OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 109, 1 October 1914, Page 4

OBITUARY.

HON. TUOS. FERGUS. By Telegraph,—Press Association, Dunedin, Wednesday., . The death is announced today cf the Hon. Thomas Fergus, He w.n laic en suddenly ill on Tuesday, and an operation was performed. He failed to roeover, and paosi'd away this morning. TRIBUTE IN PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, Last Night. 3n tin: Houso of Representatives tonight tho Premier moved—'"That this House ncerds its high sense of Wie faithful services rendered, to New Beaton I by the late Hon. Thomas a foriu«r member oi t House of Representatives and Minister of the Crown, and respectfully tender? to ilia widow and family the assurance ol its siucero sympathy with them in their bereavement." Speaking to the resolution, tha Premier said the new? had comi as a great shock to him. and. he felt sufe, to every member oi the House. He had not boen in the House with the late Hon. Fergus, but had enjoyed his friendship for many years, and knew him to he a straightforward and honorable man. He hu<i done good work, not only as a Minister of the Orown, hut in siany other ways. He hoped the motion passed by' the Ifouso would help to soften the blow to the widow and family.

Sir Joseph Ward seconded the resolution, remarking that it was only about a week ago that he had chatted with Mr. Fergus about old times in the House. He first met the late Hon. 3?«rgiis in ISBO, and recognised him ae a very useful man.

Tributes were also paid by Mr. G. M. Thomson, Hon. .T, Allen, Hon. R. MeKenzie, Hon. W. Vraser, Sir Walter Buchanan and Mr. R. Scott.

tMr. Masiey then moved the adjournment as a mark of respect to the memory of tho lute Hon. T. Fergus, and the Jlou.se rose at 7.30 until 2.30 to moarow.

The late Hon. Thomas Fergus was a ■stive of Ayr, Scotland, in 1851. and arrived in New Zealand in 1870. Shortly afterwards lie entered the Otago University to study engineering, and from 1873 to 1870 he served under the ProTiftti&l Government as engineer for the jfoldflelds, with headquarters all CromwelL In partnership with Mr D. Hender«on, he earricd out a number of important public works, including the construction of the Mosgiel and Outram railway, New Plymouth waterworks, Patea railway, and the railway wharf at tie Bluff. He also constructed railways ill Tasmania and Victoria, and, returning to New Zealand, entered Parliament as member for Wakatipu. He held offUe as Minister for Justice and Minister for Befence in the Atkinson Administrates frem ISS7 to 1889, and thereafter an Minister for Public Works and ili»»i until 1891, when he resigned with his colleagme.