DEATH OF FORD MELCHETT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 18762, 29 December 1930, Page 8

DEATH OF FORD MELCHETT.

CLOSE OF NOTABLE CAREER. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Corvrignt (Received December 26, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 27. The death is announced of Lord Melchett, formerly Sir Alfred Moritz Mond. The King sent a message of sympathy to Lady Melchett, recognising the constancy wherewith Lord Melchett had devoted his energies to the improvement of the country’s industrial life. Though generally agreeing that his political career was comparatively undistinguished, the newspapers unanimously pay tributes to Lord Melchett’s business genius, sincerity and his attempts to reconcile masters and men. The Press regrets the loss at such a critical period in the national life. “The Observer” says that England loses an inspiring impulse in scientific industry, and a man of the highest intellectual power. “The Sunday Express” describes deceased as the greatest of all British industrialists. Lord Melchett was created the First Baron of Landford in 1928", but had a Baronetcy conferred upon him in 1910, and was created a Privy Councillor. He was a Doctor of Laws (St. Andrews and Manchester), Doctor of Common Law (Durham), Doctor of Science (Oxford), and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Lord Melchett was born at Farnworth, near Widnes, Lanca- | shire, on October 23, 1868. being the son of the late Dr. Ludwig Mond, F.R.S., and was 62 years of age at the time of his death. He qualified as a Barrister of the Inner Temple (London) in 1894. He took a great interest in many public bodies, being chairman of the Chemical Industries Section of the Franco-British Exhibition, held in London in 1908. He was elected to the House of Commons as the Liberal member for Chester in 1906 and sat for this constituency until 1910. He represented Swansea fronr~l9lo till 1923, and Carmarthen from 1924 till 1928. The deceased statesman was First Commissioner of Works from 1916 till 1921; Minister of Health from 1921 till 1922. He was Founder and President of the Institute of Fuel; joint chairman of the Conference on Industrial Reorganisation and Industrial Relations; chairman of the Board of Management of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd.; The Mond Nickel Co.; Brunner, Mond and Co.; director of the South Staffordshire Mond Gas (Power and Heating) Co.; chairman of the Power Gas Corporation; director of Nobel Industries, Ltd.; United Alkali Co.. Ltd.; Westminster Bank; Industrial Financial Investment Corporation; chairman of the Economic Board for Palestine; Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries. Ltd.; Syndicate, Ammonia and Nitrates, Ltd.; and of Gurnos Anthracite Collieries, Ltd. During his most active life Lord Melchett published a number of works, chief among which are his books, entitled: “Industry and Politics,” “The Chemical Industries, and Industry under Protection,” and articles on political and economic subjects, under the title, “Questions of To-day and To-morrow.” Lord Melchett’s recreations included golf, riding, shooting, motoring, and various other forms of sport. The heir to the title is his son the Hon. Henry Mond.)