OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24900, 13 June 1946, Page 6

OBITUARY

SIR JAMES HUTCHISON (P.A.) DUNEDIN, June 12. The death occurred suddenly to-day of Sir James Hutchison, who recently retired from the position of editor of the “Otago Daily Times.” He died while revisiting the office of the newspaper. Sixty years in jouralism—37 of them as an editor—were completed by Sir James Hutchison when he retired from the editorship of the “Otago Daily Times” at the end of March. Born in Wanganui in 1867, he was educated at Wellington College and Victoria University College. In 1886 he accepted an invitation from Mr Thomas Bracken to join the reporting staff of the “Evening Herald” in Dunedin, and three years later he joined the staff of the “Otago Daily Times.” For many years he was on the editorial staff, and in 1909 he succeeded Mr

(later Sir) George Fenwick as editor. “For nearly 40 years he has set a high standard of journalism in the columns of this paper,” said the “Otago Daily Times” in announcing his retirement. “. . . throughout the period of his editorship he has maintained the dignity and standing of the paper in accordance with the best traditions of journalism. When he was knighted in 1936 he made it clear that he accepted the honour as one for the profession of journalism rather than as a personal distinction ” The son of an editor of newspapers in Scotland, Ireland, and New Zealand, who became a member of Parliament, as also did an older brother, Sir . James Hutchison had a special interest in national politics. He had an amazingly retentive memory and a facility for writing envied by all who worked with and for him. As a staff director he was always sympathetic and kindly; he nad qualities which enabled him to be on an understanding basis with his staff, vet preserving the dignity of his chair. He attended conferences of the Empire Press Union in Canada in 1920 and in England in 1930, and was associated with various educational and cultural activities in Dunedin. Sir James Hutchison was prominent in both the active and administrative sides of sport. He was a founder of the Poneke Club m Wellington and played senior football for two seasons in Dunedin for the Pirates Club: he was a life member of both clubs. From 1894 to 1899 he was honorary -secretary of the Otago Rugby Football Union and was its president in 1902, 1903. and •1908 He was for many years a member of the appeal council of the New Zealand Busby Union. He was a member of the Otago Golf Club. Sir James Hutchison is survived by Lady Hutchison and three sons, Mr J. D. Hutchison, of Christchurch. Dr. F. C. Hutchison, of Wanganui, and Dr. W. J. Hutchison, of Lower Hutt.

MR W. J. COUTTS (P.AJ AUCKLAND. June 12. Mr William Joseph Courts a director of Dominion Breweries, Ltd., since its inception, died suddenly to-day. Mr Courts, whose family has been engaged in the brewing industry in Ne.v Zealand since the middle of last century, was born at Cromwell in ’875 On the death of his father, Mr Courts became proprietor of the Standard Brewery at Palmerston North, and in 1907 established the Cascade Brewery at Taihape, which was then the terminal of the uncompleted main trunk railway. In 1928 he founded, with his sons, the Waitemata Brewery at Otahuhu. which led to the formation of Dominion Breweries, Ltd.