OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1933, Page 8

OBITUARY

MX. G. 31. THOMSON"

SERVICE TO SCIENCE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, This Day. The death has occurred of Mr. George M. Thomson, for many years a member of the Lesislative Council.

Mr. G. M. Thomson, who was SI years of age, was born at Calcutta. He was educated in the Edinburgh High School and University, and was for three years employed in a merchant's office in London. Following the failure of the Agra Bank, Mr. Thomson's, family came to New Zealand, arriving in Southland in 18CS. In 1872 he joined the staff of tho Otago High School, and for many years was master at both the boys' and girls' institutions. He was the inaugurator and one of the founders of the Technical School at Dunedin in 1889, and for eleven years filled the position of hon. secretary and superintendent. For many years he was secretary, and afterwards became president on two occasions, of the council of tho Otago Institute, and for a long period was' an active member-of* tho Otago Acclimatisation Society. In the latter connection ho was the chief mover in attempts to introduce marine fishes into New Zealand seas. As a close student of botany and zoology he published several works, among others "Ferns and Fern Allies of New Zealand "'and "An Introductory Text-book of Botany," the latter being published from the Government Printing Office. Nearly twenty years later, in 1909, appeared his "New Zealand Naturalists' Calendar," and in 1921 the "History of the Portobello Fish. Hatcheries" and

"Naturalisation of Animals and Plants in New Zealand" (Cambridge "University Press). Numerous papers from Ms pea on botanical subjects, on geographical distribution, and on acclimatisation, have been published in tlxe "Transaction and Proceedings" of the Now Zoaland.lnstitute and by the Linnaean Society of Londou, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, tlio Tasmanian Royal Society, and the Australasian Society for the Advancement of Science. He was hon. secretary of the last-named society in New Zealand for a long period, and was one of the original members, and organised and carried out the "Science Congress in Dunediii in 1904;' The lato Mr. Thomson founded, and for some years, was president of, the Dunedin City Mission, and also the Dunedin Choral Society. He founded and'was an original member of the Dunedin Football Club, was captain of the club for a time, and an Ofcago football representative. Ho -was also the founder and for many years president of the Pirates Football Club at-Dunedin. As . president of ■ the Dunedin Youug Men's Christian Association he did good work. He was one of the original members of the Dunedin Conservation Society, and. a member of the board, and was at one time a member of the B Battery, and for several years captain in the Volunteer Artillery. He was also a member of the advisory committee of the Free Kindergarten Association at Dunedin. ,

It was in 190S that Mr. Thomson entered .Parliament, being returned in that year, for Duncdin North. Ho was elected again three years later, serving altogether six years in the Lower House. Ho was appointed to the Upper House in 1918, and reappointed in 1925. His term expired with several others not reappointed last year.