OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22295, 22 June 1934, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR J. W.. MACDONALD .

(Pe* United Press Association.) June 21

The death occurred suddenly at ti» residence this afternoon of the Public Trustee, Mr J. W. Macdonald, C.M.G. Mr Macdonald was the eldest eon of Mr J. A. Macdonald, of Timaru, and wai born at Christchurch in 1882. He rer ceived his education in Timaru arid on leaving school joined the staff: of tlie Lyttelton Times, Christchurch, but .on subsequently qualifying for-admission to the public service he was appointed to *the Justice Department, and: toot up duty in the Warden's Court "at Clyde. From this. position he was transferred to the staff of the • Magistrate's. Court at Wellington, where he applied-himself to the study of law and qualified for admission to the legal profession. , In 1906 he was appointed to the legal division of the Public Trust Office, land in the succeeding year he; received appointment to the position/ of assistant solicitor. On' the retirement of Mr F. J. Wilson, in 1909, Mr Macdonald was appointed solicitor to the Public Trust Office, and in that capacity inaugurated and developed the progressive policy with regard to legal work which has been an outstanding feature of the Public Trust Office since that time. -Further promotion came in 1917, when he was appointed assistant Public Trustee. In that position he played an important part in the reorganisation of the office rendered necessary? by th% rapid growth of business and the extension of: the principle of decentralisation of the office work. Mr MacdonaldV appointment .to the position of Public. Trustee in .1920 gave hjm the opportunity of developing and completing the policies; which he had already assisted to inaugurate. The important development in rural finance which was marked by the passing of the Rural Intermediate Credit Act of 1927 imposed additional duties on riim. Under the Act. the Public Trustee is, ex officio, constituted the chief executive member of the Rural Intermediate Credit Board with the designation of Commissioner of Rural Intermediate Credit. In thie capacity it '■ fell to Mr Macdonald to carry out the organisation and administration of the new scheriie. He was also a member of the Government Railways Superannuation Board, the State Advances Board, the Government Insurance Board, and the Public Debt Commission, besides holding the position of chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Board of Governors which deals with the allocation of grants to charities under the, will of Mr T.: G.. M'Carthy. He had served since' 1914 as one of .the members of the Public Service Superannuation Board elected by the Public Service, and since 1923 he had occupied the position of chairman, of that board. In the New Year honours in 1929 he received the insignia of ,C;M;G. ; , > The Prime Minister, Mr G. W. Forbes, in a statement to-night, paid a tribute to Mr Macdonald. " K was with; the deepest regret that. I : heard 'of Mr Macdonald's death," he said. "The public service in New Zealand has lost one of its most able members.. and an officer who, in the responsible position which he held for many years,.rendered valuable service to the State. He was a strenuous arid conscientious worker, and there is little doubt that, in the recent years of economic depression , the responsibilities of his office have very largely increased. The strain and anxiety have, I feel sure, affected his health. In addition to his duties as Public Trustee he was called.upon to perform valuable services as a member of,various statutory investment boards. I can eay from my own; personal knowledge that Mr Macdonald, as the; custodian of trust funds, was, within legaj limits, always sympathetic towards, the mortgagor, particularly during , the recent times of hardship. As Minister-inrCharge of the Public. Trust Office I feel I have lost a most efficient officer' and: a personal friend, and the country a' faithful servant."' ' , ':' .-'':'.'" V : -'l.■:.'. - : '"■'"'■ ■" , - '.'■';<•'.'• i

MR D. M; LltTtE

The .death occurred suddenly on June 'ti ( 13 of Mr Donald M'Leod Littte at his residence, Comrie, Maclennan.. The:deceased' was born in Scotland in- 18SQ and came to New Zealand 'with;, his father, brothers and sisters in 1892. He later came to the Catlins district, where .' he had since resided. He served \in: the Great War as a member of: the Expeditionary Force, and was also a member of the 1.0.0. F. Lodge, Tahakbpa. His funeral on Sunday at the Owaka Cemetery was largely attended by returned soldiers, members of the 1.0.0. F., and friends. He is survivedby' his widow and'two sisters, Mrs Lockerbie, of Ma'elennan, and Mrs Shanks, of Papatdwai, and one brother who lives in. America. MRS ROBERT LAIDLAW ; The death occurred in Auckland on Monday of Mrs Robert wife of Mr Robert Laidlaw, of 300'Jervois road, Herne Bay. Mrs Laidlaw, who" was in her seventieth year, had been ill for about two months. She, was born at Dairy, near Glasgowi where her early married life was spent. In 1886 she' and .her husband arrived in Duhedin in the old Aorangi. Mr Laidlaw established a hosiery factory here, arid later built up a well-known wholesale and; retail hardware business under the name of Messrs Laidlaw and Gray, Limited. This he conducted until his retirement and re- • movai to Auckland in 1905. For the °-reater part of her life Mrs Laidlaw was active in religious work: Not long after her removal to Auckland she became leader of the girls' Bible class"atJthe Howe Street Gospel Hall, and held that office for 21 years. She and her husband celebrated their golden wedding last November. Mrs Laidlaw is survived by her husband, one son, Mr R. A.' Laidlaw, and two daughters, Mrs D. Robertson and Mrs W. H. Fortune, both"of Auckland. Two sons, sMr John R, Lstidlaw and Mr Arthur F. Laidlaw, lost; their lives in the Great War. -■>•■<,••"