LATE HON. G. W. RUSSELL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 178, 29 June 1937, Page 6

LATE HON. G. W. RUSSELL.

SERVICE AS LEGISLATOR. The late Hon. G. W. Russell, whose death at the age of 82 was reported m tlie “Standard” last evening, in addition to a close connection with journalism, had rendered outstanding service to the Dominion as a legislator, lie first entered Parliament in 1893 as member for Kiccarton, and sat for two Parliaments tor that constituency.. lie was returned for Avon in 1908, and sat for that electorate till 1919. He was Minister of Internal Affairs andPublic Health in both the Mackenzie and National Governments, and in the latter was also for nearly a year Minister of Marine and Stamp Duties. He assumed charge of the Public Trust Office and the Government Life Insurance Departments during Sir Joseph Ward’s absence at Home. He had charge of the High Commissioner’s Office, the Dominion Museum, Government Laboratories, and was chairman of the Public Service Superannuation Board and Science and Alt Board, and president of the National War Funds Council. He called and presided over the Town Planning Conference of 1919. He was Minister in Charge of the Government Printing and Stationery Department, and other offices, and for two and a-half years he had full control of sick and wounded returned soldiers, and created the King George and Gueen Mary Hospitals at Rotorua and Hanmer respectively. Mr Russell acted as Deputy-Leader of the Liberal Party in 1912-13, in the absence of Sir Joseph Ward m England. On the dissolution of the National Government in 1919 he was unseated for Avon by Mr D. G. Sullivan, the Labour-Socialist candidate, and tailed to recapture the constituency in 1922. Mr Russell is survived by 12 members of his family of 16. They are: Mrs W. H. R. Tcape (Auckland), Misses Emily and Mildred Russell (Sydney). Mrs O. Baker (Christchurch), Mrs A. E. Currie (Wellington), Mrs G. Somerville (Auckland), Miss Gladys Russell (Christchurch), and Messrs George W. Russell (Auckland). A. W. Russel! (Stavelcy), V. W. Russell (Ashburton), and Gregory IV. Russell and D. W. Russell (Christchurch).