DEATH OF SIR FREDERICK SARGOOD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12551, 3 January 1903, Page 7

DEATH OF SIR FREDERICK SARGOOD.

(Peb United Press Association',) AUCKLAND, January 2. Sir Frederick Sargood, of Victoria, head of the well-known firm of Sargood, Son, and Ewon, died suddenly at Taihape this morning. He was at the time of his death on a holiday tour in New Zealand, accompanied by Lady Sargood and a son, Mr P. R. Sargood.. SYDNEY, January 2. Received January 3, at 1.4 a.m.) Much regret is expressed in political and commercial circles in Sydney and Melbourne at the death of Sir F. Sargood.

Lieutenant-colonel the Hon. Sir Frederick Thomas Sargood, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., exMinister of Defence and' Education, Victoria,, was a son of the late Frederick James Sargood, M.L.A. He was born at Walworth, London, on May 30, 1834, and arrived in Victoria, then Port Phillip, in February, 1850. He. was for a short time in the public service in the office of Public Works, and then joined his- father in the business of warehouseman. He entered tho Volunteer force in 1853, and became in due course lieutenant-colonel in the Defence force. He was elected a member of the Legislative Council in 1874. 'In the following year he was elected a- raombor of the Melbourne Harbour Trust; and during a visit to England in 1880 was appointed as special delegate to represent the colony before the Imperial Commission for the protection of British possessions abroad. He returned to Victoria in 1882, and in November, 1883, joined tlie Service-Berry Government as Minister of Defence, in which capacity ho planned and carried out the reorganisation of the Defence forces, naval and military, including the employment of Imperial officers. He was also Minister of Water Supply until February, 1866, when he retired on the Mimistry being merged in that of Mr Gillies. Ho was appointed Executive Vice-president of tho Melbourne Centennial Exhibition of 1888. and became President on the retirement of 'Justice Higinbotham. He was created C.M.G in 1884 mi E.O.M.G. in IS9O. Sir Frederick married first, in 1858, Marian Australian, only daughter of the Hon. 0. Rolfe, M.L'.C: and. secondly, in 1880, Julia, second daughter of James Tomlin, of London. • He accepted office as Minister of Defence and Education in the

Mntiro Ministry in Novembe-, 1890, but resie'nod oHlco a year later rather than assent to the "one-man-one-vote" principle of election. Ultimately he withdrew his resignation on' the measure baisijr dropped, but finally retired on the Ministrv being reconstructed in February, 1892, under Mr Shiels, who announced his adhesion to the "one-man-one-vote" principle. Sir. F. Sargood was elected a member of the Fedoral Senate, and was regarded as the leader of the Freetrade party in tliat Chamber. It will be remembered that he. offered each school in the Commonwealth a flag, to bo hoisted as soon as the message vm flashed throughout the States that the Federal Parliament had beeii declared open by the Duke of Cornwall and York, the signal being Riven by the Duchess, now Princess of Wales. For the past IB months his family have known that his heart was affected, and he has had warnings that his condition of health from this cause' might at nny time become serious. Apparently, however, ho has oflafe been in the best of health, and, as was stated in our correspondent's tcleeram, a few days ago intended to make a trip down" to Wanganai Kiyer. A telegram notifying his death was received bv liis sen, Mr \V. E. Sargood, at present in Diinedin, last night.