OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1434, 8 May 1912, Page 8

OBITUARY.

HON. JAMES M'GOWAN. A SUDDEN seizure. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Thames, May (i. The Hon. James M'Gowan, Minister for .Mines in the Seddmi and Ward Administrations from 1H99 to 1908, was found dead (his morning in an outbuilding of the lioyal Hotel, where he has resided for many years. The deceased appeared to be iu excllon! health. lie attended a farewell "social" to Air. John Watson (of Messrs. Price, Ltd.) last night, and appeared to be iu splendid health, and was talking with friends this morning. At about. 10.30 a.m. a commercial traveller found Mr. M'Gowan dead. Heart disease is believed to have been the cause of death. .Mr. M'Gowan was seventy-one years of age. and unmarried. It is bc'jicved his only near relative is a sister in the Waikato. Tho late Mr. M'Gowan was a native of Ireland, having been born at Maxwell's Court, County Down, iu IS-H. Ho was educated under the national school system, and Uficn tho death of ins father, when he was fifteen years of age. he set nut to earn his own living in the bakery trade. He followed this occupation until he was 23, and then used his savings to come out to New Zealand. He landed at Auckland from the ship Liverpool in ISli.i, and five years later he removed to tho Thames, where lie ever afterwards made his home. lie built up a large bakerv business, and added to it of general storekeeper, conducting it until 1597, when he retired. v Local polities claimed much of his attention during this period, and he served as a member of the Hospital Board, as High School Governor, and Hormigh Councillor, and was several times Mayor of the town. . It was in 1893 that Air. M'Gowan first entered Parliament, and he sat continuously as the representative of his (own and'district until the year 1909. three voars iu the House ho was elected a Liberal Whip, and three years later lie entered the Seddon Ministry as Mimstr for Mines and Minister for Justice, both of which portfolios remained in nis hands until his resignation three jeaM ftno. The control of immigration was added in 1900, and during the absence ot the non. -Mr. (now Sir "William) H.illJones in England, he was also liven chargo of the Public W orves Department. . f „_ Among the important measures lor which Mr. M'Gowan was responsible as Minister for Justice may bo mentioned the Habitual Criminals and Ollcnders •Vet, Habitual Drunkards Act, and the establishment of juvenile courts and ot trecplautiiig camps for prisoners. In prison life he sought to maintain good behaviour among the prisoners mere by means of rewards and less by punishments tmiti was formerly the oust?. Thus lie caused prisouers / to 'be allowed to smoke as a reward for goud conduct, and though tms step was'much criticised, official reports went to show that it had the effect which was intended. As .Minister for Mines the hon. gentleman was responsible for the opening oi the Stale Coal ■Mines,-the establishment of tile Geological. Survey on a comprehensive system under Dr.. J. M- B_ell, the encouragement of deep . level mining, by the purchase of the Thames-Bauraki pmnp and by the granting pf subsidies tor boring, and sinking. He also caused the subsidies for prospecting to be substantially increased. Several measures relating to labour in mining were also introduced by Mr. M'Gownn. These included the eight-hours bank-to-bank clauses in. the Mining and Ccal Mines Acts, the provision for "crib-t.ime" in coal mines, and provision for inspection of mines by workers' representatives. Nine years as a member of the .Seddon and Ward Administrations seemed to satisfy the member for Timmo*. His resignation was handed in on January il, 1009. and it wss intimated that he had acted i|iiite freely in tho matter. He at the same lime resigned his seat in the House and was appointed n. member of the Legislative Council. He has twiccactcd as leader of the latter Chamber, namely, in 1911, pending the return of Sir John Findlay from London, and this year when the Council had no Minister among its members.

Mr. M'Gowan- was regarded as a solid rather than a brilliant politician. TIo never sought (ho reputation of an orator. IU- was at liis best in plain, firm statement, and could make a bard-hitting-, fighting speech. Tie was known ns an industrious and sensible administrator, and was greatly' liked and respected by ijoliticians of all parties and by those who served under him ill the Departments which lie administered.

TRIBUTE BY THE PREMIER. (By Telegraph—l'ress Association.) lnvercargill, May 7. The Prime "Minister made allusion to the <leath of the late Hon. Jas. M'Gowan in his speocli at Orawiri last evening. He said that in the passing of the Hon. Jas. M'Gowan the Dominion had lost an honourable, valued, and useful Minister, and the country one of its noblest citizens, and was the poorer to-day because he was: 110 more. Mr. M'Gowan hnd lived a long life of great usefulness, full of benevolent ■action, and was a man of outstanding, sterling worth, one who devoted himself to tliij uplifting of his fellows, and who was in the truest sense of the term a Liberal statesman. He (the Prime Minister) had been closely associated with the deceased gentleman in many ways, such as on various Royal Commissions, in tho House, and at the Cabinet tabic. "The little Minister," as his closer friends used to call him. v.ould be greatly missed from the Legislature.

O.XE OP THE OLDEST PIONEERS. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Palmerston, May 7. Charles Alfred Price, one of the oldest pioneers of the Dominion, died here yesterday, aged 93 years. It. was deceased's boast that, until he took to his bed on Sunday with internal pains, he had never known a day's illness, mid had never required the services of a medical man. His first visit to New Zealand was in 1844. when lie was a member of the crew of a vessel which brought out a troop of soldiers to assist in keeping (lie Maoris under control. He did not land on that occasion, but returned with his vessel to England. In 18-IG he was again in the colonies, coming out to New Zealand by the Ajax, which had on board additional soldiers for this country. On the second trip Mr. Price left his vessel at AVellington, and established a timber yard subsequently at Pipitea. Point. 11l 1859 he decided to move to AVanganui. where ho served in the Militia, which had then been formed for the protection of European homes against, the attacks of Ihe Maoris. He subsequently married <i daimhler of the late Mr. James Putter, of AVellington fan arrival by the Nugent in 1810). and. shortly afterwards, proceeded to the -Yictorinn goldficlds, where he had a varied experience. He was also at the first rush in Otaso, but eventually he settled at Nsahaiiranga, and was quarrying there for many years. P.efore coming to New Zealand, Mr. Price made several trips to the East, no was shipwrecked twice, and. during another voyage to Calcutta, with a load of saltpetre, a terrific explosion occurred, wrecking the vessel, the crew Tinvine a l-ather wonderful escape. The lute Mr. Price came to Palmerston in IHOO. when he purchased propertv in Albert Street, remaining here until his death.