A SUDDEN PASSING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3858, 21 February 1928, Page 22

A SUDDEN PASSING.

DEATH OF MR CHARLES SPEIGHT A prominent Dunedin citizen and business man in the person of Mr Charles Speight. C.8.E., died suddenly at his residence, York place, on Sunday afternoon. Mr Speight, who was 62 years of age, was apparently enjoying his usual good health up till Sunday morning, and his passing came as a great -shock to his family and friends. During a molning walk in the city he became unwell, and, after being motored home, he retired to bed with a book. His death, which is attributed to heart failure, occurred without warning a few hours later. Mr Speight, who was one of the bestknown and most popular figures in local business and club circles, was born in Dunedin in 1865, and remained in the city of his birth throughout his life. His parents, Mr and Mrs James Speight, arrived in New Zealand in 1861, and settled in this city. In 1876 Mr James Speight founded the important brewing business with which his son, after being educated at the Normal School (now- known as the Moray Place School), became associated in 1881. While Mr Charles Speight gave close attention to the affairs of his own business, he took a keen and helpful interest in most movements of public concern in the city. Prior to the brewery merger four years ago Mr Speight was managing director of the firm of James Speight and Co., and from that time was manager of the Dunedin branch of New Zealand Breweries, Ltd., and a member of the board of directors of that concern. His first important public service was performed during the Boer War, when he .became a member of the Organising Committee that was responsible for raising and equipping the Fourth and Fifth Contingents, and he was prominently associated with the work of promoting the welfare of the men on their return. During the last war Mr Speight was quickly provided with a useful sphere of activity in a similar capacity, and he assisted in organising the carnivals and ether efforts planned for the welfare of the men. He was a member of the Otago Patriotic Association, which controls the expenditure of the funds raised for this purpose, and was deputy chairman of the Soldiers aud Dependents’ Welfare Committee. In this capacity he quietly and unostentatiously devoted a great deal of time and care to the welfare of the men on their return. Being naturally of an unobtrusive nature, he worked in the interests of his fellow-men largely without the knowledge of the public, and repeated acts of generosity that sprang from his unfailing kindness were known only to his closest friends and associates.

With the organisation and opening of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition of 1-925-26 Mr Speight came prominently under public notice in most recent times. He was associated with the enterprise from its inception, being a member of the Advisory' Committee which was set up at a meeting of citizens on February 15, 1923, convened by the Mayor (Mr T S. Douglas) for the purpose of discussing the proposal to hold an exhibition. On October 1, 1923, when the exhibition directorate was elected by a meeting of shareholders, his name appeared first in the list of directors appointed, and he later became vice-chairman of the board and chairman of the Finance Committee. In the initial stages of the great undertaking at Logan Park, and throughout its course, he gave it his wholehearted attention, devoting a very considerable portion of his time to committee work as well as to general organising and management tasks. No member of the Board of Directors laboured with greater or more conscientious zeal, and much of the success of the exhibition, both financially and from a public point of view, was due to the exceptional business acumen and sound, level-headed judgment which was displayed by him at his seat at the directors’ table. The personal element which entered so largely into his connection with the exhibition was greatly appreciated by all whose business brought them into contact with the directorate and management, and even the most trivial of the many matters with which he was concerned received his direct and untiring attention. After the exhibition had been opened .a great proportion of his time was spent in promoting the welfare of the members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders’ Band, in whom he t->ok a never-flagging and almost fatherly interest. Every bandsman learned to know that his work and activities in Dunedin had been made a matter for Mr Speight’s personal concern, and much of the smoothness and success with which the affairs of the band were managed during its sojourn in Dunedin was due to his tact and organising ability. For his work as vice-chairman of the Exhibition Company Mr Speight received the distinction of Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday honours list last year. He was a shareholder in a number of local companies, in several of which he u ld , dl rectorships. He did not disdain the humble service of membership of a school committee, for he was a member of the Arthur Street Committee for several years, and its chairman since the last annual meeting. In bis younger days Mr Speight was actively connected with cycling and volunteering He was a member of the Dun edm Cycling Club, the Dunedin Rifle Club and the B Battery. He was aho a keen yachtsman, and throughout hb life remained closely associated with the aquatic sport and actively concerned in its interests. He was appointed a lieutenant tn the Nava] Reserve as a result of hi< associations in yachting and allied circles’ and he took a special interest m the Sanders Cup contest, the 14 footer Winifred an Otago competitor for the trophy, Lein» built to ms order and under bis careful supervision in regard to design end eqmn ment Ihe boat.was named after his onlv daughter Ho was a past president of the Caledonian Society of which he was trea surer at tne tune of his death, and a past president of the Otago Bowling Club. His interest extended- to al] manly sports, and he might regularly be ■ seen among the spectators at all important cricket and Rugby football matches in Dunedin, while Latterly be derived much enjoyment from a friendly game of golf on Saturday afternoons. He was a popular and prominent

member of the Otago Club, and a member also of both the Fernhill and the Commercial Travellers’ Clubs. Mr Speight leaves bis wife and a family of four sons and a daughter to mourn their loss. D r Norman Speight, his eldest son is in practice m Dunedin ; Mr Allan Speight, his second son, manages the Redc.iff run, near Lake Manapouri (Southland) ; Mr Hugh Speight is in business in his father’s firm ; and the youngest gon, Mr Colin Speight is on the Redcliff run His daughter. Miss Winifred Speight, resides at home. Four members of the family to which he belonged are resident in New Zealand. His brother. Mr Walter Speight, lives in IXinedin, and h»s sisters are Mrs T D. Pearce, of Invercargill, Mrs G. Frier of Wellington and Mr g Wi Livingston, of Wellington. The only other member of the family was Mrs Frank Holmes, of Wellington, who died some 12 months ago.