DEATH OF MR E. H. LEARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10383, 11 June 1895, Page 7

DEATH OF MR E. H. LEARY.

Universal regret was expressed in ths city on the 16th May on the announcement of Mr Leary's death in London being made. A cable message received by his family a few days previously was of so disquieting a nature that it was generally feared it was but the forerunner ■of sadder news; and'so it happened. " . "

Richard Henry Leary was born on the 3rd November 1840, at Southall, Middlesex, England. After receiving an elementary education at a private school in London he emigrated to Victoria in 1854. The early part of his colonial career was spent in' the "bash" and on the goldfields. He was "subsequently engaged in a merchant's office ,in Ballarat and Melbourne, and for a time was the local representative at Geelong of his' employer. Shortly after the discovery of gold at Gabriel's Gully he 'came to Ocago, arriving in Dunedin in September 1861. After several months' experience on the .diggings he returned'^ to Dunedin, and wan for some time manager for R. Wilson and Co., of this. city. . During the rush to the West Coast in -1865 he proceeded to Hokitika, and represented several Dun-: edin firms there; Returningto Dunedin again' hs became chief accountant .for the late firm of Driver, Maclean, and -Co., stock and station agents. On the dissolution of that firm in 18711 ha commenced business on his own account as a' public accountaßt and estate agent, and was for some years provisional- trustee, in bankruptcy. 'In 1878 fc'e eht'ered'int'o partnership with Mr Horace Bastings, the firra^c.arrying'on: business as auctioneers and agents, .in. D.unedin under, the style of .Bastings,-Learyi'and : Co!' At the expiration" of the partnetshipiter.nl,.Mr' Leary: resumed, business-ias public accountant and financiar agent. •■He-had the'; full-corifi-dence of the business community,-and his sound: judgment led to his being a; trusted adviser in matters where financial knowledge and 'expert accountantship were involved. He. took an active interest in the formation of the Accountants'lnstitute. " •■■-.•:■'■;

Mr Leary commenced his ■ public. career in 1875 as a City Councillor. He was ejected mayor in July 1877, bat in consequence of a disagreement with the then town clerk as to the mayor's authority;"especially in regard to. .the' manner in which.the books should be kept* arid the refusal of the council to support him in the ppaitibn he took up, he resigned after holding office for abaut four months. He was supported jo his action by the press, and having; been induced to offer himself for re-election.was returned by a large majority. In 1886 he was for the third time elected mayor by the largest number of vote 3 polled up to thai time by any. candidate. It was "duringl his term: of office that the foundation stone of the Town Hall was laid, and it was On his yote as. maj;or- that the Silverstream water supply, Echeme was adopted. In 1890, on the urgent representation of friends,: he consented to become a candidate for the representation of the City of Dunedin in the House of Representatives, "but suffered defeat. ■

Mr Leary was for many year 3an enthusiastic volunteer, and'held commissions as captain of the South. Diqtricb, Ksngers and the Wakari Riflas. He took a keen interest in all social matters, and was a prominent member of sthe first Parliamentary Union, and Speaker on its revival in ; : He wad'talso.aaiactive.inenW ber. of the Ofcago Central JRailway League, and; acted as secretary/up to" thetiirieot his der parture for England. He was. for sometime manager of the OSago'Guardian, 'anct held'a variety of public positions of trust. Mr Leary was a director of the Otago Dlaily Times and. Witness .Newspaper? Company (Limited). He was at the. preliminary meeting at which ib was dicided to bring ihe. c'ompapy into existence, now seventeen:,years gince, was elected one of the first boarcl of directbrsj and rems,ined a member until h6 died." Hig' sound, good sense, ripened judgment, and sterling character made him an esteemed colleague, and his loss will be deeplyfelfc both as a colleague and a friend of thosie with whom he' has bsen associated for so maay years; ' ' Mr Leary having been appointed agent for the corporation of the city of Dunedin for the loan conversion which 'had been resolved upon, he found it necessary to visit London.: He set ouli. on the 26th November last, but nob before the leading business men of the city had assembled to wish him success, the.gathering serving to show the esteem in which Mr Leary was held! He proceeded by way of Melbourne, and on reaching Brindisi went overland' to Paris and then on to London. ; He unforfcona'tely caught a. chiil, which was followed by influenza; Bronchial catarrh ensued arid then pneumonia, and, despite the devoted attention'of his friend Mr Doughty, the relapse which followed a partial recovery found Mr Leary so weak that his death followed. V

Pnblic^sympathy will go out to Mrs Leary and her family in their sad bereavement. Of a. quiet, retiring, and Bomewhat reserved dis-' position, it was only those brought into close relations with Mr Leary when he had shaken himself free from -business cares who gained a real knowledge of his cheery, genial nature' and -warm heart. Conscientious and faithful in all his basinegs relations; he was ever, ready to assist and advise others, and those who admiredand esteemed hhja.will feel deeply1 for the bereaved family vwh6se mainstay'has been cut off in the fall vigour of manKood. It is proposed to embalm the body arid" bring 'if to New Zealand for burial;:; vy,:;-v:->.;>.-.»- ..-;■: .■•.■, -.- -._