OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1911, 20 November 1913, Page 10

OBITUARY.

MR. GEORGE LAURENSON, M.P. ' SYMPATHY IN PARLIAMENT. i i i TRIBUTES TO THE (.ATE MEMBER* ' ] | The dentil occurred at 3.J5 yesterday ' morning at his lodgings in llobsou ' Street of Mr. George Laurenson, M.P. ( for Lyttelton. Mr. Laurenson had 1 j been in indifferent health for some- 1 time past, but. .had only been confined ' to his bed for a brief period. The late Mr. Laurenson first entered. Parliament in. 1899, 'when he defeated . an opponent by a large majority for the Lyttelton seat, arid he held that seat up to the time of his death, Horn at Edinburgh in JBo7, he canie to New Zealand in .1876, landing at Lyttelton, with the civic interests of "which ho was soon closely identified. For nine years ho was a member'of the. Lyttelton Borough Council, and -occupied a scat at.tho tabic of the. .Lyttelton HarJiour Board lor years, ef which body ho is an ex-clmirman. In 1912,'0n the resignation of the Ward Ministry, Mr. Laurenson accepted- a portfolio in the Mackenzie Ministry. He was a' strong leaseholder, and on one. Occasion stumped the country in favour of, .that tenure. He was a strong KoLicfinse advocate,, did good work as chairman of the Local Bills Committee, aaid only relinquished • the post of Whip by reason of ft breakdown in health. A widow, three soils, and five daughters survive the. deceased. When the- House of Representatives met yesterday-' The Hon. W. P. Massey (Prima Minister) moved:—"That this House places oil record its high sense of the faithful services rendered to ■the.Dominion by tht late Mr. George- Laurenson, member of Parliament for Lytt-e-1-'ton, and formerly a Minister of the Crown, and respectfully tenders to his widow and family its sincere sympathy .with them in their bereavement." The Jate Mr. Laurenson, ho said, was born in Edinburgh in 1857, educated in the Shetland Islands, and ■ ho arrived in New Zealand in 18743. He settled in Lyttelton, and later was a! member of the Lyttelton Borough Council for nine years, and member and' chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board for eight years. He was returned to Parliament in, 1809. He had represented that constituency ever since, and he was Minister _ of Labour, Customs, and Marine in the- Mackenzie. Administration in 191.2. "It is very difficult tor lis to realise," said Mr. Massey, "that the late member for Lyttelton , who was in his place attending to bis Parliamentary duties only a few days, ■ago has passed away, and that as far as this life is concerned will never again be met by his relatives and friends. I\ have no hesitation in saying that the House and the- country, Parliament and the Dominion, aro poorer in consequence. When the Angel of Death enters Parliament Buildings, and his, visits had been ouly too • frequent of }atcr years, it Must conic home io every one of us how vary insignificant party strifes and'party interests are by comparison with the great problems every one of lis has to deal with later." A man of -strong sympathies and strong convictions, Mr. Laurenson had been, he continued, a man broad-minded and kindly-hearted to a degree, and every member of Parliament, however ho might have disagreed with the late member's political opinions, was willing to honour him for his integrity and for his desire to do the right, thing under all possible conditions. „ A. lover of books, he was therefore a widely read . limn, and a man of mucli more thall • average.Parliamentary ability. A keen debater, lie sometimes hit hard, but ho never descended to personalities, and never allowed the heat of debate to . interfere with his friendships in the lob- ! hips. In private life the late member had been a really goad type of the ! North Briton, a generous friend, and i a loving husband and father. He (Mr. . Massoy) was sure that all members of i the House hoped that the sympathy i that was being extended to tire sorrowi ing widow and mourning family would ; tend to soften the blow that had fallen. > In his fifty-si? years of life the late f Mr. LaMrensoii had made the best pos- . sible use of .his time, had done his ! best to do his duty to his Creator and 1 his country, and now that he- had gone : ins memory msver would be forgotten I by the men who had worked with him ) in the Parliament of this country, : Leader of tiio Opposition. > Sir Joseph Wprd (Leader of the Op- ■' position) said he rose with feelings of " sorrow to second* the motion submitted - by the Prime Minister ill such well- » chosen words. He wished to add his few words of testimony to -Clio late Mr. - Lauroiison's worth. Mr. Laurenson had i boon one of the most earnest and sin- > cere men that ho had had the pleasure ■ of meeting in Parliament. He bad > known the late member for fifteen - years, and he had in all those years 3 recognised him as a Man of strong »' opinions but of sterling character. ' Although ft keen debater aad a severe ■ critic, Mi. Laurenson made many 3 friends and few enemies. On an occa--9 sion such-as the present, one w.as re- " minded that- whatever acerbities there • were in connection with the- carrying s on of our public undertakings, there ■ was, after all, a kindly feeling underlying it all. Ho. had had many communications expressing sorrow and regret- at the passing away of Mr. Laiirenson. Ho wished to add his awn sympathy to the widow and members of tins deceased member's family. Members would all remember him as a man who was a great reader, and a man who always brought to bear on all subjects " dealt with in the House a great deal "' of intelligence. Mr. Laurenson would a ho missed from Parliament, and bis - family would have the satisfaction of t knowing that his memory was respected. 1 Sir Joseph Ward concluded with the wish: "May his ashes rest in peace." "A Cood Friend.-' The Hon. R. H. Rhodes said that lie \ rose with. deep feelings of sorrow to speak of Mr. Laureusoii. He. had S known this deceased gentleman for '. many years, and had found hurt at all ; - times a kind friend, and n man of much broader views -than one was apt to supfJ pose .from hearing Win in debates. Mr. Laurenson, as member for a neighbouf- ' ing constituency, had readily co-oper- • ated with him in matters affecting both '" their constituencies, and when ho (Mr. ,« Rhodes) was absent in South Africa, i> Mr. Laureusoii had freely offered to t- look after the interests of his (Mr. Rhodes's) constituents, Throughout i- their career in Parliament they had '■ been friends, and there was this other r bond between, them—that tboy had en--0 tered Parliament at the S'.ime time. On !' such on occasion as this, synipathy went 1 out to the relatives'oF political friends It and of political foes alike. . The House had lost an able debater and a fluent n speaker, the electors of Lyttelton a I- popular member, and the country a, faithful servant. Personally, ho felt he had lost a good friend and a good ;-. comrade. it Other Tributes. 'o Mr. 0. Forbes (Himimu) also added is his tribute-',of respect to Mr. Laureuswu, h whom he had known from his boyhood clays. He had been ntieo associated n ' in'business with Mr. Laureusoii, and e ! later in Parliament. _ One of the late f number's characteristics was his kind,f ness of heart. He had taken his puliii tic,* SPVHu.i-sl.Yi U'K\y wore iu -Him almost Mi a. foJigioUv In debate, oeiiyt a man

of strong convictions, he spoke strongly, but the moment the debate was over, no man could havo had kinder feelings of goodwill towards his fcllowmembers, Mr. 0. W. Russell said he wished to pay a tribute to tiie memory of one of the finest men W had met ill bis life. A man of warn and generous sympathies, and of the highest , ideals, Mr. Laurenson had beon bold and courageous B in alt his public utterances, and- had y never hesitated to say the wholo of what i was in his mind with regard to any v large public; question that was engaging I public attention. His outstanding char- I aeteristie had been his conscientious- I ness. No man in the House had ever regarded his responsibilities more scri- 2 ously than their late friend,. His poli- v tics might bo summed up in the well- ( known lines:— j "For the cause that lacks assistance, I For the wrong that- needs resistance, 1 For the future in the distance. And the good that we can do." Ho (Mr. Russell) believed that people throughout this country would say, J "Well done, good and faithful servant." J, The Hon. D. Buddo .(Kaiapoi), Mr. h 11. C. EU (Christchurch South), jih. G. Witty (Riccarton), Mr. T. H. Davcy | j (Christchurch East), Mr. L. M. lajtt i (Christehureh North), Mr.. J. Payne , (Grey Lynn), Mr. 3. A. Hanau (Inver- £ I cargill), and Dr. Rangihiroa (Northern | Slaori) all spoke feelingly of the loss i | Parliament and the country had suffer- , ed by the deat-h of the late member. 3 The motion was affirmed, and at 3.30 ] p.m. the Houso adjourned until. "2.80 ■ p.m. to-day as a- mark of respect to the late member. IN THE COUNGJI. HON. H. D.'BELL'S TRIBUTE. In the Legislative Council,, the Hon. H. D. 801 l said he had a resolution to move in connection with the death of Mr. G. Laurenson, M.P;, and when that was moved and carried he_ proposed to immediately move the adjournment of the Council as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased. The resolution moved by Mr. Bel! was similar to that moved in the House of Representatives. ' Nearly every member of the Council, said Mr. Bell, was personally acquainted with Mr. Laurenson and ho himself had known him for many years. , He would refer to an incident, which convinced him at the tinie of Mr, Laurenson's fairness and courage. - As member for Lyttelton,- Mr. Laureuson proposed some years ago the introduction of a Bill authorising the Lyttelton Borough Council to establish gas works-, although there was a gas company there already. As solicitor for tho company he (Mr, Bell) suggested that tho Bill should be altered to authorise the Borough Council to buy out the company's interests. Mr. Laurenson agreed that this was fair, consented to tho arrangement, and insisted that it should be accepted by his constituents. His action , proved his courage and fairness, and ho. (Mr. Bell) believed that it Was characteristic of the man. Those who had been , associated with the deceased had seen how the force be once possessed had beon gradually leaving his frail body, and they would now sympathise with his relatives in their bereavement. Tho- Hons. G. J. Smith, G ? Jouesj and ' W. C. F v Canlcross all paid a tribute; to the late Mr. Laurenson,, and tho loss the country had sustained by his death. The motion was affirmed and the Council then adjourned. The burial will be in Karori Cemetery, and the eortcge leave tho'lato Mr. Laurenson's residence in -Hobeon Street at 10.30 a.ta. on Saturday,