DEATH OF SIR JAMES WILSON

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6901, 6 May 1929, Page 6

DEATH OF SIR JAMES WILSON

Notable- Career

CLOSING OF LONG RECORD OF SERVICE

New Zealand and the Manawatu and Rangitikoi districts in particular, lost one of its most prominent and worthy citizens on Friday evening, when Sir James Glenny Wilson passed on at his residence at Bulls.

The deceased gentleman had been prominent in public life in New Zealand ever since 1882, and local bodies and charitable institutions in this district will miss to a marked degree Sir James' mature judgment and wise counsel. Born at Hawick, in the North of England, tho son of the late Geo. Wilson, in 1849, Sir James was educated at Bruce Castle and Edinburgh and London Universities.

Arriving in Victoria in IS7O, Sir James lived there for four years, during which timo he married Miss Annie Adams, a well-known writer and authoress of several novels and books of verse.

On arriving in New Zealad in 1574, Sir James purchased the land on which he made his home when the Manawatu block was cut up for settlement. After spending portion of the year in Australia owing to ill-health, the deceased gentleman settled at Bulls where he resided up to tho date of his death, except for an absence of ten months in 1897, when he visited the Old Country. Ever since he arrived in New Zealand, he had engaged successfully in sheep farming at his “Lethcnty” station, Bulls.

The deceased represented the constituency of Foxton in tho House of Representatives from 18S2-90, when he was whip to the Atkinson Government, Palmerston North in IS9O-3 and Otaki 1593-6, when he retired from active participation in politics. In 1882 he was one of tho commission who had the deciding of tho route of the East and West Coast railway. Since his retirement from Parliament Sir James had held various important positions. He was elected president of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in 1900, and held that position until he resigned in 1920. So much were his services appreciated by that body that tho members of the union presented him with a very handsome album containing an illuminated address signed by all the leading officers of tho union throughout the Dominion. It was in a great measuro owing to his exortions that the present line building, known as the Dominion Farmers’ Institute, was erected in Wellington and he was chairman of the company which brought it into existence, and it will ever stand as a monument to his memory. He was chairman of tho Manawatu County Council for 26 years, resigning at the end of 1926, when ho was presented with an illuminated address from the residents of the county. He was chairman of the Farmers’ Distributing Company until his retirement in 1920.

Tho lato Sir James Wilson took a particularly keen interest in tho PaTmerstou North Hospital Board of which he was a member for nearly 30 years and chairman for over 20 years. Although a short period ago ho resigned most of his other public positions, he continued as a member of the Hospital Board, being chairman at the time of his death. During the long period in which he was associated with that institution ho had witnessed its growth from a comparatively small hospital to one of the largest and most up-to-date in New Zealand and its efficiency today reflects the great interest he manifested in it. Amongst the numerous other bodies with which Sir James was connected was the Forest.y League, ,of which he was chairman for a considerable period, and the Board of Agriculture, being the first president of the latter. He had also been a member of tho ManawatuOroua Power Board since its inception, and was chairman of the board appointed to report on the Cawthron Institute, tho report being adopted. Deceased was also a member of the council of tho Massey Agricultural College. In his younger days, tho deceased gentleman was a great enthusiast in sport, taking part in tennis, polo and cricket, and playing for the South Coast against English and Australian elevens. Sir James Wilson was the author of “Early Rangitikci,’’ a publication dealing in an interesting manner with the pioneering days in this district. Of Sir James, it can be said that his life was one of service. While his work in the Manawatu is well-known, his interests were by no means parochial and it was his influence and advocacy that was largely responsible for the Government’s adoption of a definite forestry policy and tho establishment of the State Forest Service. but one of his services to the State which were recognised by a knighthood in 1915. Tho late Sir James Wilson is survived by Lady Wilson and a grown-up family, consisting of Mr. It. Wilson, Mr. H. Wilson, Miss Wilson and Miss N. Wilson.

Farmers’ Sympathy,

Members of tho executive of tho Manawatu branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union at their meeting on Saturday received tho news of Sir James’ death while sitting during the morning. General regret was expressed by all present and the meeting stood for a moment in silence as a mark of sympathy with the bereaved family. The secretary was instructed to convey the branch’s sympathy to Lady Wilson.