OBITUARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22448, 18 June 1936, Page 13

OBITUARY

COLONEL PERCY OWEN ENGINEER AT CANBERRA CANBERRA, June 17 The death has occurred of Colonel Percy Owen, aged 71, who supervised the construction work under the Federal Capital Commission. The name of the late Colonel Percy Thomas Owen must always be associated with the Federal Capital City, Canberra. It was he who, in 1904, urged the Government to proceed with the establishment of a Federal Capital. When Canberra was chosen as the site the then Prime Minister, Mr. Andrew Fisher, sought his views as to the exact location, production of electric power, general scheme of construction, water supply and discharge of sewerage. Every year, from 1904 until 1924, when the Federal Capital Commission was instituted, Colonel Owen was a member of each Canberra Committee. He was also connected with the building of the city as Federal Director of Works. He was until his death chief engineer to the Federal Capital Commission. Colonel Owen was born at Wollongong, New South Wales, in 1864, and was educated at the Sydney Grammar School. He served in the South African War in 1899 and 1900, and for the following four years T ie remained with the Commonwealth Military Forces as assistant adjutant-general for the engineers.