OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 205, 18 January 1913, Page 8

OBITUARY.

THE HON. JOHN BRYCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wangainui, Last Night. A one-time notable figure in New Zealand politics, in the person of the Hon ■Tohn Bryce, died at his residence, Guv ton street, this afternoon, at the ripe old age of 83 years. He was elected tc the Provincial Council in 1862, and was twice subsequently re-elected. He was elected to the House of Representatives as member for Wanganui in 1860, was re-elected unopposed in 1871, and a few years later was elected member for the Waitotara district, his electorate then extending from Turakina to Patea. Ir 1879, at the time when the natives on this coast were again giving a good deal of trouble, lie joined Sir John Hall's Ministry as Native .Minister. He soon resigned his portfolio, however, owing to differences of opinion, his views on the necessity of strong action against the Maori prophet Te Whiti and his followers not being shared by his colleagues. A few months later, however, his views were adopted, and he re-joined the Cabinet as Native and Defence Minister. He organised the armed expedition to Pariliaka, which resulted in the arrest of Te Whiti and his lieutenant, Tohu, and the quelling of the disturbance. He continued to hold office in the Whittaker and Atkinson Ministries till 1884, when his party was defeated by the StoutVogel combination. After three years in Opposition, Mr. Bryce again contested the Waitotara seat in 1887, but was defeated by Mr. Geo. Hutchison. Three years later, however, again saw him in the House, but he remained there less than a year, resigning his seat owing to a vote of censure having been passed upon him for certain expressions used in a debate reflecting upon the Premier (Hon. John Ballanee). Mr. Bryce, who claimed that the expressions used-were not unparliamentary, took the censure so much to heart that he thereupon retired completely from politics.