FORMER MINISTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23359, 30 May 1939, Page 10

FORMER MINISTER

MR. T. BUXTON'S DEATH MACKENZIE GOVERNMENT POLITICAL PARTY ORGANISER [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH Monday The death occurred at Christchurch yesterday of Mr. Thomas Buxton, a former Minister of the Crown and member for Temuka, at the age of 76. Mr. Buxton was born in Lincolnshire in 1863, and came to New Zealand with his parents at an early ago. He was Mayor of Temuka for 10 years, and was ono of the first members of the Temuka Borough Council. Ho was chairmafi of the local sports association, and took an active part in tennis, cricket and golf.

As a young man Mr. Bvixton entered tho employment of the Farmers' Cooperative Association at Timaru, and 18 years later he commenced business on his own account as a grain and produce merchant, first in Temuka and later in Timaru. His father, the late Mr. S. Buxton, was at one time member for the old Rangitata seat in South Canterbury. Mr. Buxton was first elected to Parliament in 1908, when ho won tho Geraldine seat on the second ballot. At the next election he was elected member for Temuka, and, during the short Mackenzie Government in 1912, he held office as Minister without portfolio.

After losing his seat at tho 1914 election, Mr. Buxton spent some years as organiser for the Liberal Party, and later he was Dominion organiser for tho United Political Party, and also an organiser of the Farmers' Union. Mr. Buxton moved 18 years ago to Christchurch, where he spent the remainder of his life.