OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 23744, 27 November 1940, Page 8

OBITUARY

LDRD ROTHERMERE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 26. (Received November 27, at 11 a.m.) The death has occurred of Lord Rothermere at Bermuda. [Harold Sidney Harmsworth, First Viscount Rothermere, British newspaper proprietor, was the second son of Alfred Harmsworth, and brother of Viscount Northcliffe. He was born on April . 26, 1868, London, was created a baronet in 1910, Baron Rothermere in 19H and Viscount Rothermere of Hemsted, after his services as Air Minister, in 1918. He married in 1893 Mary Lilian, daughter of George Wade Share.

At the age of 21 he entered the publishing firm of which his brother, Alfred, was the principal, soon after the date when ‘ Answers ’ was launched. He assisted in developing the business on sound and economic linos, and for the next 20 years was the close associate of his brother in all his great undertakings. He took an important part in the reorganisation of the ‘ Evening News,’ London, was one of the three principals in the establishment of the 1 Daily Mail ’ (1896) and was largely responsible for

developing its methods of distribution. He founded the ‘ Daily Record ’ (1895), bought the ‘ Leeds Mercury ’ and shared in the purchase of the ‘ Times ’ ' (1908). He became known also as a most generous benefactor of charities. By the gift of a large sum he enabled the Union Jack Club to provide accommodation for sailors and soldiers in London; and he gave £IO,OOO to the Territorial Force County of London Association. In 1910 he founded the King Edward Chair of English literature at Cambridge, and in 1910 he ceased his connection with the ‘ Times,’ the ‘ Daily Mail ’ and the ‘ Evening News.’ In 1914 he acquired the ‘ Daily Mirror ’ from Lord Northcliffe and in 1915 he founded the ‘ Sunday Pictorial,’ the first fully illustrated Sunday newspaper in London. On the death of Lord Northcliffe, in August 1922, Lord Rothermere by purchase acquired control of the ‘ Daily Mail ’ and Associated Newspapers Ltd., the company which owns that newspaper among others; and subsequently bought largo newspaper properties owned by Messrs E. Hnlton and Co. Ltd. In 1917 Rothermere became Air Minister. He at once declared himself “ whole-heart-edly in favour of reprisals,” which were the best means of carrying the war into Germany and protecting British towns against air attacks. Suffering from precarious health and bereavements in the 'World War, he resigned April 25, 1918, after he had carried out tho fusion of the air service into the Royal Air Force.] MAHARAJA OF KOLHAPUR BOMBAY, November 26. (R eceivod November 27, at 1 p.m.) The death has occurred of the Maharaja of Kolhapur. MR WILLIAM SCOn Mr William Scott, whose death yesterday at the age of 79 years is reported from Wellington, will be remembered by the older' generation of Dunedin commercial men as partner in the firm of V/. and R. Scott, mercers, in the promises at the corner of Princes and Rattray streets. Mr Scott was for many years secretary of the Otago Employers’ Association and also acted as representative of_ the employers on the Court of Arbitration, a position he held from 1910 until March 31 1938. He subsequently took up his residence in Wellington, where he was, up to the time of his death, engaged as librarian by the Now Zealand Employers’ Federation. Early in 1896, two years after the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act came into operation, Mr Scott conducted the first, case before the court, then under tho presidency of Sir Joshua Williams. From that time until bis retirement he was associated with the court. For 15 years he acted ns advocate for the employers, conducting all the principal disputes throughout the Dominion for every trade ami industry.;