OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1667, 6 February 1913, Page 7

OBITUARY

SIR JOHN GORDON SPRIGG. By , Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, February 4. The. death is announced of Sir John Gordon Sprigg, formerly Premier of Cape Colony. ' < The Right Hon. Sir John Gordon Sprigg, K.C.M.G., D. C. L. Oxon, Commander of tho Legion of Honour,, was the son of a ■ Baptist minister, and was bom at Ipswioh, 1 Suffolk, in 1830. Owing to ill-health, ha emigrated in 1858 to. Capo Colony, where [ ho engaged in journalism. In 18G9, ho I was returned to tho House of Assembly. He became Colonial Secretary and Prime Minister in 1878-81, and was 1 Treasurer • from 1884 until 188G; when, on the invii tatiori of the Governor, ho again success- [ fully formed a Ministry. In 1888, he presided over a Freetrade Conference of deleKates from Capo Colony, Natal, and Oiange Frco State, at whioh the project of a South African Federation was discussed. Two years later, ho was succeeded as Premier by the late Cecil Rhodes, in whose Cabinet he held tho portfolio of Finance Minister. When Mr. Rhodes retired in January, IS9G, Sir Gordon again became • Pj-imo Minister. In July, ISOB, his Gov.ernment was defeated on a motion of want of confidence. The deceased was also Premier and Treasurer from 1900 until r 1901. In 1897, ho was made ft Privy Councillor. ! ' ME. J. T. EVANS. . The death occurred at Gisborne yester- „ day of ono of New Zealand's foremost pioneers, : in the person, of Mr. J. T. Evans, who has for many years been t associated in business matters with many 1 firms all over the Dominion, and whoso - loss will be a sad blow to a wide circle 0 of friends and business acquaintances. Iho late Mr. Evans was bom at Cheltenham, , England, in September, 1841, and J received his' education and business train--1 fng at Derby. He came to New Zealand , in tho ship Mataoka, landing at Port o Chalmers on July 4, 1863. After a few )vecks in Dunedin Mr. Evans settled in Oamaru, where he married Miss Shacklock, ail old play-fellow of Derby. During a residence of' twenty-two years in Oamaru, Mr. Evans was closely associated with public affairs, and was a member of the Borough Council, Road Board, County Council, Harbour Board, ami Chamber of Commerce. He went to Gisborne in February, 18fJ4, and joined Captain J. Kennedy in business as shipping agents and lightermen, the business being taken ovei 1 by the Gisborno Sheep Farmers' Company in 190G, when Mr. Evans retired from business, though ho still kept 0 up his connection with many businesses in which ho was interested, remaining 0 chairman of directors of the Gisborne Ga3 n Company, and Messrs. Common, Shelton, and Co. until the time of bis death. Mrs. [o Evans survives, and u family of five sons n net seven daughters, namely :--Messrs. J. 11. Evans, G. L.;Evnns, A. S. Evans (Gisborne, E. It. Evans (Aucklnnd), H. C. 1 Evnns (London), Miss E. Evans (Gisborne), .e Mosdames Brocklcbank. .Mitchell, Vnutier, Is \V. Black (Gisborne), Howard (Christchurch), • ami Jack (Nnseby).—Press Asso--37 lolation.