OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14195, 23 April 1908, Page 7

OBITUARY

sir, ir. campbeAl-bannerman

Press Associltion.—By .Telegraph.—Copyright.

LONDON, April 22. (Received April 23, at 0.7 a.m.) The deulli. of Sir Henry Campbell Banncrman took place to-day.

Tho Right Hon. Sir Henry CampbellBannornian, G.C.8., M.l'., LL.D., D.L., J.P., was tho ecoond son of tho .late Sir James Campbell, of Kracathro, Forfarshire, some time Lord Provost of Glasgow, by Janet, youngest daughter of the late Mr Henry Banncrman, of Manchester, and was born in 1626. He was educated at. the University of Glasgow and at Trinity College, Cambridge (8.A., 1858; M.A., 1861). In 1872 ho assumed tho additional 6urname of Banncrman, under tho will of his uncle, Mr Henry Banncrman, of Hjinton Court, Kent. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, who ivas a magistrate for the counties of Lanark and Kent, represented the Stirling district of burghs in the Libaral interest since December, 1863. lie was Fihancial Secretary at tho War Office from 1871 to 1874-; was again apointed to, that office in 1880; and in May, 1882, was nominated Secretary to tho Admiralty. He was Chief Secretary for Ireland, 1884-85, during which time lie was said by Mr Tim Healy to be governing Irishmen with "Scotch jokes"; and in Mr Gladstone's third Cabinet, 1886, lie held the office of Secretary of Stato for War, and was again appointed to the same office in Mr Gladstone's Ministry in 1892. The Unionists suggested liiin as a candidate for the Speakership to which Mr Gully was unpointed. Ho was a moderate and cool politician, and somewhat of an opportunist, and ha 6 been* doscrihed as " a .survival of that rapidly decaying typo of M.P. which declines to be perturbed ovormuch about insignificant trifles." In 1899 ho was elected by his party as Sir William Harcourt's successor in the leadership of the Liberal party in the House of Commons, and in December, 1905, he became Prime Minister, holding office until the present inonth. The history of the Liberal Government since is too rccont to require recapitulation. Ho married in 1860 Charlotte, daughter of the lato Major-general Sir Charles Bruce, 1C.C.8. Lady Campball-Bannerman died at Ma-rienbad in August, 1806,

CHARLES ROUS-MARTEN. We .regret to announco that cabled information ivas received' yosterday of the death from, heart iaiiure, supervening upon influenza, of Mr Charles Rous-Martcn, who acted for many years as the correspondent in England of the Otago Duily Times, (ind in that capacity contributed largely to our oolumns, dealing in an interesting style with Anglo-colonial topics and with questions of national and 1 imperial importance. Prior to his to the position which he held in London, Mr Kous-Marten had a wide experience as a colonial journalist, and enjoyed a high reputation as a facile and versatile writer and as a man of keen discernment and sound judgment. The value of his services was especially well recognised in Wellington, where ho filled at different periods the editorial chair cf each of the journals of long standing—the Evening Post and the Now Zealand Times. His acquaintance, with the political history ■ of • 'tne colony was unusually extensive, and during a long series of years, in which he acted as parliamentary correspondent to the Otago Daily Times, his notes upon the proceedings in the Legislature were justly accepted by the publio as not only well-informed and relia'rie, but also as notably fair and discriminating. Mr Marten was a sound musical critic, and lie.made in additipn a special study of the subject of locombtivc engineering, upon which he was during tho later years of his life acknowledged even by the greatest British authorities to possess an expert knowledge.

(Fnou Oub Own Correspondent.) UllKibTUtlUiiOH, April 22. Tho Press will publish in to-morrow's issue the following oiograpnical notice of the late Mr itous- warten: —"In the death of Mr Charles Kous-Marten we have to deplore the lass of a very able journa.ist, who has been associated with the I J ress tot many years as its correspondent, liist ill Wellington and subsequently in Loudon. Mr Rou-s-Marten was born in England about to years ago, and'came out to iNcw Zealand with his parents when he was about 16 years of age. His lather, ( Mr William Marion, F.S.A., was a merchant in the city of London, who came to tho coiony in consequence of a breakdown in heaitn, and who took up laud in Southland. Mr Kous-Marten engaged in journalism fairly late in life, joining the stall' of tho Evening Post, Wellington, about 1876 or 1877. Being a man of wide reading and great energy, he soon made his mark in a profession which it was evident had groat attractions for him,- and he 'became successively sub-editor and editpr , of the Evening I'ost, then, as now, one Of the leading papers in New Zealand. He also did a good deal of correspondence work, and was Wellington representative not only for the Press, Utago Daily Times, and New Zealand Herald, but also of tho Melbourne Argus and one or two English papers. He was a very sound and cultivated mueioiiiu, possessing a library of musical works probably unequalled by any private collection in the colony, and his musical criticisms not only carried with them the stamp of authority based on his thorough knowledge of the subject and sound judgment, but were admirably written from the literary point of view. Sir Marten himself was a cultivated singer, and for some years took the tenor solos in oratorios and (other musical works of importance giveii in Wellington. Ho was a prominent member of the Anglican Church, and was for many years ono of tho lay representatives, both In tho Wellington Diocesan Synod and the General Synod. He took a great interest in science and engineering, and' for an amateur .he really had a. remarkable knowledge of railway matters, especially of locomotive engineering. He was a frequent contributor to tho engineering journals on technical subjects, and was often quoted as a leading authority in regard to locomotive construction and running and railway practioe. On ono occasion, we remember, he was so honoured in a leading articlo in Tho Times. He was a close student of meteorology, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society on the strength of some papers which he wrote during his residence in Southland, the observations being especially interesting as coming from what was at that time the most southern station of the world. Later on ho was. elected a Fellow of tho Royal Geographical Sooiety on the, motion of the late Sir Roderick Murchison. Mr Marten resigned the editorship of the Evening Post in 1864, and paid a visit to England. He subsequently returned to New Zealand, and became editor of tho New Zealand Times, resuming his correspondence for the Press and- other journals. In 1690 .he was appointed London correspondent of the Press, Otago Daily Times, New Zealand Herald, and Wellington livening Post, and carried out the duties with marked ability almost until the short illness which ended in his death. It was Jus lot to witness many notable events, of which ho sent out graphic descriptions to the papers he represented. We may especially recall tho Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the scenes in London during the South African war,- the funeral of the late Queen, and the Coronation of tho King. J : li s s kill as a musical critic was shown in the special notices which he sent, from time to time of the leading events in t.ho musical world of London, His loss will be severely felt by tho journals with which he has been so long and honourably connected. He married Miss Emily Hickson, daughter of a. wellknown Wellington resident, and his wife survives hint, but there were no children of the marriage, Mrs Rous-Martcn, it may be added, shared her husband's interest in music, apd will be remembered in Wellington as a fine performer on the pianoforte, especially as a most sympathetic accompanist.