OBITUARY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1738, 9 October 1917, Page 2

OBITUARY.

HON. J. ]): ORMOND. The Hon. J. D. Ormond, M.L.C., one of the best-known settlers in the Hawke’s Bay district, and a prominent figure in racing circles, died at Napier on Saturday, aged 85 years. Born at Wallingford, England, he came*to New Zealand when only 1G years of age, and a year or so later was appointed private secretary to Mr E. J, Eyre, Lieut.-Governor of New Munster, as the South Island was then called. Later he settled in Hawke’s Bay, of which he subsequently became Superintendent, holding office from 1869 to 1872. Ho also co-operated with the Fox Min-: istry at that time in restoring peace with the Natives. For his services he was specially thanked by Parlia-. meat, of which he later on became a member. He was-Minister for Public Works in the Fox Government in 1872, and again in the Waterhouse Administration for a few days in the same year; he was Minister for Immigration in the short-lived Atkinson Administration on 187 G, and in the reconstruction that followed he was Postmas-ter-General, but later ‘exchanged that portfolio for the position of Minister of Public Works, which he -held till.the resignation of the Government in 1877. The Liberal Party swept the polls in 1890, and before relinquishing office the Government appointed twelve new members to the Legislative Council, of whom Mr Ormond was one. In 1882 he had been defeated for the \Vaipawa seat in the House of Representatives by the late Mr AY. C. Smith. In Parliament he was not a frequent speaker, confining his speeches chiefly to the .land question, but he spoke with the courage and conviction of a man who had been in public life during practically all his years of" manhood, and was always listened to with the closest attention. He was also during his career chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, the Harbour Board, Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and was also at rimes president of the Hawke’s Ray A. and P. Association and the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. For many years jiast he has had a very close connection with horse-racing, and was one of the best-known breeders of thoroughbreds in the Dominion. He is survived by three sons and two daughters.