OBITUARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16981, 18 April 1917, Page 8

OBITUARY.

, REV. P. W. JTAIRCLOtrGH. i (Peb United Press Association.) CHRISTCHOURCH, April 17. Tbe ?, ei \ P ,- W - ?a'Kslough, the welltnown Methodist minister, died to-night. He went into a private hospital on Saturday to undergo an operation for gall stones. The operation was very successful, and Mr Fairclough promised to make a good recovery, but to-day h<! was seized with heart failure, which resulted in hie death.

By tho death of tho .Rov. Paul Wynyard Fairclough tho Methodist Church o'f New Zealand loses one of its most gifted ministers, and his sudden death will bo deeply mourned. Born at Nuriootpa, in South Australia, on April 23» 1852, Mr Fairclough came to tho West Coast with tho early gold miners. Being recommended to the min- , istry, ho received training under the Rev A. R. (now Dean) Fitchett, and also under Principal Fletcher, of Newington College, Sydney, and commenced his min : stry at Timaru in 1874. From the first ho displayed a remarkable freshness and originality in liis . pulpit work, which soon brought him into the front rank as a preacher. More than 15 years of his ministry were given to the Canterbury district. D-iiring his long ministerial career he occupied some of the foremost of tho Methodist circuits, including two five-year terms ,is superinJendent of Trinity circuit. Dunedin—narrHy from. 1899 to 1904 and from 1909 to 1914.' To the system of itinerant pastorships in tho Methodist Church ho was strongly opposed, his firm belief being that it detracted from tho value of the minister's work and from the measure of his influence. On leaving Dunedin he was appointed for tho third term to Kaiapoi, and expected soon to retire ns a supernumerary. In 1897 Mr Fairclongh was elected president of the Methodist Conference, which met that, year in Wellington. At that time he was chairman of tho Otngo district. Ho was one of the New Zealand representatives at tho Methodist Conference in Australia. For \jovDral years he occupied tho position df tonnexional editor of tho denominational paper, in which ho strongly supported women's and tempcranco legisladon. A widely read mnn, with a remarkably well-stornd mind. Mr Fv'rclough took a keen interest in public affairs, national aa well aa domestic, and was a strong Imperialist. He was an authority on scientific and historical subjects, and was a contributor to tho press on scientific and patriotic topics. Hα made a close study of astronomy. and was _ elected a Fellow of the Roval Astronomical Society. Ho was the writer of an _ always interesting astronomical ("Otirnn in tho Chr : <:tr>inreh Press. Mr Fairolough was an able debater and a fluent and convincing platform speaker, and it will be remembered that his services at patriotio functions were in great request during his residence in this citv. He made a ;clnso stndv of the early history of Austral'a and Now Zealand, and in connection with his resenrehos in this recrird he collected a splendid library. Mr F.tirclough is etirv-ved bv his widow and three sons and one danjT'htor. One eon is a surgeon on the hospitnl shin Marnma. and tfv> riiusrhter is the wife of Surgeon-captain M'Kibbin. ■ \ MR I. F. DOCKS. Prosn A-wintu-n-.n-.- T,,y-r, n n}i—Cor,vri|?Tit. Australian and N.Z. Cable. Association. SYDNEY, April 17. (Received April 17, at 10.5 p.m.), Tho death is announocd of Mr li. F. e Coeks, Into of tho Now Zealand Press Abso- * ciation staff.