DEATH OF EX-PRIME MINISTER G.W. FORBES

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1947, Page 4

DEATH OF EX-PRIME MINISTER G.W. FORBES

P.A. CHRI/STCHURCH, May 18. Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, P.C., former Prime Minister of New Zealand, died yesterday. He was 78 years old.

The late Mr Forbes, who was the former Member of Parliament for Hurunui, was born in Lyttelton in 1869, where his father was the founder of a firm of ironmongers and hardware merchants. He was educated at Lyttelton School until he was 12, and when his family moved to the city, he attended Christchurch Boys’ High School. In later years he became interested in politics, his sympathies being with the Liberal Party. He 'was unsuccessful in the general election in 1902, but in 1908 he was elected by Hurunui to the House of Representatives. Mr Forbes took office as Prime Minister in May, 1930. In 1931 he became head of the Coalition Government and Minister of RaiL ways. His Government was defeated at the polls in 1935. Mr Forbes was a Privy Councillor, and a Freeman of the City of London. Mr Forbes took up a section when the Cheviot Estate was taken over by the Crown and sub-divided some 50 years ago, and he had farmed successfully at Cheviot ever since. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, expressed deep regret at the death of Mr Forbes.

Mr Forbes died at his home at Crystalbrook, Cheviot. He is survived by his wife, one son, Robert Forbes, of Waipara; and two daughters, Miss Bertha Forbes, of Crystalbrook, and Mrs Clutha MacKenzie, of Happy Valley, South Canterbury.