Obituary.

Otago Witness, Volume 15, Issue 1487, 15 May 1880, Page 12

Obituary.

THE LATE MR JAMES MACASSEY.

Information of the sudden death of Mr James Macassey, an eminent barrister, who for many years has been in practice in Dunedin, waß received early on Monday by cable messago from Mr Andrews, the Crown prosecutor at Adelaide. Mr Macassey left Dunedin for Melbourne and Adelaide recently for the good of his health, which had been impaired by over-work, but the news of his death came as a shock to his relatives and friends, for his life was not deemed to be in immediate danger. It is surmised that the cause of his decease must have been congestion of the lungs, for in his last letter from Mcl bourne he reported that bis general state of health was improved. Mr Macassey was at one time a prominent member of the Provincial Council of Otago. He hat on several occasions been a candidate for Parliament, and from his position and reputation as a barrister ha may fairly be regarded as having been a public man. Such being the case some particulars of his career may be of general interest. James Livingstone Macaseey, generally know as James Maeaesey— Livingstone being his mother's maiden name, which he adopted— was the son of an Independent minister, who for many years laboured at C&rrickfevgus, a small seaport town in tbe north of Ireland, near Belfast. The deceased was the second of three sons, the first of whom died young, but lived long enough to become a somewhat distin guishsd Independent minister ; and the youngest son is now a oivil engineer of considerable re pute. Mr James Macassey was born on the 24th of September, 1841, and was conee quently 38 years old at the time of his death. At an early age he left Home for the Colonies, and resided with one of his uncles in Adelaide. His first employment was that of a clerk in a mercantile office ; but having a fancy for law, he became articled to Messrs G-wynne and Lawrence (now Judge Gwynne), and nis aptness for legal pursuits, his quickness of perception, retentive memory, and Temarkable industry soon attracted the attention of several counsel. On leaving Adelaide he went to Melbourne, and there entered the office of Mr Stephen (afterwards Judge Stephen), In Melbourne he took an active part in tbe literary institutions, and was a member of the Committee and secretary of the Hawthorne Literary Association, and was also a contributor to the Press of that city. During the Otago Kold fields rush in 1862 Mr Mxoassey came to Dunedin, and entered the solicitors' office of Messrs Richmond and Gillies (now Judges of the Supreme Court) as common-law clerk. In this situation his remarkable abilities attraoted the attention and commendation of Mr Justice Gresson. Shortly after tbe dissolution of the partnership between Messrs Richmond and Gillies Mr Maca<se>y was called to tha bar (29th September, 1865), entered into partner, ship with Mr G. K. Turton, and succeeded to Mr T. B. Gillies' business. A few months afterwards Mr J. H. Harris, who had just retired from the Superintendenoy, joined the firm, and business was carried on under the style of Harris, Macassey, and Turton. This partnership continued for some years, and upon its dissolution Mr Maoassey remained in business alone, but was soon joined by Mr Allan Holmeß (of the Inner Temple), and subsequently Mr F. R, Chapman (of the Inner Temple) entered into partnership with them. After the dissolution of this partnership by effluxion of time, Mr Macassey entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Mr O. C. Kettle, with whom he remained connected in business till the time of his death.

Mr Macassey's professional career is so well known thatno particular reference to it is necessary. Id manner Mr Maeassey was reserved, but notwithstanding this he was really of a very obliging disposition, and as a friend was sincere and constant. In the more private relations of life, as a husband and father, his kindness, consideration, and selfsacrifice were incsfc marked. Mr Macassey was married on the 16th of May, 1867, and he leaves a wife and four children. The remains of the deceased gentleman will be brought to Dunedin for burial.