DEATH OF MR A. G. HORTO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12618, 23 March 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEATH OF MR A. G. HORTO.

AL'QKLAND, March 11. 3lr Alfred George Ho'rton, one'of tho proprietors of the New Zealand Herald, died this morning. The. dfceased gentleman was bom'in Yorkshire, England,' ih'lß42,'iirid'cboimenped his .journalistic career on the Hull I)ai|y Expre,sS. '. In. the. :oarly 'sixties he came to'"Ne«vZoaland, and'for a year \yas ongaued oil tho'-ChristchurcU. Press.' Just before hi(i ; birthday Jio estaUlisbed the. Timaru Sonie eight yean afterwards Mr Mo'rton sold the paper,' arid on returning from a trip to England ho joined Mr Wilkinson in the conduct of the Thames Advertiser, and two years afterwards "purchased tho Daily Southern Cross, published in" Anoklnnd. "A short time afte.rwa.rds, . tl|e ■ aiualgainatipn of the Southern Cro.is and. the jjew Zealand Herald was effected; and Mr Horton entered ■ into partnoreh'ip \vith Jlessrs W. S. Wilson end ,T. I ); AVijeoq. in the proprietorship of the Noiv Zealand Herald and Auckland No'ws. The two latter gentlemen- died last yew. During his residence ' iij Timaru' , Mr Hortpn took some part in politics, and in 1868 represented the. town \of Timaru in the Provincial Cpuneil oi.panter'muy. During his raidonpe in Auckland lie. has not taken a personal part in politics, colonial or local, but maintained a' keen interest in political affairs. He yaa closely associated with' the iiidjistrial' and' poramercia]' developmont of '■ Auckland; 'aiid for years has been recognised as one'of Auckland's shrewdcet business men, possessed of romarkable foresight'and acumen in all e'ommorcia 1 affairs. In 1884 he went to London at tho reqpest of the Committee of Investigation of the Bank of New Zealand, arid not only secured new strength ■ ahd"cKiiir"al, lint practically reconstructed the" bank. Ho was at the time offered a, seal on the directorate of the biiik, lint docljiiod! For.ninny years, till quilo' recently,"lie was" chairman of the local board pf directors of the Mutual Life Assurance Society of Australasia. In 1890 he " johftcfthe "directorate of the New Zealand Insurance Company, and remained a , director' till his" 'death. Two years ago he accopted the chairmanship of the'" New Zealand Insurance Company, and resigned it a few wests ago inn account.of the state of his health. He ivas fond of (ravel, ami frequently rendered valuable assistance to the New Zealand Insurance Company in Londou. The. deceased gentleman Was married in 1E67 at Dnnedin to Miss Jessie Haliburton (Jhisholin, who died in Auckland in 1879. He leaves five sons and one daughter, tho ddff.t of whom (Mr.H. Hortpn) is married. Two of the sans arc-, at present in Kngland, qno having recently been called to the Bar. Deceased liad boon ailing'for some time, Init t!m end came, ratlioi , .' suddenly, "syncope l>eing the cause of doath.' The news of his death was. received ih town this morning with sincere regret.