PROHIBITION’S LOSS

Evening Star, Issue 19045, 14 September 1925, Page 8

PROHIBITION’S LOSS

DEATH OF REV. JOHN DAWSON [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 13. The death is announced of the Dev. John Dawson, secretary ol the Now Zealand Alliance. Ho leaves a widow, one son, and two daughters. Mr Dai '.sou was born in Keighley, Yorkshire, in 1851), and lived there until lie became a married man. Prom his earliest days ho was associated with the Primitive Methodist Church. He I was a scholar in the West Lane Sunday | School,turn! at seventeen years of ago ; became a Primitive Motliodist local 1 preacher. 1 At twenty-one years of ago _he bcf came an evangelist. Doing desirous of 'becoming more fully qualified lor his ! life’s work, he entered Clilf College, i where he spent about three years in 'study. At that time Clilf College was I known as a great missionary institute, I controlled by Dr Grafton Guinness, i and was connected with Harley College, I London. While a student in tills eoli Icm, Mr Dawson passed the exanuna- | Hon as a candidate for the Primitive Methodist ministry, and volunteered for work abroad. The conference sent ] him to Now Zealand, where ho arrived iin 1888, having already spent seven I vears as an evangelist and student iu i England. Per twenty-one years lie was iin tho active work of the Primitive j Methodist ministry in New Zealand, | during which time he occupied almost ! every position of leadership which it I was possible for a man to occupy. Ho 'was book steward, Sunday school sccrcI tary, Building Committee secretary, land president of coutorenec. Jt was in the, year ISP I, when stationed in Christchurch, that he came iu close contact with the leaders ol the comparativoly iiCTvly-boi'U Prohibition movement, He had always lought the liquor trade by Da ml ol Hope and tomperaneo work, and iu connection with the missions lie had conducted, but tnc now movement gave an opportunity to get at close grips with the liquor enemy. In 181)7 ho was stationed in Wellington, and remained twelve years in Hie one circuit, lor ten years he was chairman of the Alliance JtxecuLivo, then iu 1909 ho became the natural successor ol the Dev. ilrank TV. jjsilt, when ho retired Irom the position of "eneral secretary for the Alliance. Writing of Iho deceased gentleman in IP2J., the Pov. J. Cocker said:— “Dor more than twelve years he has occupied the position of general secretary for the New Zealand Alliance, there arc very few men in New Zca- : land better known than John Dawson. Wo venture to state that no man m Iho dominion lias such an intimate knowledge of the Prohibition movement in this land as ho has. Ho is a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge upon this subject. Eor close upon a quarter of a century ho has been in the ‘lobbies’ ol the House ot Parliament or in the House when licensing legislation has been under discussion. His work has brought him _in contact with Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, members of Parliament, and heads of departments, and by his tact, geniality, ami gentlemanly conduct ho has retained the respect of them all, and was never more respected by them than ho is to-day. Ho has occupied a very delicate and diflicult position among the clashing political Thirties as representing the Prohibition .Pari v, which is independent of every political parly, but lie has always acquitted himself with credit to the party he lias represented. Even the liquor advocates respect John Dawson, and, while opposed to him, yet his quiet, dignified manner forbids them taking nmlue liberties in their treatment of him.”