OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 897, 17 August 1910, Page 4

OBITUARY.

ME. JAMES JOSEPH DEVINE. General regret will !>e felt at the news of the death of Mr. Jame-s Joseph Devine, o? Wellington Termed, t> prominent member of the legal p'rofessun, aud of the Wellington City Council, which occurred last evening following uioii au operation for appendicitis. The deceased gentleman only.took ilLou Monday, and was removed to a private hospital yesterday, when an eperation was deemed a matter of vital urgency. Mr. Deviue, who was esteemed and respected by all who knew him; was born at Koscrea, County Tipperary, Ireland, iW years ago. He arnvid in Wellington when 18 j-ears of ago, end soon after his arrival , was articled to thp legal firm of which the Into Sir Patrick Buckley (formerly Attorney-General) was the head. On being admitted to the Bar ho commenced practice 'ou his own account, and has been in business in lhis city ever since. He was an expert in municipal law, and was legal adviser to the Miiamar Borough Council. His knowledge in that repaid was of considerable vahw to tho City Council, to which body he was elected as representative of Cook ward (Wellington East) when the ward system was in operation. He sat as a member until 1899, and after a lapse of two years he was elected again in 1901, and sat until 1905.' In 1906 he contested the Mayoralty unsuccessfully against the Hon.' T. W. Hislop. In April last year he once more returned to the council table, since when he lias shown 'his old-time activity in guarding the city's interests. About four years ago he was givon the task of consolidating the city by-laws for which work he was given a ,special vote over and above his fee in recognition of the legal skill he had shown in his work. Mr. Devine was also elected a member of the newly-constituted Hospital and Charitable 'Aid Board in April last; was a prominent Hibernian, a member of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society (being an earnest disciple of Tzaak Walton) and a member of the Wellington Savage Club, where his national heartiness and good humour mado him ponular. The deceased-leaves a widow, four sons and two-daughters. The eldest son, Mr. Bernard Jlevine, is a solicitor in his father's office, and is a well-known member of St. Patrick's Old Boys' Association, mid other kindred Catholic societies. Mr. Frank Devine is a farmer at Levin: Mr. Leo. Devino is still a student at Eiverviow College, Sydney (where ho recently took honours in mathematics); and the youngest son, Master Vincent Devine, resides'at home. Miss Devine, who has besn residing at Timaru for a few months past, is due in Wellington to-day, and Miss Kathleen Devine resides at home. Much symnathy will be felt for the widow and children'in their bereavement.