GENEROUS PUBLIC CITIZEN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 270, 11 August 1919, Page 4

GENEROUS PUBLIC CITIZEN

THE LATE Mil. JAMES POWELL. By Telegraph—Press Association, mi , , , r T Westport, August 10. the late Mr. James Powell, whose will (published on Saturday) has something ot the Cecil Rhodes touch, was a native of Liverpool, and 83 years of age. As a lad he went to America, where ho stay £d tor some time and then returned to England. In ISGO ho arrived in Dunedin, and found his way to the Dunstan mining fields. After varying success Mr. •Lowell returned to Diinediu, where ho served in a 6tore. His earlv friends inc uded Mr. Ross and Mr. Sargood. He "' so took a keen interest in Knox Church. 'From Dunedin ho went to Hokitika, where he was in business fotf some time. Later lie came to Westport and carried on business as a storekeeper until about ten years ago, when he retired into private Jife. He took a keen interest in volunteering, king, while in Dunedin, a member of a corps there. Ha wa; the first captain of the Westport Fire Brigade, and served on the Borough Council, Harbour Board and Education Board, and with, Mr.' Baillie, who survives him, took the initiatory steps to establish the hospital in Westport. This necessitated many canvassing trios to the coal mining township. Mr. Powell, it is understood, was the first J.P.' in Westport. lie was a man of genial disposition, with a broad outlook, and was fond of travelling, his (rips including several to the Old Country, and also to the Pacific Islands. Mr. Powell was twice married, and is survived by his second wife, but no family. In a leading article headed "A Broad-minded Citizen,"' the "Westport News" says : "The will of the late .Tames Powell, retired merchant, of Westport, is marked by broad statesmanship and true philanthropic spirit. It is" questionable, indeed, whether among "the rich men in Now Zealand who have passed beyond there are many who have shown in the disposition of their property so broad and Catholic a spirit as our late townsman. The late Mr. Powell has not been nnmindf,ul_ of local deserving institutions with which he has been connected directly or indirectly."