OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 20586, 11 September 1930, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR ALEXANDER BATHGATE It was by tho ship Star of Tasmania that John Bathgate came from Scotland to Otago, in 1863, to take the position of colonial manager of the Bank of Otago. In the Homeland he studied law at tho. Edinburgh University, qualified as a Writer., and became Procurator Fiscal of the County of Peebles. After seven years of banking in Dunedin he entered the Otago Provincial Council and became Provincial Solicitor. , In 1871 he was elected as one of the Dunedin members in the House of Representatives, held tho portfolio of Justice in the V. aterhouse and Fox-Vogel Governments. In 1874 he resigned his seat, and shortly afterwards was made District Judge i i Dunedin. In .1885 ho was called to the Legislative Council, His son Alexander, who died on Tuesday, came out with him, s awed, for a while on the staff of the. Bank of Otago, but eventually chose his father’s profession. In 1869 ho was articled to Mr G. K. Turton; ho completed his articles with his father, and was admitted to the practice of tho law in 1872. His first partner was Mr Noel Lee Buchanan, wiio ultimately threw up tho law and went sheep farming. Mr Bathgate then entered into partnership with Mr J. F. Woodhouse. The firm of Bathgate and Woodhouso lasted for quite a while, until Mr Bathgate retired and Mv Woodhouso joined Mr J. M. Fraser, At the law Mr Bathgate had an extensive business, largely of the trust and family order, though he also frequently appeared as an advocate in the higher as well as the lower courts. But he had no love for the grind of legal practice. Ho was obviously a

happier man when able to withdraw to other and more congenial studies* For authorship Mr Bathgate had distinctive qualifications. Several of his works are in the Hocken Library, amongst them ‘ Wailaruna,’ * Picturesque Dunedin,’ ‘A Plea for the Establishing of Arbor Day,’ ‘Dunedin and Neighbourhood.’ and 1 The Legend ol the Wandering Lake.’ The titles indicate Mr Bathgate’s taste lor Nature studies Always a keen and ardent observer of Nature, he made considerable contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of New Zealand. Hjs professional duties confined him largely to an urban life, but his tastes as a. naturalist led him to make horticulture and arboriculture his favourite hobbies. His garden at the bead of the Glen in Mornington was .stocked with a very interesting collection of exotic shrubs and smaller plants, gathered from many parts of the world, and his known interest in tho subject brought him into touch with collectors and cultivators throughout the country. He was a most generous fellow-worker. When ho possessed any rare or new plant nothing 'seemed to give him more pleasure than to givo his friends roots, seeds, or cuttings. His love of trees helped him largely in his continuous efforts to carry on tho work of the Amenities Society, winch owed its establishment to his foresight, energy, and zeal Dunedin owes him a debt of gratitude for this work, which has done so much to add to tho natural beauty of tho city and its surroundings; and tho country is equally indebted to him, for tho local society was the pioneer of many other similar bodies throughout tbo dominion. The idea of forming a beautifying society' lor the improvement of waste

places about Dunedin originated in 1887, Qut-en Victoria’s jubilee, and some planting was done on the reserve since known as Jubilee Bark. Out of this activity grew the Dunedin Reserves Conservation Society, of which Mr Bathgate was the first secretary, honorary, of course. Later the name was changed to the Dunedin Amenities and Town Planning Society, and for nearly forty years Mr Bathgate made this “his business and delight,’’ first as secretary, then as president, and, when he retired from office in 1925, as life member and patron. To tho interests of art Mr Bathgate was a steady' adherent, ever ready to work earnestly. After the 1889-90 Exhibition, or towards its close, a question forced upon the community was ns to tlie establishing of a permanent art gallery on a business footing, and n movement set on foot by Mr Bathgate, Mr Darcy Haggitt, and one or two other citizens, resulted in the formation of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society, of which Mr Bathgate was president until its amalgamation with the Otago Art Society in 1922, after which ho continued in office as one of the vice-presidents whoso aid was always available. Amongst his business activities Mr Bathgate’s connection with Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co.’s New, Zea-. land Drug Company was ono of the most important in later years. He was elected a director in, 1004, and held his seat until 1 July of 1929, and he was chairman from 1911 to 192 G. • Mr Bathgate joined tho board of directors of the Trustees, Executors, and Agency Company on August 29, 1913. and became chairman of directors on May 22, 1914. He retired from the chairmanship in May, 1927, but retained a seat on the directorate-until June 13, 1928. His association with tho ‘ Otago Daily Times ’ and ‘ Witness ’ Newspapers Company in the capacity of a director lasted, from December, 1020, when lie took a seat on the board on the retirement of Mr Robert Hay, until

July, 1929 Donaghy’s Rope and Twine Company was another company with which he was connected as a director. He took a seat on tlio board of directors of that company in December, 1915, and held it till July, 1929. Early in his career, whilst a banking officer at Hamiltons, ho served on the school committee there. He became a member of the M rniugton Road Board in 1876. He was one of the very early members of the Dunedin Bowling Club, which ho joined during 1872. In later years ho took a seat on the board of directors of tho ‘Otago Daily Times and ‘ Witness ’ Company. Ho was the first president of the Otago Expansion League, holding that office from 19. ( to 1918. He took a leading part in the affairs of tho Otago Central Railway League at tho time when it was clamouring for tho extension of tho line to Cromwell, being president for sever;) I years Ho was one of the very early active officers of tbo Dunedin Horticultural Society. Valuable service was also given by Mr Bathgate on the Conciliation Council, succeeding Messrs W. A. Sim and l.i'. R, Chapman in tho chairmanship in 1902 and being reappointed in 1905, Mr Bathgate’s demands for treeplanting amounted to almost - passion. When, in 1878, he got up a petition to the City Council to bo allowed to plant trees in Royal terrace the city surveyor turned it down because the loaves would bo a nuisance.” To Dr Winifred Bathgate (his daughter) and other members of the family the sincere sympathy of old dwellers will bo extended. Many Dunedin men have made more noise in the community, but none, more thoroughly deserve (be epitaph “A do tester of shains.”