OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22352, 28 August 1934, Page 7

OBITUARY

MR JUSTICE MACGREGOR

LONDON,; August 26. The death is announced of Judge William Cunningham MacGregor.

Mr Justice MacGregor, who was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1862, was a son of the late Rev. Dr James MacGregor, at. one time professor of systematic theology in New College, Edinburgh, and was the author of several theological and expository books. He was educated at George Watson’s school in Edinburgh, and later carried bn his studies at the Edinburgh University. He came to Otago with his parents in’ the ship Jessie Roadman in 1881. His father, who was well known to the older generation as a u able Presbyterian minister, was stationed, in Camara for many years. ; - '

On coining to New' Zealand, Mr MacGregor, who had been studying for the legal profession, entered the office of the late Messrs Downie Stewart and Deriniston, in whose service he remained for five years. He passed his final examination in July, 1883/ on which/ occasion he had the distinction of - being at the head of the list ;6f successful students for the.: whole of: New .Zealand, and was awarded the- Canterbury Law Society’s gold medal in recognition of his achievement. In - September of'the same year he was admitted to practice as a. barrister and solicitor of . the Supreme Court, and then commenced-in ■ this'city what proved to /be a distinguished career. For many years he acted a s legal adviser to the City Council, ,a<id built-up an extensive practice in court work. He soon became one of the leading members of the Bar in Otago, and for. a very lengthy period., appeared in,many of the most important law suits :which "engaged; the attention of the Supreme Court, both in Dunedin and elsewhere. He carried bn practice on his own account for many years, and on the elevation of Sir' Frederick Chapman to the Supreme Court Bench he became associated, with the firm of Messrs Smith, Chapman and Sinclair, which was subsequently known as Messrs Smith, MacGregor and Sinclair. That partnership remained in existence till 1920.

In 1914 Mr MacGregor gained the distinction of King’s Council, and in the same year he was -appointed Crown Solicitor in Dunedin in succession to the late Mr J. F. M. Fraser. He held that position until 1920, when he was appointed Solicitor-general, following, the appointment of the late Sir John Salmond, the previous occupant of the office, to a seat on the Supreme Court bench. Mr MacGregdr had been a judge of the Supreme Court since September 15, 1923. He xvas,p£b§ideht of the Otago Law Society ,in 1899; -Mr-’ MacGregor took £ keen interest in British Imperialism, arid had lectured and written extensively on this and kindred, subjects. His scholarly attainments were in evidence in - some; contributions; which -he .made at various, times to New Zealand journals. He was the author of “ Ideals of Empire,” which: was .published in 1908.

In his younger days Mr MacGregor took a keen interest in various forms of sport. As'a cricketer he was a member of the Carisbrook' Club, and as a footballer he played for the Dunedin Club. Later on he devoted his attention to golf, of which he was a very capable exponent. He was champion of the Otago and \ Dunedin Clubs, in 1897. In 1902 Mr. MacGregor was married to Miss Dora Louisa .Harris, daughter of Mr G. W. Harris, of Mount Gambler, South Australia,- and had a family of 1 one son' and two daughters. Mr MacGregor retired from the Supreme Court Bench in April of this year, iand . with his. wife : left -New Zealand the same month by the Rangitata on a trip to the. Old Country The state of Mrs MacGregor’s health at that time was not satisfactory, and although the change appeared to benefit her she recently became seriously ill and her death was announced by. cablegram from London less than a fortnight ago. MR J. M.; B. CRAWFORD The death occurred' in St. Albans, Christchurch last week of Mr James Melville Balfour Crawford who. was on the staff of the School for the Deaf at Sumner for close oil 40 years and’ for eight years its director. Mr Crawford, who was 02 years of age, was born in Dunedin and was educated at the Mornington School and the Otago Boys’ ( High School. He entered the teaching profession and was appointed to the staff of the School for the Deaf , at Sumner in 1802. While he was a junior assistant at the school he studied at Canterbury College, and in 1912 took the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He was appointed director of the School for the Deaf in 1923 and held this position until his retirement in 1031. As, an authority on the training of the deaf Mr Crawford took a prominent; part in the compilation of a pamphlet on speech training, for the Department of Education, which was issued to all schools. He was keenly interested in many outdoor sports. He was at one time captain of the Sumner Cricket Cijib and a member of the Sumner Bowling Club, and was active in the development -of the Richmond Hill golf links. During his retirement in St. Albans he became a member of the St.-Albans Bowling : Club and of the Hagley, Golf Club. He was a former president of the Christchurch branch of the Otago Boys’ High School Old Boys’ Association. Air Crawford married Miss Ewart, who was formerly matron of the Timaru Hospital, and a sister of Dr John Ewart, of Wellington and Dr William Ewart, of Invercargill. His wife died four, years ago, and he leases no family.

MR W. F. BLAKISTON

The death occurred in Wellington early on Saturday morning, after a brief illness, of Mr William Frederick Blakist'on, advertising manager for New Zealand and branch manager for Wellington of the Atlantic Union Oil Company. Mr Blakiston, who was a single man, was born at Reigate, Surrey, 38 years ago, and came to New Zealand,in 1912, after Having received his early education at the Reigate Grammar School. His business life was associated with advertising, and in June, 1928, he joined the Atlantic Union Company as advertising manager for New Zealand, subsequently being'ap.pointed manager; of the Wellington branch also. Mr Blakiston was a

member of the . Wellesley 'Club, and among bio other interests ,wece:'aviation and swimming, .'He wds'a-life member of the. Hutt Swimmihg. Glub, : and, a-mem-ber of -several aviation clubs, -including the Wellington Aero Cliib. v ■ His 'mother, Mrs Sweetzer, is-living at Oriental Bay. ,MR J.-A..STEEL :.: The death occurred “at' Tapanui.yesterday of Mr;.James .Allan, Steel, .an.pld and; ..widely-respected resident of i.thc district. Mr Steel was born; at Stirling, Scotland, in 18167 . and l came-t 00^ Chalmers with his parents oh the ship Strathfieldsaye in J 858.' After'spending .some months in,Dunedin the:family rcmovcH to Inyercargill, aind: later, .when a young man, .Hr..; Steel; undertook,-.4 carrying, business to the.gold-diggings at Gabriel’s - Gully.; arid the Dunstaih, When land was opened up for settlement in the Tapanui district he took-,up . a farm at Gieukcnich, wherehe made his home for more than 40, years, retiring, in , 1927 to reside in .Tapanui. -He was -one of . the last of the, pioneers of that district, rind at .the time’ of his death was; the oldest member in Otago of tbs Oddfellow? Lodge, which he bad; Joined when a.young man, He wa sr possessed of .a particularly genial nature and ,gained’.a ; wddeciCcle of friends;in the district in whicb be had spent so maDy .ycarg of his'life. He is survived by his.wife j three, Alex, Steel (DunediriJ,, George. Stric! (Tapanui) and .Gordon s(riel (Heriot ) and : three. daughters—Meadanits.. : John Smith (Tapanui)James Iverse (Kelso), and Walter Sinclair (Wyndham). , MISS RAIE DA COSTA LONDGNj August 26. The death is announced of Miss Rate Da Costa, the. pianist.'; ‘. ’jC' .'.' ri Miss Da Costa was a well-knpwn pianist in England .arid an expert , performer in. syncopated music. She made a large number of records with which radio listeners are doubtless famjliar,. ' '''' '■ •' ■. MR JOHN HARRINGTON ' SYDNEY, August 27. The death is announced'of Mr John Harrington, aged 66. He founded Harringtons Limited, Australia arid. New Zealand. , > • •; -v •