OBITUARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10541, 25 January 1912, Page 5

OBITUARY

SIR O. A. POWNALL. Profound and widespread regret was. expressed in Masterton yesterday afternoon, when it became known that Mr Charles Aylmer Pownall, the' well-known barrister and solicitor, of this town, had passed away.. The deceased was smitten with a serious illness on New Year's Eve, and his condition for some days had been exceedingly critical. Despite the best of medical and nursing skill, lie died peacefully shortly before five o'clock liast evening. The late Mr Pownall was born in Auckland in 1860, and was thus forty-seven years of age. He was educated at the public school in Wellington, where hisi parents subsequently resided. After a period at the Wellington College, where he had m brilliant, career, he entered the office of Mr W. B. (now Judge) Edwards. He was not long in passing his legal examinations, and in 1887, when only twenty-two years of age, lie commenced the practice of his profession in MiiSiterton. He at once established himself a skilful practitioner, and became exceedingly popular in the .town. In 1890 he was elected ,to the Mayoralty of borough, contest with Mr J. Hessey. He belonged to the progressive school, and lost no time, in advocating measures for the- improvement of town. In 1893—his third year of officer-he introduced a scheme for a water and drainage system for the borough, and although tlie first poll on the proposal to raise a loan of £30,000 was lost, the second was carried, and the successful maiigitiration of the undertaking, i>ytMY Leslie Reynolds is now a matter of history. Mr Pownall became Mayor on one or two subsequent occasions, and always lent dignity to the chair. For a time he was a member of . the Miasterton Trust Lands Trust, on which . body lie . rendered valuable service. In ihis younger days he. was an enthusiastic. Volunteer, and was for a considerable time Gaptain of the* Masterton Bifle Volunteers. At. the time of his death he ■was on the unattached list. He was also at one time a prominent cricketer iiH footballer. and was captain of the Masterton Cricket Club. . In 1893 he unsuccessfully contested the W'airarapa Parliamentary /seat': As a lawyer, the late Mr Pownall Had a distinguished career. He was regarded as one of the best authorities, in the Dominion on. licensing law, and it was said cf him that he upset more -decisions of Magistrates on appeal than any ether lawyer in New fce*Tnnd. He was also a prominent criminal pleader, and had suceesftfuflv defended a numiber of important cases. The acquittal of the man Som.mc'rville on the charge of murdering Mr Herbert in Masterton "was due in a large measure to the brilliance of Mr Pownall's defence. The deceased was a member of the Masonio fraternity, and P.M. of the Masterton Lodge. He was also a prominent .official of the Masterton Racing Club, being' one of the officers of that body up, to the time of his death. In 1894 he married a daughter of the late'Mr Robert Mcintosh, of Tnvercargill, •wihb predeceased him a few months hack. He leaves no family, but his ■mother, sisters and 'brothers will linvf> the sympathy of a wide circle of friends in the death of a brilliant and affectionate man, whose distinguished public services will cause his n'ame to live long m the memory of Mastertonians. The funeral'of .the deceased will leave the residence of Mr W. H. Pownall, Bannister St.. at 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.