OBITUARY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXXI, Issue 9726, 26 January 1942, Page 2

OBITUARY

THE HON. EDWARD DYE, M.L.C. One of the stalwarts of the Labour Party, and a man prominent in active mining in Waihi, and in efforts tor the betterment of the lot of his fel-low-workers, over a great number of years, the Hon. Edward Dye, M.L.C., died in Auckland last night. Mr Dye, who had been in indifferent health for some time, was 63 years of age.

Born in Timaru in 1879, the Hon. Mr Dye, who was among the first 14 appointees to the Upper House after the Labour Party came into power at tile end of 1935, was the eldest son of the late Mr and Mrs Edward Dye. Mr Dye, senr., was a building contractor in Timaru and also followed that occupation in La Trobe, Tasmania, to which town he took his son when Hie lad was four years of age. The Hon. Mr Dye was reared and educated there, and at the age of 12 years entered a solicitor’s office, leaving three years later to help his father in'the building business. At the age of 17, however, he started mining in Mount Lyell, and at 21 came back to New Zealand. Until his appointment to the Upper House, Mr Dye had been engaged in mining on the Waihi field almost all the time since then. Keen interest in the Labour movement hacl been taken by Mr Dye since the time of Seddon, and he had always been an ardent supporter of Labour principles. Among his many other activities in this cause he for 15 years president of the Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries Union, having also served as vice-president and in other executive capacities, and at the time of his appointment to the Legislative Council he was also president of the New Zealand Goldmines Employees’ Federation. A prime-mover in the New Zealand Socialist Party, Mr Dye was a great fighter for the improvement of the conditions of the worker in Waihi. He was elected a member of the Waihi Borough Council at a by-elect-icn. and was returned again in 1938, serving for the term of three but did not seek re-election at the next poll last May. Mr Dye invaria! ly took an interest in all sport, and at one time was a noted runner.

He is survived by his widow and a grown-up family. The funeral will lake place at the Auckland crematorium to-morrow. The Mayor, Mr W. M. Wallnutt, and the depuiyMayor, Mr S. M. Hovell, will represent the council and citizens of Waihi.