OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 9

OBITUARY.

MR. W. SHEPHERD ALLEN.

The death occurred in England on January 15 of Mr. William ' Shepherd Allen. M.A., of Annandale, Piako. Mr. Allen resided in New Zealand for the greater part of a period of 29 years, and was well known, both in the Old Country and in the Dominion. He was a native of Manchester, having been born in 1831. and educated at Wadham College, Oxford, where he obtained his degree of Master of Arts. In 1865, Lie was returned to the House of Commons as* Liberal member for Newcastle-under-Lyme, and occupied the seat until 1886. Mr. Allen was unable to agree with the leaders of his party on the Home Rule question, and became a Unionist. It was in 1885 that he first visited New Zealand with his family, and he then decided to settle here. In 1890, he made his entry into colonial politics, and was returned for the Te Aroha electorate, but was unseated owing to an irregularity. He afterwards contested the Parnell seat, but was unsuccessful. He occupied a seat on the Piako County Council for some time, but resigned oil returning to England for a trip. In reference to Mr. Allen's connection with English politics, it is interesting to note that his eldest son, in 1897, represented his old constituency, and had the distinction of being, at the time of his election, the youngest member of the House of Commons. Mr. Allen married a daughter of Mr. John Candish, M.P. for the Borough of Sunderland, and had six sons and four daughters.