OBITUARY
.. ; ' MB, H. J. H. OKEYj M.P. ' . .' By Telegraph—Press. Aesooiation. New Plymouth, September 13. • Mr. Henry J. H. Okey, M 1 ,., died at 7 o'olook this morning, after a brief illness,-aged 61. / '■■ The late Mr. Henry James Hobbs Okey, member for Taranaki for the past eleven years, was born at New ' Tlyniouth in 1857, and was educated <nt a private school in that town. He .has always been a farmer by occu'pa-. v tion, and since early manhood lias .taken'an active interest in local government. Ho has been chairman of the Taranaki Agricultural and Pastoral Society, chairman , of. the Frankloy Hoad Board, and chairman of the Taratnki . [ County Council. In commerce, he has been a director of the Taranaki Petroleum Company, and director of the i; , Moturoa Freezing Company, of which he was ono of the promoters. Sir. Okey was first returned member for Taranaki at a by-election in 1907, on v the death: of the late Mr. E. M. Smith. , He declared himself an 'independent nt that time, : hut .when he got into the .'House he found.that his vote had most , . .often to go with the Opposition, at that _,' time led. by;Mr, Maseey. "He has for many years been a. strong supporter of the Reform Party, tho senior member on what has come to be called 'iTlie Taranaki Bench." He has always been , a-champion of , the farming interests,' and especially -of the interests of the small.holder. Indeed, the "small mnn oh the land has had for many years no more doughty champion in the House, than tho late ' Mr. Okey. ' Personally he was a favourite with his fellow members. "Only his friends knew that he wns-in'bnd"health for the past two sessions, for ho never'complained or slackened his interest or etFort as > 'member of the House. But in tho • lobbies and in the other places uhere . members are in "the. habit of talking gravely or otherwise Mr. Okey's hearty ■ laugh was heard less often in the past two years. The late Mr. Okey lost two : of his boys at tho war. Sir James Allen and the Hon. D. H. Guthrie will represent the Government , at the funeral of the lato Mr. Okey, ,' which will be held at New Plymouth , to-day. Sir James Allen had left for Wanganui yesterday morning, but when he heard the sad news he went on by | train to New Plymouth. Mr. Guthrie left by the Main.Trunk train yesterday, intending to motor, from Marten to New Plymouth. ' ' Flags on the Government Buildings and Post Office were flown at half-mast .yesterday out of respect of the mem- ' ory of the deceased.'
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 306, 14 September 1918, Page 7
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433OBITUARY Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 306, 14 September 1918, Page 7
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