MR C. Y. O’CONNOR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4608, 12 March 1902, Page 5

MR C. Y. O’CONNOR.

HIS DEATH AT FREMANTLE. (Received March 11, 10.20 p.m.) PERTH. March 1L A painful sensation was, caused to-day by the news that Mr C. Y. O’Connor, Engineer-in-Chief, had been found de*d in the water on the beach some miles from Fremantle under circumstance* pointing to suicide. The deceased gentleman’s body was found in three feet of water. There was a bullet wound in the mouth and the ball had passed out at the back of the head. A revolver was found in the water close by the body. Mr O’Connor had been in the habit of taking a morning ride accompanied by his daughter, but yesterday he went out alone. . Nothing unusual in his demeanour had been noticed. News of Mr O’Connor’s death was received in Wellington yesterday through private sources and caused widespread regret, for the deceased gentleman was very well known in this city through his long connection with the -Ncw Zealand Government service. In this colony he had enjoyed the highest professional and personal regard of many friends who had followed his career with much interest sinee he entered the public service of West Australia about eleven years ago. Mr O’Connor was born in Ireland in 1843 and at the age of sixteen-was apprenticed to Mr Challoner Smith, C.E.. and for six years was engaged in engineering work in connection with the Irish railways. He left for New Zealand in 1865 and for twentysix years followed his profession here. He was assistant engineer in Canterbury under Mr Dobson until 1870, when Westland was constituted a separate province and he was appointed its engineer. He returned to Canterbury a couple of years later as District Engineer and was in 1874 made District Engineer for the whole West Coast district, retaining the position until 1880, when he became Inspecting Engineer for the whole of the South Island. During these periods of service he carried out many important works and established a high reputation for ability and conscientiousness. He was Undersecretary for Public Works from 1883 until 1890 when he was appointed Marine Engineer, and in April of the following year took the appointment of Engineer-in-chief .in West Australia. During the period of his service in that State he undertook many works of great, importance, one being the Fremantle harbour improvement scheme,, one of the most important marine works undertaken in the Southern Hemisphere. This was done with great success. Mr O’Connor was also General Manager of Railways, and the result of his management was that the West Australian railways were worked efficiently at a lower rate of expenditure in proportion to gross receipts than any other railway system in Australasia. On his advice, too, the Government carried out the Green Mount deviation through the Darling ranges, which resulted in an enormous saving, and was immediately recognised as a most justifiable public work. Mr O’Connor was practically the originator of the great Coolgardie water supply scheme. He was created a C.M.G at the Diamond Jubilee in 1897,

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