DEATH OF MR. GEORGE FRASER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11719, 30 July 1901, Page 5

DEATH OF MR. GEORGE FRASER.

We regret to announce the death of Mr. George Fraser, of the Phoenix foundry, Stanley-street, at his residence, Wynyardstreet, which took place yesterday morning. He had been in failing health for the last 12 months, owing to severe domestic affliction, having lost one of his sons in October, who died suddenly, and his wife having died last February. His complaint was heart affection, and ultimately dropsy supervened. He was attended during his illness by Drs. Lewis, Mackellar, and McDowell. Deceased was in his 70th year. He leaves a family of six sons and three daughters. Mr. Fraser was known far and near as a kind employer and an upright commercial man, and took a kindly interest in the young men who had served in his foundry, wherever they went, and many of them are now in positions of trust in other colonies, and are a credit to their old master. The funeral of the deceased will take place at Purewa on Wednesday afternoon at half-past two o'clock. Mr, Fraser, the originator of the Phoenix foundry, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1832. At the age of 14 he <was' apprenticed as a mechanical engineer to Messrs. Hall, Catto, Thompson, and Co., engineers and iron shipbuilders, Aberdeen. When only 23 he was appointed manager of the Caulton foundry, Glasgow. Subsequently he was appointed by Messrs. Hopkins and Wilson, of Campbellfield, Glasgow, to proceed to New Zealand, there to erect and take the management of several contemplated flax mills, Mr. Matthew Whitelaw being general manager. The latter was the inventor of the machinery which was to be used in preparing the New Zealand flax for the English market. Mr. Fraser, prior to skirting for Auckland, married the eldest daughter < of Mr. Alex. Davidson, manager of Messrs. Hall, Catto, Thompson, and Co.'s engineering works, Aberdeen. Mr. and Mrs. Fraser left London in December, 1854, by the barque Cornubia, on which Dr. Bayntun, of this city, was also a passenger. The flax venture proved a failure, and Mr. Fraser, on leaving the flax company, entered the service of Messrs. Thornton, Smith, and Firth, as their engineer, and remained there for five years. In 1862 Mr. Fraser started in Mechanic's Bay, and in 1864 was joined in partnership by Mr. Tinne, an engineer from Liverpool, trading under the style of Fraser and Tinne, when they erected the Phccnix foundry works. Mr. Fraser subsequently invented' a machine capable of dressing the flax which the Scottish patent failed to effect, and his machine gave the real start to the New Zealand flax industry. In 1881 Mr. Tinne went Home, and the firm became known as Messrs. George Fraser and Sons, and last year it was formed into a limited liability company, and traded under the style of George Fraser and Sons (Limited), Mr. George Fraser retiring from the business. During the existence of; the firm it lias been associated with the manufacture of machinery for steamers, batteries for the goldfields, and machinery for sawmills. The salvage of the Triumph on the rocks at Tiritiri, and her re- . pair, so that she got the same certificate at Lloyds a* previous to the accident, was a triumph of engineering. It took 100 tons of plates and angle iron to repair her. In six weeks from the time the wreck was purchased; she was brought into Auckland harbour* , ' ' . -