LATE SIR GEORGE FENWICK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20833, 27 September 1929, Page 8

LATE SIR GEORGE FENWICK

■ —. EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY. , „ Feeling reference to the death of Sir George. Fenwick, first president of the Dunedin Rotary Club, was made at the weekly luncheou of the club yesterday, Behind the chair of the president (Rotarian ,H. J. Guthrie], the portrait of Sir George Fenwick, hanging on the wall, ,frora which all other portraits had been removed for the day, was encircled in a wreath of laurel. At the request of the president, a touching tribute to the qualities of Sir George Fenwick was offered by Rotarian Janies Brown, who spoke of the loss to the Rotary ’ Club, through the death, of its first president, as irreparable, and said that Si;- George Fenwick- had, by his personal attributes; bound the members to, him by the strongest ties of affection. After the members had stood in silence a ? a . lual 'k of respect to the memory of Sir George, Rotarian G. W. John* stone sang Homer’s -“Requiem” with great expression. At the. monthly meeting of the committee of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society the chairman (Mr James Begg) referred to the death of Sir George Fenwick who, for many years, had rendered valuable services to the society, and moved 'the following resolution—“ That this meeting place on record its deep regret at the death of Sir George Fenwick, and desires?to extend to his widow and family its sincere ' sympathies with ■ them in their bereavement; that this meeting also place on record its high appreciation of the many valuable services so will* mgly rendered by Sir George to the society and also in all matters mg to the welfare of the 'community and in the advancement of the country’s best interests.”—The motion was earned, the members standing. At the meeting of the School Committees’ Association last night the president (Mr W. Ripley) referred to .the death of Sir George Fenwick. He said that as committeemen they all knew the great work lie had done during his lifetime, not only for the citizens of Dunedin but : for the Dominion. Mr Ripley then moved that, a letter of sympathy be sent .to the relatives bf. the deceased, the motion being carried in silence, those present standing.' ’ _ The directors of' the St. Maurice Valley Paper Company, Montreal,. Canada, have cabled: “Have leanied with regret of death of Sir George Fenwick. , Please extend sympathy to family and associates -on loss of one of the outstanding : journalists oU .the Empire.” We' Have ’ received - messages of 't»hdolence also from the Greymonth Argus Company,; theJ^tago.Motor Club, Messrs Charles Begg and Co., Ltd., and the Wellington Rotary Club. PRESS TRIBUTES. It is - difficult to think of the New. Zealand newspaper world without Sir Georgo Fenwick, so prominently active was he throughout the' last balf-Century in'devisand supervising. means to foster journalism in this country. »H‘e has left it much _ more thau the legacy journalistic ventures afid achievements with which memory of him 1 will long'asso| dated. His career will long be cited a ® an example of what can be. accomplished by hard, work and steady purpose maintained at the ; dictate - of; stalwart character. ■ He won, renown by; dint of sterling-personal qualities. ~ The perfecting of co-operative methods in the gathering qr news by the press of this country was his constant care, and, he took a leading place among the;handful of newspaper proprietors, to whose zealous efforts the existing serviceable facilities owe so much. In this way he laid the whole public of the- Dominion under Obligation. rßut Sir George Fenwick was more ;( hah; a - skilful: and zealous New Zealand pressman; he was‘’a Servant of the Empire. Seized, of the great importance attaching to journalistic espousal of . wholesome . Imperialism, he ever .strove’to develop the service of Net? Zealand newspapers to the wider national cause, and by virtue, of this enthusiasm became fittingly the chairman ■■ of this country’s branch of the Empire ’ Press Union. His-’own city has abundant reason to recall with gratitude his generous devotion of himself> to. many U local institution; yet. his envisaging of citizen* ship constrained him .•» regard himtelf ah a , privileged son'of Greater Britain, an;]( to plan and toil accordingly; Known thus far beyond New ' Zealand’s shore ah . a “ Missionary of Empire,” he; trill he widely Zealand HerqH. ■ A worker all his days,' and; {bolding fo the last positions of high responsibility. Sir ‘George Fetiwick has been spared /hat would doubtless have been a burden to him—-the restfulness of decline. He. bah been for some years probably the most/ prominent man .in the newspaper world / of the Dominion, hut he has always found time from his business to. devote -himself to the service of the community. Tn his town and throughout the "Dominion he has been known as a man with the widest public interests, and his influence has spread to all parts of the Empire, notably through his work for the organisation of the British press throughout the world. His power was not that of blustering force, hut of quiet appeal to hi* fellows. Few men have been better ' liked. Those who knew him speak in the highest terms ,of bis charming gentility—a gentility that came not of mere manners, but of depth of character.— ■Waikato Times.