LATE DR. M'ARTHUR

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8560, 24 October 1913, Page 8

LATE DR. M'ARTHUR

PUBLIC TRIBUTES PASSING OF A VALUED CITIZEN. Tho untimely demise of Dr McArthur, S.M., has been tho cause of widespread expressions of regret. Tho late Magistrate was in his 60th year, having been born in Glasgow on November 7th, 1853. He came to Melbourne with his parents when he was practically an infant. Ho remained in Australia till 1880, tho year of his marriage, when he came to Now Zealand. His education was received at tho Scotch College, Melbourne, and subsequently at the Melbourne University, where he graduated M.A. and LL.B. He was for some years a teacher at the Scotch College, and at the early age of twenty-two was appointed principal of a large model school under tho South Australian Education Department. On arriving in Now Zealand he took up the duties of senior master in tho Auckland Grammar School, but before he had held the position very long he resigned to become principal of the Auckland Training College, being the first to occupy that post. Ho subsequently transferred his activities to a private channel, opening the Queen’s College, in tho old Wesley College buildings, and afterwards in Ponsonby. Dr McArthur began practice as a barrister and solicitor in Auckland in 1898; he also acted as a coroner, and was appointed by the Auckland University College as lecturer on jurisprudence, constitutional history, and political economy. Dr McArthur’s elevation to the Bench took place on November 23rd, 1900, when he was made a relieving magistrate, coming to Wellington a few weeks later. Ho acted later as a relieving magistrate in North Canterbury and Marlborough. Ho returned to Wellington as Stipendiary Magistrate in 1901. In addition to the duties of this position, he discharged during his term here the offices of coroner, chairman of the Wellington and Hutt Licensing Committees, chairman of the North Island Railway Appeal Board, chairman of the Tramway Appeal Board for Wellington and Karori, chairman of the Royal Commission on Fires in Ship Cargoes, chairman of the Royal Commission on West Coast Settlement Reserves, and chairman of the Prisoners’ Aid Society. In the last-mentioned capacity his sympathetic nature found a worthy sphere of activity. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and for some time one of the managers. The deceased gentleman was in the full enjoyment of his faculties, on Wednesday, and in the morning he was an interested member of Clio gathering held in the Supreme Court to congratulate the Right Hon. Sir Joshua Williams on his elevation to the Privy Council. One of the last letters received by the doctor was from Sir Joshua. His end was tragically sudden; he could only have been dead two or three hours when he was discovered in a chair in his office by Constables Butters and Thomson. Besides the widow h© leaves a brother-in-law, who bears the same surname as himself—Mr John McArthur, of Lumsden, Southland also several nephews, one of whom is in Martinborough. Dr Henry was summoned when the deceased was found dead in his office, and ho will give a certificate to the effect that death was caused through heart failure. The funeral will leave the Occidental Hotel at 10 o’clock to-morrow morning. A short service will first he conducted by the Rev. J. Gibson Smith.

TRIBUTES IN MAGISTRATE’S COURT

REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING YESTERDAY. There was a large gathering in the Magistrate’s ICourt yesterday morning, when the members of the legal profession and the court officials attended in honour of tho memory of the late Dr McArthur. In feeling terms Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., referred to the great loss sustained by the decease of his colleague. “W© are hero together this morning under extremely sad circumstances,” said Mr Riddell. “Dr McArthur, our doctor, and my esteemed colleague, was with us yesterday. Apparently he was in his usual state of health. Last evening he returned to his office Jo complete some work that had been taken in the courts on an earlier occasion, and while seated in hia chair in his office, the angel of death appeared and called him. Today he is still and cold. Tho suddenness of the shock is such - that we can scarcely realise that ho is no longer with us. Our doctor, esteemed, respected, kind-hearted, and beloved by all his staff, by the profession and by the people, has gone. No longer shall we see his well-known figure about these halls or exchange courtesies with him. He was eminently fitted for the position which he occupied so long and so well. He was kindly in disposition and courteous, both on and off the Bench; impartial in his judgments and in the exercise of his duties as chief magistrate of this city. We are all deeply grieved at tho loss of so dear a friend. We remember his figure, his kind words, and the kindly character of his whole nature. He was sympathetic with those who required sympathy, and when necessity arose his sympathy took a practical form. W© are deeply grieved at his departure, and in the midst of our grief we sympathise with his widow. She needs our sympathy, and we hope that the knowledge that we grieve and sympathise with her will help her to bear the blow that has fallen upon her so severely.” A warm tribute was paid by the Hon. A. L. Herdman, Attorney-Gene-ral. “Dr McArthur was an institution in this city,” he said. “He was president of the court, and in the administration of justice he had managed to grow into the hearts of the people. He had their confidence, and was revered and regarded with the greatest respect. I think that I was one of his intimate friends, and I was m a position to respect his many acts of kindness. Many of ray learned friends had similar experiences. He was essentially qualified to sit in the court. He was essentially a humane man and understood human nature. In him was a broad-minded sense of justice. I have often noticed the caso of prisoners who appeared before him, how his kindly word, his sence of humour sometimes lightened the punishment which it became his duty to inflict. With those men, indeed, it was only necessary to come to the doctor after-

wards and they received from him monetary assistance in many cases, and in all oases they received tho best advice.” The Attorney-General also referred to the respect in which tho deceased was held by the members of the legal profession. The youngest member of tho Bar was always treated with the greatest kindness and consideration. He understood that he was to discover tho truth in the first instance, and always helped the prisoners as well as the members of the bar with his courtesy. The Minister added that he believed he was expressing the feelings of every one present in the court when he said that their deepest sympathies went out to the widow in her great sorrow. On behalf of the'Justices of Pence of Wellington, Mr J. B. Speed added his condolences to the widow, and spoke of the reverence in which the late Dr. McArthur was held by his fellowJustioes, who had always received from the hands of the deceased the greatest courtesy and consideration in the execution of their duties. The sympathy of the police was expressed by Superintendent Ellison, who said that the late Dr. McArthur was a man who was loved and respected by all who came into contact with him. Th© civil proceedings of the Magistrate’s Court were then adjourned un-. til 10.30 on Tuesday morning, as a mark of respect to the deceased magistrate. MOTIONS OF SYMPATHY. Sympathetic reference to the death of Dr. McArthur was made by the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) yesterday at the Tramways Conference. His Worship stated that the deceased, who was president of the Tramway Appeal Board, was highly respected in Wellington and throughout the Dominion. Mr P. Mackay, of Auckland, endorsed the Mayor’s sentiments, and mentioned that Dr. McArthur was for a long time associated with public life in Auckland, where he had been valued an a teacher and public official. The Hon. W. Fraser, Minister for Publio Works, said he could only add his testimony to what had been said about the deceased gentleman’s good qualities. It came as somewhat of a shock to the speaker when he heard of Dr. McArthur’s end; his loss was one that would be felt greatly in this city. A resolution of sympathy with Mrs McArthur was carried, the delegates standing. At tho Hospital Board meeting, the chairman (Rev. W. A. Evans) referred to the demise of Dr. McArthur, and mentioned that the deceased magistrate had rendered many valuable services to tho charitable aid department of the board’s work. He was a man of a largo heart and strict integrity. Tho speaker had beer: associated with him on tho Licensing Bench, and had found him a very fairminded man. A resolution of sympathy was passed in the usual form. The Society of Accountants (Wellington branch) passed a resolution of sympathy, on the motion of Mr J. S. Barton, seconded by Mr L. H. B. Wilson. The late" Dr. McArthur had delivered lectures and assisted the society on several occasions.