OBITUARY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1941, Page 7

OBITUARY

MR THOMAS FORSYTH. » The death occurred in Masterton last night of Mt Thomas Forsyth, father of Dr. J. C. Forsyth. The late Mr Forsyth was an accountant and auditor of Wellington. a member of the city council, and for many years chairman of the Wellington Education Board

Mr Forsyth who had been in poor health for the past year, was born in Dunedin in 1868. After leaving school he entered the service of Messrs Dodshun and Co. warehousemen, in Dunedin, rising to be bookkeeper and later manager in Dunedin and afterward in Wellington. When that firm gave up business in Wellington, Mr Forsyth became successively accoinu-' ant. sub-manager and manager to Te Aro House, then one of the larges: 1 retail drapery establishments in Wellington. He resigned in 1923 to go into business as an accountant and auditor which profession he followed till a few weeks ago. Al! through his life Mr Forsyth was greatly interested in public affairs. This bent found an outlet in his association with the Wellington City Council. which extended, with one break from 1919 to the time of his death. He 1 was concerned with the progress of the city, and as chairman of the work' committee of the council was intimately connected with some of the forward movements made by the municipality during his term of office. For 14 years Mr Forsyth was chairman of the Wellington Education Board and for even longer he was chairman and member of the Clyde Quay school committee, from which he graduated to the board. Mr Forsyth was also a member of the Victoria College Council, and served as member of the Technical College Board, the Wellington Colleges Board of Governors, and the board of advice to the Technical College. Mr Forsyth was a strong adherent to the Congregational Church, When the Cambridge Terrace Church was! located in Courtenay Place he was a member and organist and when the! new church was erected in Cambridge j Terrace, he became an officer, and! shared the duties of organist with Mrj James Thorley. He was also treasurer of that church and was a member and! honorary treasurer of the Congrega-j tional Church of New Zealand Among many other tasks Mr Forsyth! fulfilled was that of being secretary to] the New Zealand Diapers’ Association>

i f New Zealand a member of the Repatriation Board (after the last warn a member of the former Centra! Chamber of Commerce, and director of the Y.M.C.A. Mr Forsyth was member for Wellington East in the House of Representatives from 1925 to 1928. in the latter year he again contested the seat but was defeated by Mr R. Semple. In his younger days Mr Forsyth was an ardent follower and player of! Rugby football, playing senior football! both in Dunedin and in Wellington. He never lost his love for the game, and was a regular attendant al the games played on Athletic Park every Satordav afternoon Mr Forsyth leaves one son Dr. J. C. Forsyth Masterton. ;md three daughters. Misses Jean. Jessie and Minnie Forsyth. Mr Robert Forsylh. reure-i ■a ntiitive in l,.ondon for the New Zea-i land Meat Board, is a brother i