OBITUARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15923, 8 May 1912, Page 11

OBITUARY.

THE BTSHOP OF TRURO. United Press Association —By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, May 6. The death is announced of the Right Rev Charles William Stubbs, Bishop of | Truro. He was appointed in 1900, and | was in his sixty-seventh year. r HON JAMES M’GOWAN, M.L.C. [Pee Press Association.] THAMES, May 7. Tho Hon James M’Gowan, Ministei of Mines, in the Seddon and Ward Administrations, from 1000 to 1908, was found dead this morning in .a. lavatory outside the Royal Hotel, where lie has resided for many years. Deceased appeared to be in excellent health, and attended a farewell social to Mr John Watson, of Mess re Price, Limited, last night, and was in splendid form. He chatted with friends this morning about 10.30, but when a commercial traveller went to tho lavatory he found Mr M’Gowan’s body. Heart disease is believed to have been the cause of death. He was unmarried, and was seventy-one years of age. It is believed that his only near relative is a sister living in Waikato. (The late Hon James M’Gowan was born at Maxwell’s Court-, County Down, Ireland, in 1841, and was consequently seventy-one years of ago. At the ago of fifteen years, on the death of his father, ho entered the service of a firm carrying on business as storekeepers, flaxmillers and farmers. At the age of twenty-three years lie left his native country for New Zealand, and landed in Auckland. Five years later ho removed to tho Thames and engaged . in the storekeeping business, from which lie retired fourteen years ago. .During the whole, period of his residence at the Thames lie displayed keen interest in all matters affecting the mining industry. Ho was elected to almost every office in the gift of his fellow-citizens, and among other positions twice.occupied the Mayoral chair. lii 1893 lio was elected,member fot Thames in tho House of Representatives at a by-elec-tion rendered necessary on account of the retirement of Mr A. (afterwards Sir Alfred) .Cadnian, who resigned in order to contest one of the Auckland City seats against Mr W. L. Rees. Ho won the seat by a majority of 311, his opponent being Mr E. H. Taylor, who, many years afterwards, represented the electorate. Three years alter his election he was chosen one of the party whips under tho Seddon ' Government. In 189(5 he met his former opponent at the polls, but won with a slightly increased majority. In 1899 he met two opponents, but led from the next highest by a majority of about 1200. In 1902 ’Mr M’Gowan’s principal opponent was Mr W. S. .Lucas, who also stood as a Liberal, but Mr M’Gowan headed the poll with a majority of ,900' votes. In 1905 he won with 1200 votes to spare, and in 1908 he scored a win by 2100. In January, 1900, on the retirement from active politics of Sir Alfred Cadnian and the Hon Thomas Thompson, ho was offered and accepted the'portfolios of Justice and Mines in the Seddon Administration. On the death of Mr Seddon, in June, 1908. Mr M’Gowan was included in the Administration formed by Sir William HallJones pending the return to the dominion of Sir Joseph Ward, and on the assumption of Office by the latter he retained the portfolios previously held by him. In addition ho received the portfolio of Immigration, and also became Minister', in charge of the Cook and other islands. : Owing to the dentil of the Hon Alhoi-t Pitt, Attorney-General, in December. 1900, certain., -redistribution' of portfolios became necessary, and Mr M’Gowan *then became Minister of Industries and Commerce, and presided ovor .these Departmentstill his retirement trom the Government at the beginning of 1909.). INVERCARGILL, May 7.

The Prime Minister made touching allusion to • the death of tlio late Hon James M’Gowan in a speech at Orawai this evening. He said that in the passing of the Hon James M’Gowan the dominion had lost an' honourable, valued and useful Minister and the country one of its noblest citizens and was the poorer to-day because he was no more. Mr M’Gowan lived a long life of great usefulness and full of benevolent action. He whs a man of outstanding, sterling worth, one who devoted himself to the uplifting of his fellows and was in the truest sense of the term a Liberal Statesman. Mr. Mackenzie further said that Mr M’Gowan’s death came very near to him. He had been closely associated with the' deceased gentleman in many ways, such as on various Royal Commissions in the House and at the Cabinet tabic. “ New Zealand,” continued’ Mr Mackenzie, “ had never a more warm-hearted and genuine man than James M’Gowan. The. . ‘ Little Minister,’ as his closer friends used to call him, will bo .greatly mised from the Legislature for many years to come, and I am sure he has not left • one enemy behind'him.”

A PIONEER. . • [Per Press Association.] . PALMERSTON NORTH. May 7. , The death occurred yesterday, after two days’ illness, of a very old colonist, Mr Charles Price, at the ago of ninetythree years. He arrived in New Zealand in 1844, and had an adventurous career. In 184(5 ho established a timber yard ’at Pipitea Point, Wellington, and later went to the Victorian gold fields. Ho was shipwrecked twice, and on another occasion a terrific explosion wrecked the vessel, the crew having a miraculous escape. His family; consisted of twenty-one children, but only two survived. The deceased never had a. day’s illness, and never required the services of a doctor till the day before his death.