OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 52

OBITUARY.

SIR JOHN MOUAT.

There passed away yesterday, after a prolonged illness, Mr John Mouat, whose name has for the last 40 years been widely and favourably known throughout Otago, and also wherever those who had been connected with gold mining in Otago were to be found. John Monat, one of 10 children, was born at Unst, Scotland, on the 12th November, 1830, where his father was proprietor of a small estate (Brookpoint), which carried a number of crofter tenants. He received his education at the parish school of Unst, and at the High School of Lerwick, where he had as schoolmate the late Mr Basil Sievvright. Here lie acquired a very competent knowledge of Greek and Latin, aud sufficient French and German to enable him to read with facility works in thcr>a languages throughout his life. During his school days also ho acquired a knowledge of chesa from .Sergeant Sttd, of the Sappers and Miners, who was then in charge of a district of the Shetland Island' for the Ordnance Survey. Thi-> knowledge he retained through life, and many an anxious and weary hour he beguiled over the bosrcl, his aptitude for the game, both in theory anj practice, beinj very pronounced. At the ago of 21 lie left Shetland for Victoria, being attracted, like many another, by the stories of fabulous wealth to be made in the newly-discovered goldfickls of Australia. He arrived in "Victoria on the 11th November, 1852, and engaged in gold mining. H > wa& located at Simpson's Ranges, White Hills, in the Maryborough district, for soano tune, and met with the usual varying success of the gold-seok-er. Here he made the acquaintance of Mr J. P. Armstrong. Subsequently he deeded to try his luck in Otago, and left Victcria, arriving in Dunedin on the 22nd December, IC6I, sotting out for the Tuapeka goldfields immediately thereafter. He had a claim at tho Blue Spur and another at Wctherstones, both p-ioving of a remunerative charact-er. In 1c64, he was elected to the Otago Provincial Council as member for the Goldfields, and pat as such representative almost continuously until 187]. On March 4, 1 f 63, he was ajipointed a m-mber of the first Mining Conference held in Otago. Thi3 commission was rot up by tho Provii cial Government for the purpose of revising the goldfields regulations and drawing up new regulations suitable to the advanced condition of mining in the province. The other members of this conference were : Vincent Pyke (chairman*, John Lillie Gillies (both, with Mr Mouat, Provincial Council representatives), Michael Gaffney (representing St Bathans), William Can* (Tuapeka). James Hoyle (Mount Benger), Peter Limmond Lette (Switzers), Robert Swyer (Wakatipu), Colin Campbell M'lntyre (Clyde), arid .John Shannon (Hamilton^. The- outcome of the labours of the conference was a new and amended code of Tegulations, published in the Provincial Gazette of April 22, 1665, whioh were generally conceded to be of an eminently practical character. On the resignation of the Otago Provincial Executive on May 6, 1869, the members then being Messrs Julius Vogel, Arthur John Burns, Bryan Cecil Haggitt, and John Hughes, a now Government was formed on May 10, 1869, tho members of which were Messrs Donald Reid, George M'Lean, Bryan Cecil Haggitt, John Lillie Gillies, and John Mouat. Mr Mouat was for some time s> member without portfolio, but afterwards filled tho ofnee.s of Provincial Secretary and Spcretary for Public Works. The Executive existed till April 3, 1871— somewhat longer than the usual term* of office, the Provincial Governments of the early days lasting sometimes for a period less than a mouth — and then resigned. Thereafter Mr Mouat turned his attenlion to the study of law, and he articled himself to the late Mr B. C. Haggitt, and subsequently, on 50th April, 1672, he wap admitted to the New Zealand Bar as a barrister and solicitor by the late Mr Justice Chapman. He commenced practice at Lawrence, and was for some time in partnership with Mr W. H. M'Kcay (at preeent Supreme Court librarian, the latter looking r.fter tho Dunedin branch of the business. Mr Mouat, however, after some years' residence in Lawrence, returned to Dunedin, and practised on his own account until 1£92, when he was joined in his law practice by his eldest son (the late Mr C. M. Mouat), whose early death in 1893 cut short a promising career, and no doubt was severely felt by his father. In 1889lE9O Mr Mouat filled the office of secretary to the Mining and Metallurgy Committee set up in connection with the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition. The other members were : Messrs W. L. Simpson (chairman), Vincent Pyke, James Allen, M.H.R., John Mitchell. R. S. Sparrow, George M'Gavin, Professor Ulrioh, James Hazlett, G. J. Binns, W. E. MAdam, W. P. \Yat3on, L. O. Beal, jun., and R. B. Denniston. Of Mr Mouat'o forensic career it may be said that, in the zenith of bis fame, his services as counsel in all mining ca o es of importance were eagerly sought. He was leading counsel in probably the longc&t jury case in the District Court at Lawrence- — Clayton v. Morrison, — which lasted for 27 dayc. Other oau&es celebre in which he was engaged may be mentioned tho equity suits of Elliott v. Burko and others, W«bb v. National Bank of New Zealand, and, more recently, the protracted action of Mills and others v. Isaac and others, which, we believe, has not yet ended. His special line, however, was mining law, and as an old digger he mad© a deep study of everything in connection with this subject. A# a consequence he was frequently engaged in writing leading articles for the Otago Daily Times on mining and kindred subject?. He was also on the staff of the " Mining Journal " when Mr R. L. Stanford (now magistrate at Palmerston North) filled the editorial chair. It may be mentioned here that Mr Mouat took an active, part in establishing the first newspaper ild^Kawrence — the Tuapeka Recorder. He was also, while at Lawrence, secretary of the Railway League which eventually promoted the railway line from Dunedin to Lawrence, and was furthermore at one time employed by the Government, along with the late Messrs B. C. Haggitt and T. L. Shepherd, in drafting a Consolidated and Amended Mining Ac-t. His one recreation was the game of chess, and for about 15 years he had been chess editor of the Otago Witness. Mi Mouat wa« a strong and enthusiastic, pl-ayer, and frequently carried off prizes at the various tournaments held from time to time. Mr Mouat leaves three sons (all of whom are in the civil service) aud two grandchildren. The only son resident in Dunedin is Mr F. J. Mouat, of the Lands and Survey De-