OBITUARY

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 28

OBITUARY

MR ARTHUR CHAMBERLAIN. LONDON, October 20. The death is announced of Mr Arthur Chamberlain, chairman of Kynoch’s (Ltd.), and brother of the Et. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain. October 22. After the religious service the remains of the late Mr Arthur Chamberlain were cremated, and the ashes scattered on the surface of the ground instead of being buried. M. TELLIER. PARIS, October 20. M. Tellier, inventor of artificial cold storage, is dead. Some little time ago M. Tellier told the story of how ho had carried on experiments, until he said: “At last in 1875 I succeeded, and the steamer F rigorifique I succeeded, and the steamer Frigorifique was fitted out. The Frigorifique returned from the River Plate with a cargo of frozen meat, which was in a perfect state of preservation. But as the public was not prepared to consume preserved meat in those days the operation resulted in a loss, the company broke up, and I hoard no more about it. Besides, I received no encouragement from the Government, or from capitalists generally, and there things remained. I turned my attention to other problems, one of winch was the invention of a gas motor, which had some success in 1885, and now I a m engaged on the study of replacing coal.” A public subscription was promoted for M. Tellier, to which some of the meat companies and the Argentine Government contributed. MR OLIVER TRINDER. LONDON, October 25. The death of Mr Oliver Trinder, shipowner, is announced. SIR WALTER MENZIES. LONDON, October 26. The death of Sir Walter Menzies, M.P., is announced. Sir Walter Menzies, Liberal M.P. for South Lanark, was born at Glasgow in. 1856, and was educated at the High School in that city. He succeeded hie father as principal in the tube-making business of James Menzies and Co., Glasgow, but retired in 1898. He received his title in 1909. MR PANTON. -SYDNEY, Otcober 26. The death of Mr Panton, formerly senior police magistrate, is announced. He was 82 years of age. [Mr Joseph Anderson Panton, C.M.G., F.R.G.S., was the first metropolitan police magistrate at Melbourne, where he served from 1874 till 1907. DR M'ARTHUR, S.M. WELLINGTON, October 23. Dr Alexander M'Arthur, Senior Stipendiary Magistrate and District Coroner at Wellington lor many years, was found dead in his office at the courthouse shortly alter midnight. He was in his usual health last night. It is behoved that the cause of death was heart disease or apoplexy. He leaves a widow, but no children. Striking tribute to the esteem in which the late Dr M'Arthur was held was made by a very largo gathering of members ol the legal profession in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. Addressing the assembly, Mr Riddell, S.M., who was deeply moved, said: “ Our doctor, esteemed, respected, and beloved of his staff, by the profession, and by all the people, has gone. Ho was eminently fitted for the position ho occupied so long and so well. He was kindly in his disposition, both on and off the bench, impartial in his judgments and in the exorcise of his duties.” Proceeding, Mr Riddell referred to Dr M'Arthur’e wonderfully sympathetic nature. On behalf of the Bar, the Attorney-general (the Hon. A. L. Herdrnan) said : “ The deceased magistrate was an institution in Wellington. As president of the people’s court he had grown into the hearts of the people of the city. On all sides ho was revered and respected, and he was essentially qualified for the position ho occupied. His kindly word and sense of humour sometimes upE cared to lighten the burden of the prisoners e has sentencing.” The Attorney-general spoke of the deceased’s practical sympathy to discharged prisoners, and the universal esteem and respect in which he wus held by the Bar. Tributes to the memory of the late magistrate were also paid by speakers on behalf of justices of the peace and the police. APPRECIATION IN DUNEDIN. Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., on taking his seat on the bench at the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning, made reference to the death of Dr M'Arthur, S.M. Mr Calvert spoke on behalf of the legal profession. Dr M'Arthur was born at Glasgow in 1855. When he was very young his parents went to Melbourne, and ho received hi? education at the Scots College and at Melbourne University, where he took the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Laws. From his youth ho was acknowledged as a teacher of exceptional ability and originality, and he taught for some years os a senior master in his old college. U r t oo t,„ ~.-c r-l-ctetl by the Education Department of South Australia to bo the principal of one of the largest model schools in that colony. In 1830 Dr M'Arthur came to New Zealand, and was for a short time a senior master in the Auckland Grammar School, but ho resigned that position to become the first principal of the Auckland Training College. After six years in that position he opened the Queen’s College, as a private venture,

in the old "Wesley College buildings, and afterwards in Ponsonby. In 1898 he comnienced practice as a barrister and solicitor in Auckland, for which he was also the coroner. He was one of the most favourably known public men in Auckland, having been a member of the Board of Education and of the Marine Board of Health; also president of the Auckland Liberal Association. In addition to his other duties he was lecturer on jurisprudence, constitutional history, and political economy at the Auckland University College. He was afterwards appointed a stipendiary magistrate in Wellington, and district coroner.