OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 298, 5 September 1918, Page 4

OBITUARY

Jill. ROBERT FLETCHER, M.P. Regret will be widely expressed at the death of Mr. Robert Fletcher, member of Parliament for Wellington Central. Mr. Fletcher sustained a very severe attack of pneumonia in Auckland over two years ago, which undermined his constitution and led to a general break-up.

Mr. Fletcher was born at St. Andrews, Scotland, in the vear 1866, and was educated at the Madras College in that town.. When a youth he left home to join tho service of tho Midland Railway Company, but finding the life not at all to his taste, and having a keen desire to see the big world south of Scotland, lie left tho laud transport service for that of the sea, serving his apprenticeship b'eforo the mast in the Dundee Clipper Line of sailing vessels. Thirty-five years ago Mr. Fletcher camo out to New Zealand as a seaman, and leaving his ship here took engagements on small coasting steamers for a couple of years. Then an opportunity offered of a position ashore, a vacancy having occurred in tho pilot's crew (in the days when tho pilot went out to vessels off the Heads in a light whaleboat). , !'■ had not been engaged in this hazardous work v'erv long when a permanency in the Harbour Board's employed on the Queen's Wharf was'offed him. He accepted, and rose from being a truck-hand to ftoreman. In 1890 Mr; Fletcher severed his connection with the Harbour Board to bocome storenian for Joseph Nathan and Co., in whose employ he remained for eight years. _ Then in partnership with Mr. A. Bannister he commenced in business in Panama Street as grain merchant, customs', shipping, and forwarding agent, and general carrier, Mr. Fletcher retained his interest in tho business until a couple of years ago. It was whilst he was in the employ of .J. Nathan and Co. that Mr. Fletcher was induced to stand for the Wellington Harbour _ Board, and, elected in 1906, he j-etnined Hs seat up till the time of his death. In February, 1910, he became chairman' of the board, a position he retained until'succeeded by Mr. C. E. Daniell in May, 1915. Mr. Fletcher was also a member of the .City Council, on which body he sat continuously from Ai>ril, 1907, to April, 1915. He was also returned as a member of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on three successive occasions. Mr. Fletcher essayed to enter national politics in the election of December 10, 1911, but was defoated. In 1914, however, he stood again and defeated Mr. F. M. B! Fisher for Wellington Central.

The workers on the wharf have much to thank the lato ex-chair-man of the board for. It was during his regime that baths were Greeted for the men and 'a big central waiting shed was provided for those waiting for work to spend their time in. It was also during his term of office as member and chairman that a start was inado to build a dry dock at Te Aro—a work which was eventually abandoned.

Mr. Fletcher was prominently associated with the United Ancient Order of Druids for over thirty years, for nearly the whole of tha t period he was a. member of the central executive, and at different times occupied all the chief offices in the Order. He was also a prominent Freemason, having been connected with the Order for about twentyfivo years.. He was initiated in Lodge St. Andrew, Wellington, and was Master of the lodge on three occasions and secretary for several years. He held many offices in the Grand Lodgo of Now Zealand, including those of Grand Warden, Provincial Grand Master, arid Deputy Grand Master—the second highest offico in tho Craft. He was also Royal Arch Mason, and had occupied the principal chair in that branch. Ho was a member of the Eighteenth Degree, and of the Wellington City Lodge of Research.

Mr. Fletcher loaves a wife, but no children. Yesterday the widow received many telegrams of condolence from different parts of New Zealand, including sympathetic messages from tho Wei' lington Harbour Board and the Harbours Association. The funeral is to leave tho late residenco of the deceased at 2 p.m. to-mor-row for the Karori Cemetery. The flags 011 the Harbour Board offices, Town Hall, Parliamentary and Government Buildings, Post Offices, etc., wore flown at half-nmst yesterday as a mark of respect for the deceased.