OBITUARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13889, 29 April 1907, Page 6

OBITUARY.

MR G. M. BARE, M.I.C.E. We regret to have to announce tho death of ifr George Morrison Barr, M.1.C.E., one oi the most prominent consulting engineers in tho colony, and a gentleman .who has undertaken many important works, tho carrying 'out of which, has resulted in material progress being made by the City of Duncdin and (lie province of Otago. The deceased gentleman, who passed away on : Saturday, was 70 years of age. Mr Barr was horn in 1837 at Glasgow, where ho completed his scholastic course at tho University, taking two first prizes for engineering and mechanics. Be served hie articles with Mr Thos. Kyle, who had extensive works in' and around Glasgow,, and after completing his term of five years continued with his employer for three years as assistant before removing to Edinburgh, where be entered the servicc of Mr Charles Jopp, M, Inst, C.E., who at that timo was consulting engineer to the North British Railway Company, for which Mr Barr.pur. vcyed several branch lines in the South and East of Scotland under his principal. The Provincial Government of Otago, requiring an experienced surveyor, Mr Barr was an applicant, for the position, and was finally selected in June, 1662. Ho landed at Port Chalmers in tho 6hip Jura in October .of the same year, and was engaged in various parts of the province for the ensuing lour years under the Survey Department. In August, 1E66, lie was transferred to the Public Works Department, of which lie became chief engineer three years later, which position ho hold till November, 1872, when' ho resigned and commenced the practice of his profession in Durcdin. Ten' years later Mr liarr was appointed engineer to tho Duncdin Hat' hour Board, i\(itli which body ho remained till November, 1883, when he retired from tile position owing to the exhaustion of loans, which necessitated the stoppage of large works. Since that time lie lias been engaged in private practice. During the term of his appointment as provincial engineer Mr: Barr had charge of alt harbours, roads, and .buildings in .the province. Mr Barr took a prominent parf, J in connection with the Duncdin Harbour, ho being one of tho first to recommend the opening up of tho western chsuincl in preference to the old channel on i tho eastern side. In 1070 work was commenced under his direction, but owing to an accident to the dredge it was stopped, and not resumed (ill .after the constitution of" the Olngo Harbour Board-in 1874. The scheme of works (.hen initiated has developed info the. Victoria channel, so that 17 years after tho first dredtring Mr Barr, as iiio Harbour Board's engineer, had the satisfaction of bringing it. (o such a stage as to ho available for (he navigation of vessels. Mr Barr also designed and carried out harbour works at Wanganui to a •certain extent. In private practice, the deceased gentleman designed and constructed waterworks at New Plymouth, Quccnstown, and Cromwell, and for tho past, few years lie held the position of consulting engineer in connection with tho schemes undertaken by the City Council for the extension of i(« water supply. The Waila.ti-Loith scheme was carried to a sucrossful issue bv Mr Barr, who also had control of the works connected with the water suppl.v for tho Borough of Roslyn. About' the middle "of the present month arrangemonts were completed whereby Mr Bsrr undertook tho engineering work connected with the provision of water for the Borough of Morninprton from tho city's WaitatiLeit.h suppl.v. Mr Barr was oloobed a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, London, in Februarv 1882, and in 1892 ho was awaited a Telford premium for _a paper on tho Otago Harbour works. Mr Barr served two years as a member of the Duncdin City Council, and after ceasing to be engineer to the Otago Harbour Board' ho : was a member of that body for four years. Ho was ono of the first members of the Morninglon School Committee, and its first chairman. Ho was also ono of the first vice-presidents of the New Zealand Institute o( Surveyors, was a member of tho first Board of for surveyors inNew Zealand, and was in recent years the sole survivor of the founders of tho Glasgow Geological Society, Mr Ban- married, in IR7I, a daughter of Mr Thomas Oliver, C.E., of Kaikorai. The late Mr Simon Proctor, who died at his residence, Purple Ilill, North-East, Harbour, on Thursdav last, was one of New Zealand's early settlers, having come to the colony in 1859,. when ho arrived at Wellington in the ship Queen of Avon. Mr Proctor was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1835 On his arrival in thp colony he spent about two years in the ITawke's Bay district, but came south in 1861, on bearing the news of the discovery of gold in Otaco. Ho worked for a year on the Gabriel's Gully and other fields with little success, and then took uo a farm on the Peninsula. Here ho resided continuously for the long period ot 45 years, and it was 01 this farm that lie died. The late Mr Proctor at all times took a keen interest in local affairs, and was for 20 years a member of the North-East Harbour School Committee. At tho beginning of last week, although not robust, he was still'ip the

enjoyment, of fairly good health, and was. able to do a little work. His end came' suddenly. Ho was ill for a fow days only, and passed away very peacefully. Ho leaves a family of three sons and tbrco daughters. The funeral, which took placo on Saturday afternoon, was largely attended. The Rov. Mr Grcig, of Portoliello, officiated at the. grave.

(Per TJsited Press Association.) CHRIRTCHURCH, April 27. Tho death is announced of Mrs R. J. S. Harmaii, at her residence. Windmill road, to-day, at the age of 75. Mrs Ilarman was the daughter of the late Thomas Do Renzy, M.D., ot CVoneyhorn, Cnmew, County Wicklow, Ireland, and came out to New Zealand, with her husband, in tho ship Egmonli in 1856.

Mr. P. Kippojibergor, a prominent- local barrister and German C'onsuf, died some-' what suddenly last ni.cht.