank, hut old residents rctmmhsv otherwise. This; bank started operations shortly after Mr MTmanV le unn Kmu j«w \ .ait to tne Old Country, and the Jirs* ua'ryeariy meeting was held in J.mnarv 0: tcWo, when Mr Aiatthew Holmes was uiairm.ni. To linn there succeeded Mr W. •T -w. Lai'nach. hj was in 1876, when Mr ■ hi o, e was chairman. that Mr MfLaan joined (he tbrocloratc. ami we do not Umi iris’nr.mo online balance-sheets as chairman till July ) 16c. In IcJo (tie subject of our notice paid another visit to Europe, and was stu-ce-eded as cindmau of the hank by Mr E, 15. Cargul. out resumed the position in 1886. r.nd remained ehainnau up io the liquidation. (fd t -corge also enjoyed 3 h-og connection wim a. more piospermis insiiluiion. the Union 81 earn Binp Company. \V!c aMr •biipes Mills projjiuied tins company Mr M'i.ean took an inteiesi, and became a mcnjiier of vi.e Jim Boa id of Hi, .-cm s,” fluting lue Inst eighteen months, of the company's: (xismu-c, being a memler of Urn Cabinet, lie was not m leutdar allenda.iu>.‘ aty (lie meetings of (lie Board, but ailer gomg out of the (lovc-i ament in 1877 lie wan appointed by the company ehainnau of directors, and was reappointed bv ids colleague.-: year aitc-r y:ai np 10 1606. when lie Utiivd. ami made picparations tor upending OI Well-earned icisuiv Ihe inn,rind r of his days, not knowing thev wem lit be so lev., .at (lie meeting that a.-cejacd .Mr MjLian's resignation the following resolution was passed ; “Thai in view of -dr ATLean having in'limited Mint he Would not Seek iv-efe.•! ion as a uii ec lor. (Ite Board resolve to take this opportunity to place on record their st uu- of the value hi the servit-os rendered by him to (lie company as director since the initiation. recognising Mud (be p.; act hj :>I in. teiest 1 iiki-n by him in the ailau s of Mm company has been of material as.-.is,.sure in the company's progress and development whilst Ins association wiih dm oliii-r members of tin- presold ami previous ooaids has hem ol the mosl idca.-ant and helpful i.haraeler," At a mvViing of the shareholders alter the ret iron mi n' a snbsuimnii sum was voted to Mr Mi.ean t->-v.a.ii-as the expenses of his proposed trio H'-inio and in recognition of hir. long con-ns-/ion with the company. ■ a politician, as a- banker, as a mwfliatn, as a. shipping director, the. peoi ;' av ' , V, W iitty' of Si,- 1;. M'Bean, and !l,, ‘ ln f sr. He was no: a man who liked io take. Ids cxv-ivisv jimi-mrim. mal , pnldii; Speakin.; v:a,- lo him a .dm 1 >. pci a nee, lo In- avoultd as nmeii as pe ; b ] j‘°- • A ever once, so far as we 1 cm, imber. \ dal he n»uke anything like a imiahV s;ve: tn I’.r, iair.mni. tbotigii in his 1 h:i 1 v-live ye.r.s rxpuicmv hr li;nl j-!>-iiiy ..f oppertinnty and. almndam-e of ]n ovwguimt. \Vc do not tind him si.:a!;ing in the Lower Mouse even in she gigantic m-baie on the Abolition oi tin- Provinces Bid. excepiing a. brieiiy defend a >lrn I iiosipon.m ni. He was eor.l-nu on thur itnponani oeeadon lo retold his you- wish the’ lilty-iwu who carlum till'- scee-ud weeing as against (lie, srvenlecu who opposed iv. On ajiolher memorable occasion, al-o, lie. workedi hard and never spoke, a. won!. We refer the maritime Mnke of I Self i lio-e who saw him on the. wharf that, afienioon when ihe Union C.miipany said that the Monowai siionld put to sea and the union said die shouldn't are. not likely to forget the spectacle. Sip G. M'Le.-vu was probably the. most oxeiwd of all the, excited nun about 1 i,.: wateiside that day, but be said nothing. Of course lie, was not likely to make' a speech—it. wonion t have lue.n popular—but wo mar now say I hat so Jur as we i.iiuw he did not ilimi or aCany otla r lime avail himself of tin- opportunity which lay io his hand of making a defence through ihe columns of the Press. His method was (1.1 work in preference to talking or writing-, and the: citizens at. large really knew vciv iiitl-e. of tine man or bis business relationships. Xet that lie was by any means a. weak man. or one to be despised. Ask Mr dames Arklo and others who oppo.-ed him at .•lections, find they will reply I hat Sir George was one, of (he most, fonnidahle taelician.-Mo oncoumcr. and a. pcrleot Aapoh.-riit at canvassing. t-ocially. too, lu- was amongst, the most, princely of our entertainers. His clastic spirits. Ins open-lianih'd liospetalilv. ins knowledge, of how and when to Jo or say the light thing, made him finite, n pal ten: iiosi. and Hunedm !1 so often allowed him to entertain Governors aani other dis-tinguislic-d visitors, and feel that they j'jj I’e safe at lire residence in Hid or street. bin' v]ie>c services he deserves the thanks of the public, also for his generosity in l lie matter of racecourse luncheons, and we arc sure that in so far as these tilings were known tn the outside world the deceased gentleman had Ids reward in the good _ wishes of people of aJI ranks. Wc may safely go a step further, and add that 'though a man of strong opinions he never made a toe. Hve.rybody liked him as far as thev knew hint, and trusted him where they f-td not.. In this collection, it may be mentioned that, he was a liberal patron of the arts, and for many year? was the respected •'w&ident of the LiederUvtaL

It was, however, as a sportsman that Mr M'Lean gained the public confidence, as the result of an absolutely straight career on the Turf. At various times' he owned most perverse and unreliable horses. Matanakn was a really bad one. Pique was one of the worst. This pure could gallop with the best of them she chose, as witnos.s her groat finish with Reprisal in the Publicans Handicap at tire Eorbury, when “ Yorky ” Harrison, Reprisal’s trainer, put up that great performance of leaping the grand stand fence and the opposite fence, falling into the ditch, running down the straight to meet Reprisal and “ ride ” him home ; bnt ns a rule she stuck her toes into the ground, as the saying goes, and would not try a yard. Bir Gloorgo himself has sard that if anybody elso owned Pique no could not h,avo believed tlmt sHo was being run honestly. But notwithstanding the erratic performances of this and other members of bis team, no one ever suspected for a moment that the owner was in (lie [oast responsible for their inconsistencies, and whenever the Zetland spots won there was sure to be. a round of applause. It was in 1880 that Sir G. M'Loan entered the ranks of the owners by running a horse called Voltigour, little known to fame. In 1631 he started in partnership with Sir Hercules Robinson, the Governor, with Lady Emma, Legerdemain, and Ghana. ■ Lady Emma proved to bo a good ono, for after winning the Groat Autumn Handicap, under the HHit weight of 5.15, ridden by Malcolm Allan, the mare followed on by capturing the Easter Handicap, the Dunedin Cup J (twicc). the D.J.C. Handicap (twice), and other events. When Sir Hercules went away Sir G. M'Lean raced on his own account, owning such good horses as Eubczahl, St. Ciair, St. Ives, Lady Evelyn, Lord Rosslyn, 'Pampero, and others, and as a breeder he has given to the Turf a hot of fivers, among whom may bo mentioned Eurodydon, Blazer, Blizzard, and \ laaimir. In 1831 he joined the Committee of the, Dunedin Jockey Club, became vice-president in 1884, mid was in 1885 promoted to the presidency—a position in which during the whole twenty-one years he was never opposed, everybody being thoroughly content with his aide and beneficent administration. ItWvas through ° lr Cl. -Lean’s personal efforts that the duo quitted (no For bury and acquired their own racecourse ad Wiugatr.i a step that has resulted in rebuilding the dnh financially and otherwise, and for this and his general work in the interests "I riming the hon. gen tie man's name will ever be held in respect. Mrs M'Lean survives, and most of (ho members of the family, one of Ihe daughters bring the wife of Mr T M Wilford, M.P. ‘ ‘ '

The family wore preparing to assemble in Dunedin n ex t month for the golden wedding, °