DEATH OF SIR ARTHUR GUINNESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1108, 12 June 1913, Page 3

DEATH OF SIR ARTHUR GUINNESS.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Greymouth, June 10., Hon. Sir Arthur Guinness, Speaker of the New Zealand (, ; House of Representatives, died today.

The news caused a great shock in Greymouth. The deceased gentleman was about his duties on Saturday. He became unwell on Sunday, and complained of a severe headache.' He took a very bad turn yesterday, became unconscious, and, with one brief interval, remained so till his death at 4.20 p.m. to-day. Sir Arthur had been very busy during the past few weeks, forming branches of the Deep Sea Harbour League. On Wednesday night he addressed a public meeting at Hokitika, returning to Greymouth on Thursday morning in time to pay an official visit to the battleship. His party went out iu a tug. Heavy rain fell during the trip, and the sea was very rough. Sir Arthur suffered severely from seasickness, and was thoroughly drenched. It is thought that this may have brought on the illness.

Deceased was bom in Calcutta itt 1846, and was educated at Christ's College and the Gramtner School, Christchurch. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on May 26, 1867, being appointed notary public in 1888, and he practised at Greymouth from December, 1867,10 date. He made his last appearance in the local S.M. Court on Monday, June 2.

He was elected a member! of the Westland Provincial Council in 1874, and continued a member until the abolition of the province in 1876. He was > elected a member of the Grey County Council in 1876, and elected chaiiman of the first and every subsequent meeting for nine years, ceasing to be a member in 1890. He was a member of the Borough Council in 188 S, and held a seat for one year. In 1884 he was elected M.PI for the Grey district, and held the seat continuously till the day of his death. He was appointed a member of the Grey Harbour. Board in 1884, and held the position till the present date, except for two years, 1887 and 1889, when Sir Harry Atkinson’s Government removed all the representative members and appointed Government officials on the Board. , Sir Arthur was elected Chairman of Committees in the House of Representatives on July 13, 1893, and was re-elected till June. 1903. He was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in f June, 1906, 1909, and 1912. He Was knighted in 1911. He was appointed Governor of the Greymouth District High School in 1892, and has held that position till' his death. He was captain of the Westland cricket. eleven from 1876 to 1888, and , patron of innumerable societies throughout the district. He leaves a. widow but no cildren. The Prime Minister, the Hon. W. F.. Massey, paid an appreciative and sympathetic tribute to the personal qualities of Sir Arthur. Guinness, when seen by pressmen’: at Wellington, and has forwarded; a message of sympathy and con-; dolence with the relatives of the deceased.