OBITUARY

Grey River Argus, 20 June 1942, Page 2

OBITUARY

HON. FRANCIS EDWARD O’FLYNN

After only a short illness, the death occurred on Thursday night at his residence, L-2 Malone Road, Waterloo, Lower Hutt, of the Hon. Francis. Edward OFlynn, M.L ; .C. Widely known on the West Coast, and very highly respected, the iat.e Frank (J’Fiynn, as he was familiarly known to his friends, was a native of this district, having been born some seventy years ago near Kaiata. Of exceptional menial aptitude, he took up the profession of teaching, and, while still a young man, he was appointed in 1893 Heaii 'Teacher of the State School at Charleston, which then retained quite a considerable mining population, and his next appointment was as Head Teacher of the Taylorville ana tnen the Dobson School. At both of these schools he educated cnilctreii who were later to attain positions of importance in various parts of the Dominion. When the State coal mines were inaugurated, Mr O Flynn was chosen in 1905 as first Headmaster of the R-unanga Schoo. 1 , where he taught successfully for seventeen years, until in 1922 the Canterbury Education Board appointed him to the charge of the Heathcote School at Christchurch, and his final appointment was as Headmaster of the- Hornby School, in which position he spent twelve years, when in 1936 • he retired from the professipn. In the following year he was appointed to the Legislative Council, he having always been a keen student of political economy, and to the Labour movement he gave the sincere service of a lifetime. Not only was he an able and convincing speaker, but an effective writer, and under the pen-name of ‘‘Ballot Box” he was the- author of pamphlets which were as instructive as they were interesting. He collaborated with the late Messrs H. E. Holland and R. Ross in producing the pamphlet. “The Tragic Story of the. Waihi Strike.” The late Mr O’Flynn was also among those who foreseeing the historic influence which the Labour Movement was destined to exert on the future of New Zealand, advanced the project nearly a quarter of a century ago that the “Grey River Argus” should be taken over by the movement, with which it has since been identified. He pioneered on the West (Coast the Workers’ Educational Association. Mr O’Flynn also was a foundation member of the New Zealand Educational Institute in Greymouth. He was associated while at Runanga with the establishment' of the Seddon Memorial Library, having been secretary of the Seddon Memorial Institute at the- same time as the Hon. R. Semple was president. He took a lively interest in several forms of sport, and on both the ißuller and West Coast Rugby Union he served as an executive member. To very many of the older generation of West Coasters the news of the passing of Fi’ank O’Flynn will come regretfully, all remembering him as a kindly and inspiring personality. Pre- ■ deceased by his wife five years ago, he leaves a son, Frank, and two daughters, Helen and Nina, all of whom reside in Wellington, while Mrs F. H. Denton, of Greymouth, is a sister-in-law. ROBERT QUINN Last week the death, at the age of 63 years, occurred at the Wairau Hospital, Blenheim, of a former well-known West Coaster in the person of Mr Robert Quinn, a native 6f Piper’s Flat, Stafford, who spent his youth in that locality and in the Kumara district. He left Kumara about forty years ago and had since lived in other parts of the Dominion having latterly been a well-re-spected resident of Blenheim, prior, to which he was for many years identified with the Taranaki district. He was predeceased by three sisters, Mesdames T. Moynihan (Kokatahi), J. Shannon (Kumara), and D. Moynihan (Westport) and by one brother, John (Australia), while he is survived by one brother, Richard, formerly of Greymouth, and now' of Christchurch. His funeral, which took place on Saturday last, from St. Mary’s Church, Blenheim, was numerously attended.