PARLIAMENTARY TRIBUTES

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1930, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY TRIBUTES

Tkfe LATE HON. H. L. AIJCHEL,

M.L.C.

(Hansard Report)

ff 'LEGISLATIVE- COUNCIL. f.VV Hon. Sir Thomas Sidey (Loadthe Council)—l desire, with the leatie of the Council and without move, ‘‘That this Council rebels iid sense of the distinguished sefryice tendered to New Zealand by tHijfjiatC floh. .-Henry Leslie Michel, a of the Legislative Council. a.n| itesjjeetfully tenders to his widow an assurance of ite sympathy With, them in their bereavemei|| -Th e late Henry Leslie Michel wa& : born at Newcastle, New South Waifs, in 1658, and came to New a boy, landing at HokitikiiE wber©h« received his education at Academy. He early folpursuits, and at fourteen joined the service of 4W hrin of general merchants of whjiull he latbr 1 (became a partner, the style ; Paterson, Michel, and Company" During his life he played an active part in local body politics, bein|: associated- for many years with the Education Board, the Hokifika Harbour. Board, and the Hokiiika.High School Board. In 1885 he .iwks elected tp the Hokitika Bor* ougfs and in the following Mayor. He was again Maypr.of Hokitika from 1897 till 3903' ,he was Chairman of the. first ‘Charitable Aid Board when the Apt' of ; 1885 was brought into force. For twenty-seven ' years he was cap-

tain of the local fire brigade, and as president ;, of the Fire Brigades Association he was responsible for much of legislation which was passed governing .fire brigade activities. He, member of the Mas-. pmci'pSft. and held higli offices in GrW' tpdgo- 1906 he imsuecessfulfyfipoltestfed the Westland seat on *h« - dffkth ' of the, Bight Hon. B. J. gied(}oiii:> and on the death of Sir Guinness, who was Speaker of the House of. Representative, he unsuccessfully contested the. Grey seat, being ;> defeated on the second ballot. Jjurli#l9iß he was appointed to the Council, . and reappointed 'second term itl 1925. He died at Hokitika in March last, aged sev-enty-t^WP''.years, I fiUst met the Hon. Mr iMidhel 1 on board the steamship when he w-as a member of the parliamentary party which visited the South Sea Islands in 1920. On aiioh anexcursiori: there were"specia} opportunitiesfor members to (become inttoawriaequainted with one another, and I saw a good deal of Mr Miehel, with the result that a friendahin urek fip between us which lasted until his'dsAtki Unfortunately, after 1 Joined , ibe; Council I did not see

much of him—-as honourable members know, his health was such! that lie was unable last session to attend the meetings of the Council except for a short, period. But. I: knew (sufficient of him to appreciate the fact that he was possessed rf sterling qualities. 1 am sure he would never say one word which he, thought might hurt the feelings of another member. He was deservedly popular in this Chamber, and Ii am mire the deepest sympathy of members of the Council will be extended to his relatives in their bereavement.

The Hon. Mr 'Malcolm—l second the resolution. Mr Michel’s name was famous to me before I ever met him. I remember very well indeed that as a youth 1 took part in a series of cricket matches for the Michel Cup. which had lieen presented by Mr Michel. Later I came to know him, and was acquainted with him more or Ires intimately for many years. The leader of the Council has most admirably summed up his character. He was a very kindly man, as we all know,; and what was of even more value in his character he was a man with a very high sense of honour. In this Council I remember a little incident occurred when Mr Michel began to wonder whether he had done quite jthe right thing. I think that all wh,o knew him would hold that he had done the right thing, but I remember 1 very well indeed his concern. That high senna of honour prevailed with him in all the transactions of his life. In his own town he was so highly respected that he was made the trustee in quite a number of private estates, and I have had opportunities of learning how highly those who came in contact with him in that way valued his services, He was not only businesslike, but he showed the-ufmQSt consideration fop those with whose interests he had been on* trusted. Be was a man who was greatly admired and liked in his own district, and there his name will live for , many years. Motion agreed to.

THE HOUSE.

The Hon. Mr Forbes (IPrime Minis-ter).-rSir. I move, “That this House records its high sense of the faithful services rendered to New Zealand by. the late Hon. Henry Leslie Michel,, a member of the Legislative Council, and respectfully tenders to his family the iassurance of its sympathy in their bereavement.” The late Henry Leslie Michel was born at Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1858. He came to New Zealand as a boy,’ landing at Hokitika, where he received his education at Scott’s Academy. He early followed Gbmmerciail pursuits, and at the age of fourteen he joined the service of the firm of general merchants of which he later became a partner, under the style Paterson, Michel, and Company. He. played an active part ini "local body politics, (being associated' for many years with the Westland Education Board, the Hokitika Harbour Board, and the Hokitika High

School Board. In 1885 he was elected to tlie Hokitika Borough Council, and ini,the following year became Mayor. ;'l ; He was again Mayor of Hokitika from 1897 till 1903. He was Chairman of the first Charitable Aid Board When the Act of 1885 was brought" into force. For twenty-sev-en years he was captain of the local fife brigade, and as president of the Eire Brigades Association he was responsible. for much of the .legislation which urns passed governing fire brigade activities. He,was a prominent member' of the Masonic craft, and held high offices in Grand Lodge. In 1903 he,. u’nsucce/ssfuliy contested the Westland shat on the death of the. Right Hon. It. J. -Seddon; and on the death of Sir Arthur Guinness, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives, he unsuccessfully contested the Grey seat, being defeated on the pet ond ballot. In 1918 he war. appointed to the Legislative Council, and reappointed for a second term in 1925. He died at Hokitika in March .last, aged seventy-two years. There is no dou’bt that the iate Mr Michel played his part in the early days of the development of this country. In the strenuous days on the West Const he did great service in regard to local bodies in establishing the various activities that / come with the increased settlement of the country. We who knew him here always found him a genial man, and one who was actuated by a very high sense of public duty, He discharged his dutiep as a member of the Legislative Council with the ability and distinction which should be an example to public men in regard to their outlook on public affairs, In losing Mr Michel New Zealand has .lost a good eitlzen and a man who has done very valuable work In assisting i tß progress and development,

The Right Hon. Mr Coatee (Leader of the Opposition).—l desire to seconu the motion moved toy the Prime Minister, and also to add a tribute to the deceased gentleman. The Prime Minister lias quoted a. long list of the activities of the late Air Michel. He was a member of the Harbour Board, a member of the High School Board, Mayor of the Borough of Hokitika, president of the Fire Brigades Association, and also held very high orders in. the Masonic craft. He was also closely associated with a very prominent person in the political life of this country—the late Right Hon. Air Seddon. Apart from that, Air Michel played his part in the pioneering days* on the West Coast. They were days of few facilities, when Mr .Michel arid his family roughed it; and they saw the most extraordinary development take place. Mr Michel was a fine type of citizen —just the type which should represent, the people in another place. His wide experience and knowledge must have been of great benefit to the country, I, too, wish to extend to the members of his family my sincere sympathy, I sure that we all had a very keen affection for the kindly gjentleman who was so recently with us, Mr O’Brien (Westland)l wish to associate myself with til© motion that has been moved by the Prime Minister, I knew the late Air Miehel for

twenty-five years, and I do not think anyone in New Zealand has ever given such social service to the people os was by him. He was associated with West Coast life for some sixty-five years, and during those yeara there was hardly a public position that he did not fill. In almost every instance the positions were honorary ones. Air Alichel was for about thirty-two years associated with the Borough Council of Hokitika, for fourteen years of which lie was Alayor. He looked after the health of the people, and he was one of those responsible for the formation of the first Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in Hokitika. Further on we find him taking a keen intercut in education. He was a member. of the Canterbury Education Board, and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Technical College. He was a member of the Harbour Board, and looked after the people’s needs in that direction. He was also captain of the fire-brigade for about twenty-seven years, was president of the iFire Brigades Association, and wan very largely responsible for the 1 izislation we have on the statutebook dealing with fire-brigades. Air Michel was keenly interested in mining. He started many sawmills, and he developed the sawmilling industry and also- the farming industry in Westland. Air Alichel was one of those gentlemen who built up the West Coast’s reputation for kindliness and hospitality. There was hardly a man better liked in the whole of New Zealand. I just wished to associate myself with the motion, and to extend my deepest' sympathy with the |ate Air Michel’s family. Alotion agreed to,