SIR JOHN FINDLAY DEAD.

Shannon News, 10 December 1929, Page 2

SIR JOHN FINDLAY DEAD.

1 BARRISTER, MINISTER OF CROWN AND ECONOMIST. PASSES AWAY IN ENGLAND. WELLINGTON, Dae. 9. Priivate advice was received in Wellington to-day of the death in England of Sir John Findlay. AN EMINENT NEW ZEALANDER. Sir John George Findlay was born 67 years ago. in Dunedin and was educated at Scott’s Academy, Hokitika, and the Otago University, where he had a brilliant scholastic career. Re-

ceiving his Bachelorship of Laws in JLBB6, he was admitted to the Bar in the following year and commenced practice with Mr F. G. Dalziell at Palmerston South. In 1894 he was lecturer in political science at the Otago University, where the previous year he had taken the degree of Doctor of Laws. Dr. Findlay soon reached the. front rank as a pleader and consultant and he removed to Wellington, where lu entered into legal partnership with Sir Bobert Stout. Upon the latter's appointment as Chief Justice he took his brother, Mr D. M. Findlay into partnership, and later again Mr Dalziell. Sir John Findlay’s legal ability

was generally recognised and for many years, he was almost invariably briefed by one side or the other in leading cases. He was appointed K.C. in 1907. In politics the late Sir John Findlay was inclined towards Liberalism and he was generally -regarded as the inspiring brain behind Mr Seddon’s administration in its later phase. Despite several attempts he was at firsc unsuccessful in entering the House of Representatives, but upon the death of the Hon. A. Pitt in 1906 he accepted the portfolios of Attorney-General and Colonial secretary in the Ward Ministry, and was a representative with th : Prime Minister at the Imperial Conference in 1911. He was elect.ed M.P.

for Hawke’s Bay in 1916-19. Sir John took as deep an interest in literature and the arts as he did in what he called the “humanities” of politics and sociology. Amongst the works from his pen were “Humbugs and Homilies” and the “Imperial Con ference of 1911 from Within.”