DEATH OF MR G. LAURENSON, M.P.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1174, 20 November 1913, Page 3

DEATH OF MR G. LAURENSON, M.P.

3 The death occurred at Wellington yesterday morning of Mr George Laurenson, M.P. for * Lyttelton. The deceased had been I confined to his bed for the past ' week, but no one expected that 1 his illness would have a fatal end--2 iug. Heart trouble was the cause 1 of death. The late; Mr Laurenson } was first elected to Parliament in 1 1899, and has held the Lyttelton seat ever since by large majorities. [ He was an ardent follower of the 2 late Mr Seddon and Sir Joseph 2 Ward, and was held iu esteem by c all bis fellow members for his gentlemanly manner and cocsis- * tent advocacy of the political views ’ he enunciated. When Sir Joseph Ward resigned after the last election, and Hon. T. Mackenzie [ formed a Government, Mr LaurenI son was one of the members who was included in the uew Cabinet, 1 his portfolios being Labour, Customs and Marine, while he was also Minister in Charge of Inspection of Machinery Department. I Apart from his work in Parlia- “ merit, Mr Laurenson did valuable * service for the community in ' which he lived. He arrived with his parents from Scotland in 1876. 1 and within a fortnight had entered the employ of Mr R. Forbes, of Lvttelton, a ship chandler. From ’ that out his life was practically [ lived iu Lyttelton. Eventually he I entered into partnership with his employer as ship store merchants, and remained in that business till * 1904. He was a member of the * Lyttelton Borough Council for nine years, and a member of the ' Harbour Board for eight years, being chairman of that body for some time. Mr Laurenson was a ' prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, and always took 1 an active interest iu the walfare of the congregation to which he belonged.