DEATH OF SIR WALTER BUCHANAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2761, 22 July 1924, Page 3

DEATH OF SIR WALTER BUCHANAN.

+ FOLLOWING MOTOR MISHAP

’H'o sudden death occurred at vr.v-i mi Saturday r ,veiling of So- W-.]for Buchanan, M.L.C. Oc-

cc-Tsod left his home near Mnsfer- < "' 1 fairly early 1o drive to the railstation whpi-p lm intended to meet flip Hon. A. D. APLeod (Minisfpr of Lands), in whose honour a banquet wars to lip held at tho Mas-fc-rfon Club. A southerly storm had sprung up suddenly and just when be was driving his car round a bond in the road. Sir Walter’s hat ‘ ' w off. He made an endeavour to recover if, but in doing so the car swerved into a ditch. Sir Walter got out and proceeded to an adjacent house to telephone flic club to acquaint those who might'be there of what had happened, and to ask somebody to come up for him. He then walked back to his car, but when a friend afterwards drove up from fhe Club,. Sir Walter was found lying on fhe ground behind the car dead. Death was apparently due to hear! failure, ns lie had not been injured in any way by the mishap to the car, nor was flie car damaged. Sir Walter Buchanan was a son of' Baron Donald Buchanan, of Auchenhreek, was born in Glendarnel, Argyllshire, on 201 li .Tune, 1838, and received his early education at Greenock. He emigrated to Australia a- a lad .of 18 and settled down to station life in Victoria. Six yf-nx later lie enme over to Otago and shortly afterwards settled

-v leasehold farm in Canterbury. Tn the year 1871 lie came North and purchased liis well-known station, Tnpiiruimrn, originally 13,000 acres in the Masterton district. He was cue of the founders and a director of the Wellington Meat Export Company. Tn 1881. be entered the House of Representatives as member for South Wairnrnpa. and represented that district for sonic six years. TJc subsequently represented the Wairarapa constituency in the House for many years. * Some years ago In- built at a cost of £O,OOO a Imspil al for incurables at Grey town, and lie has also built out of his own private funds a church at Gladstone. -He offered £5,000 to the Government with a view to. the starting of an experimental farm in the Wairai aua district. Sir Walter Buchanan was always an u nobs tensive philanthropist, but one of bis most liberal benefactions was the-giving of fIO,OOO- to Victoria College last vear’for the founding of a Chair of .■Viniculture. which has since been instituted;

Mir Walter BuehamuM who had been a member of the House for 27 years, and for 40 years a prominent figure in public life, had the honour of ’Knighthood eonf-rrod upon him in 1!>13. ITc was called to the Legislative Council on 23rd June. 1015. During his long Parliamentary career.he was only defeated at two i lections oh Vneh. occasion by the late Mr .T. T. M. Hornsby. ITe first entered Parliament as a follower of Sir Harry Atkinson, hut, being a convinced Freetrader, differed from bis leader on the protective tariff issue introduced by Sir Harry Atkinson in 1888. and along with the lute Sir William Russell, withdrew from the parly. When Mr Massey entered polities. Sii- Walter Buchanan became one of bis most esteemed associates, and rigid to the last be was a strong supporter of the Reform Party. He was ever a valued counsellor especially where the interests of the farming community were concerned.

A Parliamentary party will proceed by special train from Wallingon to-day lo attend the funeral.