DEATH OF AIR J. L. GILLIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10919, 28 September 1897, Page 6

DEATH OF AIR J. L. GILLIES.

We have to-day regretfully to record ths ieath of another prominent citizen, in the person of Mr John Lillie Gillies, who passed away at his residence, Queen street, yesterday morning shortly before 6 o'clock. The deceased, who was ttsa well-known secretary of the Otago. Harbour Board, had been ill with a complication of disorders for nearly a year, and as he had been in a more or less critical condition foi several months past his end was Dot unexpected. Mr Gillies was born in the Royal Burg'a of Rothesay, in the month of January,; 1832, his father beicg about that time ap-. pointed town clerk of thatplaco. The deceased was partial^ educated at the parish ■school, but about the year 1843 he went to Scougs.ll s Academy, where he remained for something like a couple of years. He then found employment in the Western Bank of Scotland, where he acquired considerable knowledge and espertuess as an accountant. In 1351, however, he threw up his position ia the bank, and sailed by the baique King William from London to Adelaide, intending going thence to Victoria. Oa his arrival in Melbourne he decided te go inland, and succeeded in obtaining a situation on a sheep and cattle run aloDg -with some of his companions. The discovery of gold in Victoria soon afterwards attracted geceral attention, and Mr Gillies and his mates being, like many more, smitten with the gold fever, threw up their situations ou the run and took to mining pursuits. But sooa getting tired of this kind of life the deceased tried another avocatioa, and became connected with the Geelong Advertiser—then the only newspaper in Geelong—oa which he occupied the position of chief accountant for some yeats. At length be got married, and in 1555 hs left tbs Ausfcrahita shores by the Gil BJa? for Dunediu, arriving here in September of that year. Three years previously to this his father, Mr John Gillies, and the other maaabsre of his family had also come to settle in Otago. Shortly after his arrival in this colsny the deceased took up a farm in the Tokomazriro district, where he remained until the discovery of gold at Gabriel's Gully in 1861. Thea once more ,he was attacked by the gold fever, and set cfi for the goldfields, bsicg among ths first of those who took up claims in the gully.- With the early diggers* he was a great favourite, but after the arrival of more experienced miners from Victoria hisiinfiuence amoagstthem began to wane. In 1861 Mr Gillie* entered political life, being elected a member of the Otago Provincial Council'for the Tokomairiro district; in that year. He w.is introduced to the Council by the late Mr William Henry Catten, and nsld this seat until August, 1864-, when he resigned, and wsssucceeded by Mr W. J. Dyer. During a portion oE the period he was in the Council— viz., from September 16, 1863, to May 17, 1864—he held office in the Provincial Executive as Provincial Treasurer, with the Hon. X. Dick as Provincial Secretary. In his capacity <\3 Treasurer he earned the reputation of possessing great financial ability, even those who were opp&sedtohim in politics recognising histalc-uts iii this respect. Agaio, ia IVoruary,- 1869, he was returned for the second time to the Council as the representative of 'lokomairiro, and on the 6th of May oi the taaie yen.? be bacame a non-official member of the Provincial Executive, with Mr Dpcald Reid as Pcoviuciw Secretary. On the 25tb. oi May, 1371, he was elected Speaker 'of the Provincial Council—a position which, singularly enough, his father,who was one of the members .of , the Sr6t Council, occupied Borne years previonsiy. Id 1873 Mr D. Beid, who. was then Provincial Secretary, accepted a position in the General Government;; and the late James Macand,rew, thinking that that was incompatible with- Mr Pteid's position as Provincial Secretary, practically dismissed tha Government and resigned the Superintendency to test the feeling ot the electors. As no other candidate seemed inclined to come forward, Mr Gillies, as a mutter of principle, decided to contest the .position with Mr Macandrew, and made a memorable election, campaign in Otago and Southland on horseback. The result of the contest, however, was that'Mr Gillies was defeated, Mr Macaodrew being re-elected. At ths general election the deceased-was re-elected a member of the Council for his old constituency and was again appointed Speaker, maintaining, the position until the Abolition of Provinces' Act of 1875 took effect ia the following year. In 1870 he also stood' for the representation of the Waikouaiti seat in the House of Representatives, and was returned as (successor to Sir David Munro. He'sat as a member of the House until March, 1875. In that year he beoame secre; tsry of- the Otago Harbour Board, which was then newly, formed, and remained in the employment of the board uutil the day of his death. As secretary-to the board Me Gillies s sirvices were invaluable, and he was held ia high" esteem by all the members. Duritig his residence in Otago the deceased ateo filled many positions besides those already enumerated. For several ye*rs he edited the Bruce Hcmld, and since tbeo he has held a number of appointments in fnis city. He served for some years »g a member of ths Union street Scfeool Committee.he rendered good service in connection, with the Kaitangata relief fund, and in 1883 he was appointed a member of the kcil committee -for promoting the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition of 1865. In 1868 he became a member of the Otago Hiaing Conference for drawing up a new code cf mining regulations, and in 1870 he reported to the Government on the question of sludge channels oa the goldfieids. In mining and mining, matters he always took a great 'interest/and was largely concerned (as manager and eharebolder of the Table Hill Quartz Mining Company) in the development of the Canada reef. ■' In 1869 he was appoiuted a member of the commission— of-which he was also chairman—to <u-aw np a basis !of reunion of the Proviocc-s of Otago and Southland, the reunion taking effect, with little alteration from the basis drawn up by the commis'ioD, in 1870. In fact the deceased for many - years took an active interest in almost everythiug of local concern. • He leaves a family of three sons and four daughters, all of whom are grown up, his wife having died many years ago. Mr Gillies was a member of a family which has distinctly made its mirk in the history'of the colony three of his brothers, as well as bim;elr, having attained to positions of high promiuencx) in New:Zsaland. Tha late Mr Justice Gillies held portfolios in" tbreo Ministries, and bad been Superintendent of Auckland before b&irig: appointed to the Supreme Court bgnch; tbe late Mr Robert Gillies was well known in connection with, the firm of Gillies, Street, and Hislop, subsequently msrg«! in,the Perpetual Trustees, S«txte, end Agency Company, and had been alteted M.H.R. for Bruce shortly before his death; and the Rev. William Gillies, of Tirnaru," i 3 a leading figure in the Northern Presbyterian Church.