THE LATE MR J. M. DARGAVILLE.

Wairoa Bell, Volume 5, Issue 371, 13 November 1896, Page 13

THE LATE MR J. M. DARGAVILLE.

In pursuance of our promise last week we today place cd record such information as we have been able to gather concerning j the life of Mr J. M, Dargaville, whose name will long be remembered in the history of this particular district Mr Dargaville belonged to an old . Huguenot family, which left France and settled in Ireland at the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes He was a native of Ireland, and his father, who was a physician of eminence in Cork, provided his son with a liberal education at Fermoy College. At a very early age Mr Dargaville was seized with the spirit of adven ] tore, and emigrated with his brothers to Australia, After some experience of life in ' Victoria, he entered the service of the ‘ Union Bank of Australasia, in Sydney, at the age of twenty, as a junior clerk. He rose rapidly in the service, in five years becoming a branch manager, and two years later was sent over to New Zealand as branch inspector.. He came first to the West Coast, where he 80 increased thebank’s business that lie was promoted to the important post of manager of the Auckland branch, in March, 1868, but resigned in July of the following year, and started business as a wholesale merchant in Auckland under the title of Must and Co. Mr Dargaville, however, subse - quently gave up the business, and entered the timber and gum trades in this district, where he acquired the site ot a township, and founded the present town of Darga ville. In the earlier days deceased era ployed a large number of men, (at one time as many as 400), and spent a large amount of money in the district on per manent improvement. He was essentially a liberal man in the expenditure of the large sums of money he had at his control and many a man has felt the benefit, of his open-handed liberality, which, if anything, was too freely dispensed. In local matters he was always a powes which had to be reckoned with, and, until within more recent years, his influence was the power which moulded public opinion and action in these parts. He was a member of the first Hobson County Council and mo -cd ; the first resolution recorded in the minutes | of that body. He held his seat for many years until the settler interest had so grown within the County that it began to j be.felt in opposition to the party more immediately connected wita the townships. He then gave place to his son, and a year ot two back moved to Auckland, and took up his residence at Remuera. Prior to this he was f:r some years editor and proprietor of the Northern Advertiser,. The deceased gentleman took an aetiye interest in political matters. He became a member of the Auckland Provincial Council lor City .East, and contested the Superintendence election with Mr John Williamson, ex~Superintendent, and Mr H. H • Lusk, but was defeated. In 1881 he became a member of the General As gembly for Auckland City West, and in 1884 was re-elected by the same constituency, and supported the Stout Vogel Government. In 1-887 he was defeated ior Marsden, in 1890 for the Bay of Islands, and in 1893 for Eden, Mr Dargaville took a leading part in the pro jection of the Kaihu Railway. He was at one time a memberof the Auckland Harbour Board,as representing Parnell, being chair (man of the Highway Board. The deceased gentleman was possessed of great shrewdness, business capacity, practical experience of public affairs, and was a master nand m leading a crowd by means of ready wit aim humom. He had bis faults (and who has not), but he was withal of a most genial disposition, and was no man’s enemy more than his own. He was 59 years of age when he died,