OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 5

OBITUARY

>■ ' "• ' SIR FREDERICK HOLDER, j, (By Telegraph.-I'rcßß ABsoclation.-OoorrlEhl.) (Rec. July 23, 11 p.m.) • Melbourne, July 53. Sir Frederick Holder, Speaker ' of.j tho House of Representatives,' was seized with sudden illness in the House, from which ho subsequently expired. J , • Sir Frederick had just previously vacated the chair, and while' talking-to' the Minister for Ho-me Affairs, fell forward-on the 1 ' floor of the House. Several medical, 'members immediately, rendered assistance, and he wqb removed to his room, where is was found that ho was ■ suffering from hemorrhage of the brain. The House immediately adjourned.' ' Sir iFrederick Holder had been in his room most of the night while the members of the House were; wrangling in 'committoo ;over 'the Old Age Pensions Bill. For several.days he had been disturbed over tho'w»y muiiy members were conducting themselves.The difficulty .which he had ; experienced in nain ; taining order had been.- continued, and the persistency with which the proceedings bad been interrupted had an irritating effect upon him.; ; : , . ' _ •: Sir Frederick Holder lingered until lato this afternoon,- when he expired, i i ( TWICE A STATE PREMIER. • • Sir Frederick Holder was born in Happy Valley, South.Australia, in 1850, and had, been Speaker of the Federal House of * Representatives,since its inception in 1901. He was twice Premier -of South Australia, and- left that position to enter the, Federal House of Representatives, in which ho -represented^tho_Soutn Australian,constituency, of Wakefield.,, 'He.was knighted in 1902. ; V v - ,' :v; ; 'il'V. „ ■. Acoording to "Johns's Notable Australians, in his earlier days he was a State sohoolmaster in South Australia, and afterwards ho was' editor and proprietor of the.Burra "Record. From 1887 to ,1801 he-represented Burra in the 'South Australian 'legislative. Assembly, - dnd wis a member of a '.nninber of Royal Commissions and. Select Committers/,; including, Intercolonial Free-trade and Pastoral. Lands. He was Treasurer in the, Cockburri ,Ministry, •1889^0Premier and Treasurer, 1892'} ~Commissioner of Public•' Works, in .'Kingston Government, 18934, and Treasurer,' 181)1-9;; Premier, Treasurer, and Minister of Industry, December, 1899-May, 1901., He took a prominent, Piirt 'inthe movement for Australia-'federal .union, was a member of the .Convention which, framed the Commonwealth Constitution; '1897-8, and returned by the'; State of Sbiith'. Australia to the. first Houso- /of : Representatives. He. :had been a member: of the Council bf'.the'' South, Australian School of ; Afiriea . and ■ Industries sinoe -1802, was a retired captain in, the military, forcc, a prominent office-bearer iii the Methodist Church, and a preacher, also President of tho South Australia-'Alliance from 1 1902; to 1901. Lady Holder is prominent in temperance;.and. philanthropy, and in all movements for the'\advanceiiicnt of women. :, ~ .

DAILY jNOTES FROM WANGANUI. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wanganul, July 23. Particulars rooeived hero of the recent fatality at Raotihi : show that Joseph Gibson had some goligriiio stored in his workshop. F«elbg urieksy ',about its 'safety); he decided to shift it''to"a -whare some-' distance away; Ho was carrying a 501b. box of the explosive, when ho stumbled and fell, with the box under him. The concussion exploded the gelignite. , which demolished the workshop, killing Gibson instantly. Deceased was a native of Yorkshire, and landed in Wellington 25 years ago. After serving an apprenticeship thore,.he commenced: business as a storekolßper at : Raetihi, ,of , which ; township ho was one ci tho pioneers. . : "i The Arbitration Court sits here on August 17. to liear the bricldayors'; dispute. ; Those who follow boxing,_ wili probably feel interested lin the; prediction of Madame Holler, clairvoyant, who, i questioned at the performance of her company; horo last night, as, to the. outcome. of.. tho.' • unbleasatitness which is to occur between Johnson and Ketchell, predicted, a long :aud : strong fight, with tho result- that the "big fellow" will triumph- over tho!white man.;:... The i ambulance brigado of the, local Defence League last night decided to hold fortnightly parades in stretcher drill; bandaging; and - aid to wounded. The ; brigade intends to hold a display on November 9. -13y that time, it is expected, that, all- members will bo proficient' enough to gain the St. John certificate of merit.': " , ■

Arbor Day. passed .off,-successfully yesterday,' all the town and suburban schools doing good work. A largo number of tho public. were present •at Virginia. Lake,' where, after two speeches, spades, were, put to work, the planters being probabiy inoitcd to great efforts by the admirable speech .of the second speaker, whose only, remai'k was: "A spade is more appropriate than'.; a {speech." - This hint was taken up with enthusiasm, and 1300 trees were in the ground, when darkness. fell. '

Mr. F. Hunt, of Marton,* a well-known nurseryman, was brought to the/ Wanganui Hospital yesterday, suffering jfrom severe burns. AVhori lying ill iri bed the' curtains caught fire, and 'he,, being powerless to move, was rather badly ; burned before assist-ance-arrived. ■ ■ J

The fully-dressed body of. a middle-aged man was in; the river near. Qonvdlo this morning. It appeared to have been in tho water for a month.. Thero is no clue as to the identity of deceased.

Tho annual ball of the ex-students of tho Wanganui Girls' College iB, being' held tonight.- "Old girls" aro present from all over tho Dominion. .