OBITUARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19827, 3 January 1939, Page 7

OBITUARY

MR. W. W. TANNER IN PARLIAMENT 18 YEARS (Per Picks Association.) WELLINGTON, this clay. The death occurred in Wellington this week of Mr. William Wilcox Tanner, formerly M.P. for Heathcote and Avon, and probably the last of the representatives elected to the eleventh New Zealand Parliament in 1890. fßorn in Moulton, Northamptonshire, in 1851, Mr. Tanner was educated at the Church of England School and then learned his trade as a cordwainer. He married in 1877 Miss Emily E. Browett, daughter of John Browett. Northampton. In consequence of the trade depression in the United Kingdom which followed th'3 Glasgow bank failures in the 'seventies, Mr. Tanner emigrated in 1879, arriving at Lyt'telton by the ship Waitara on Christmas Eve of that year.

In Canterbury he took an active part in local body, co-operative, trade union and friendly society movements, and when the unrest of the 'eighties came tc a head in the general strike in 1890 Mr. Tanner took an active and moderating part. At the general election which followed immediately after the strike, he was elected as representative for Heathcote and assisted in the defeat of Sir H. Atkinson's Ministry and the establishment of the Administration of John Ballance. The Heathcole electorate was abolished in 1893. and thereafter Mr. Tanner represented Avon. In all he was in Parliament for 18 years. As a young man he joined the Ar.cient Order of Foresters m England, becoming chief ranger of Court Star Centre of England. He was a Forester for more than 60 years.

Since the death of his wife 11 year:; ago, Mr. Tanner has led a retired life at his residence in Linwdod, Christchurch, till recently, when he went to Wellington to reside with his son, He is survived by his only child, Mr. W. A. Tanner, Khandallah, and two grandchildren, M;\ W. Walter Tanner ar.ct Miss Ruth Tanner. MR. WILLIAM HART FORMER HASTINGS MAYOR (Per Fress Association.) HASTINGS, this day. The death occurred to-day of Mr. William Hart, former Mayor of Hastings, aged 75 years. Born in Sunderland, England, Mr. Hart came to New Zealand as a boy and for a time was employed in the printing trade in Dunedin. Later he joined the Oamaru Mail, where he remained for 21 years before coming to Hastings, where in 1809 he took over tihe Hastings Standard. After disposing of the Standard in 1008, which then became the Tribune, Mr. Hart commenced a printing business, which he disposed of in 1922.

He served for some time as a councillor and in 1913 was elected Mayor, serving in this office until 1917, and again tfrom 1921 to 1922. He was a member of the War Relief Committee and a keen poultry fancier. He is survived by Mrs. Hart and four daughters.