OBITUARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12636, 24 March 1905, Page 3

OBITUARY.

■ SIB ALFRED CADMAN. Per. Press Association.AUCKLAND, Match 23. Sir Alfred Cadman,. Speaker- of the Legislative Council, died this morning, after a long illness. The Premier, speaking at Huntly, made feeling reference to Sir A. Cadimn's death. In a telegram to the Mayor, he suggested a State funeral, if the relatives so desired, but in accordance with the wish of the deceased the relatives prefer an ordinary pub;ic: funeral. The body will be interred at" Coromandel. •• HUNTLEY, March 23. • The Premier in a speech to-day said that the colony had suffered a great loss by Sir- A. Cadman's death.- There was' no doubt that- close attention to his official-' duties jhad "-impaired his health ancl laid* the the disease from which he siif-. .fered. He was oEe . .of New Zealand's; foremost public men and his name would ever be respected throughout the .colony. ' [Sir Alfred Cadman was the son'of/the late Mr Jerome Cadman, anil .was born; in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1847,: and was an infant when his"parenta crossed' over to Auckland. Educated at the parishschools of St Paul's - and St. Matthew's, and at Wesley College, Auckland, he served his full term to the carpentering trade. When -Mr Cadman was about twenty-one, he went to settle in:'Coro* mandel, where he entered into the' sawmilling business, in which he did . well for many years. In 1881 Mr Cadman. was first returned to Parliament as member for Coromandel; three years later, ancl. again in 1887, he ..was re-elected for the; same constituency. In 1890 he was electa!, for the Thames electorate —which now, in-' eluded the main portion of the old . Coromandel electorate—after a severe fight- At the General Election of 1893 Mr Cadman successfully wooed the electors of the Waikato;'' for -which district he sat until 1899. He was chosen a- Minister of the Crown in the Ballance Ministry in January, 1891, when he became Commissioner of Stamps Duties, which position he retained for only six days. On the 4th of February. 1891, he took the portfolio of Native Affairs, and on the 28th of May of .the same year, Minister of Justice. In the Seddon Government he continued as Native Minister and Minister of Justice till his resignation' on the 20th June, 1893. On his return I to the House he was pressed to resume his old portfolio as Native Minister, but declined to do so, and was therefore appointed Minister of 'Mines, and again.. took the portfolio of Justice. The portfolio of Railways was conferred on Mr Cadman. in January, 1895, and he retained it until ill-health compelled the resignation; of his offices and seat in the House in-1899. The honourable gentleman probablv held more portfolios than'any of his. colleagues. •The deceased gentleman was appointed a member of the Legislative Council- in 1899, ; and was elected to thg position of Speaker last session. He was .decorated C.M.G on the occasion of the visit of the Duke and Ducheft- of Cornwall to New Zealand, and received the honour of knighthood in 1903.]