OBITUARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 July 1920, Page 5

OBITUARY

MR. ROBERT TENNENT,

Widespread regret was occasioned in Greymouth by tne news of the death of Mr. Robert Tennent, which occurred in Wellington on Sunday morning. The deceased had attained his 80th year, and had been ailing for some time past. The deceased gentleman was widely known on the West Coast, and was respected by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. He was for manj 7 years a prominent figure in the mining industry. Mr. Tennent was appointed Inspector of Mines for the provincial districts of Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland in 1897, in succession to Mr. A. D. Cochrane, a position lie held for eleven years, until his retirement. His district, one of the most important in the Dominion, contained the well-known Brunner, Westport and Blackball coal mines. Mr. Tennent was bom in Glasgow, where he was educated and studied at the School of Mines at the Andersonian Institute. He filled the position of certificated manarrer at the Springbank Coal Co’s collieries, near Glasgow, for nearly eight years, and resigned the position on leaving for New Zealand. Mr. Tennent gained his certificate as mine manager by examination at Edinburgh in 1875. and had a wide experience before leaving the Old Country. He came to Now Zealand in 1883, and took up a position at the Brunner mines, where he remained for thirteen years. He was present at the Brunner disaster, and worked assidu • ously in the rescue of the entombed miners, and during the official enquirv gave important evidence, which through out • was unshaken despite the fact that he was severely cross-examined by several lawyers. For a time he was manager of the Coolgardie mine at Brunnerton. The late Mr. Tennent was considered an unimpeachable authority on mining matters.

The deceased was twice married, and leaves a family of three sons and two daughters by his first wife. Ilis widow resides in "Wellington, The srnis nr» : —John (G’Tvmouth, ioweller), David (Stratford, Blair and Co.. GreyTr, outb\ and Robert (South Africa') The daughters are "Mrs. IT* Bmistridgo (Greymouth Y and Mrs.t, J. Dean ('Havelock There are ■ twentyfonr grandchild von. The remains of the late Mr. Temmnt •will be transferred to Greymo'-th »v the s.s. Karamu, leaving Wellington tp-nieht. The interment will take place privately.