OBITUARY.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 15, 6 September 1928, Page 5

OBITUARY.

MR. THOMAS HUMPHRIES, F.R.A.S. We regret to record the death of Mr. Thomas Humphries an old and much respected resident of the Hutt, which took place at his residence, Stephen Road, last week, at the age of 87, years. The late Mr. Humphries who was a former Surveyor-General, was born in London and joined the Survey Department in Taranaki on November 1, 1857, at the age of 16 years. With other young men he was trained under the Carringtons, Neiv Zealand Company surveyors, and his field service was conducted under the strenuous and exciting times of early bush settlement and the Maori War. He was a member at that period of (Sir Harry) Atkinson's Forest Rangers, and became a crack rifle shot, He became Chief Surveyor in 1870, Commissioner of Crown, Lands in addition in 1885, Surveyor-General in 1906 until his retirement in 1909. His professional career was notable from the part he took with others in introducing and facilitating the necessary astronomical foundation for the New Zealand survey system as it is to-day, and he is the author of a working pamphlet on the subject, which is still a textbook to-day. In 1882 the late' Mr. Humphries undertook for the British authorities an observation of the transit of Venus, and in 1885 the. photographic work of the eclipqp of the sun. He also engaged in accurate observational work on geodetic and astronomical latitudes in Taranaki. The deceased was Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands for Taranaki, Clu-istchurch, Nelson, Napier and Auckland. He was a member of the Government Life Assurance and Public Trust Boards of investment, a Fellow !of the Institute of Surveyors and its president for seven years, and in virtue of his astronomical work he was made a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, London. He was a member of the Board of Examiners und^r the Mining Act, and of the Surveyors' Board. On the latter board his endless patience and interest in the numerous candidates who passed through Ms hands endeared him to all, and his knowledge and integrity won him the respect and admiration of all who were concerned with him in his numerous avenues of active work. The late Mr. Humphries was a keen bowler. He is survived by his widow end a son and daughter —Mr. S. W. Humphries of Oamaru, and Miss Hum-, X'hries of Lower Hutt.