OBITUARY.

Feilding Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 1410, 15 April 1902, Page 2

OBITUARY.

News was received in Feilding on Thursday of the death of Mr Frederic Le Cren, of Timaru (father-in-law of Mr Blundell manager of the Feilding branch of the Bank of New Zealand) who, (reports the Press) held the position of manager there of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company from April 1876, to December last, when he resigned owing to ill-health. Mr Le Cren, who was 67 at the time of his death, was educated at the Blue Coast School, London, and after some time spent in Melin the days of the diggings, came to Lyttelton in the eaily days. Hia brother, the late Mr H. J. Le Cren, had arrived in Lyttelton prior to the arrival of the first four ships, and acted as agent for the owners of the historic vessels who had chartered them to the Canterbury Association. He established himself in business in Lyttelton when Mr Frederic Le Cren came from Australia; Subsequently Mr F. Le Gren took over the management of the ferry over the Heathcote, which was then the only means by which the earlier settlers could cross on their way to Christchurch, and was afterwards appointed Postmaster at Lyttelton. He again took over the ferry, and married whilst at Heathcote, Miss Mills. In 1855 Mr H. Le Cren removed to Timaru and entered into business as a merchant and general agent. Subsequently, about 1864 Mr F. Le Cren also went to South Canterbury, and became a partner in the firm of Cain, Munro and Co. On the dissolution of the partnership he carried on a part of the business and then sold out. On H. Le Cren going Home Mr F. Le Cren acted as his agent, and took an active part in the forma* tion of the Timaru Landing and Shipping Company. In 1875 he became the Timaru manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, and at the time of his retirement he was the senior manager in Australasia, having held that post for twenty-six years. He was a director of the Timaru Gas Company, and of the Timaru Building Society, and was elected a member of the first Town Council. On Timaru being proclaimed a Borough he waa elected a member of the first Mua^ipal Council. He was also a member of the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works, the Harbour Board and the Hospital Board. During his term of office as a member of the latter the present Hospital building was erected, and one of the wards was named after him. Mr Le Cren leaves a widow, .six sons and two daughters.