Obituaries Australia

It is with deep regret that we record the death of an esteemed old employee of The Mercury office, James Fletcher-Jones, which took place at his residence King-street, Sandy Bay, on the morning of the 12th inst. The deceased had a long and very painful illness, and his demise was not unexpected. He was a man of strict integrity and honesty of purpose, and endeavoured to live up to the high ideal he had set himself. He was a compositor of the old school, and a good one. He served his apprenticeship at this office, and throughout the whole of his term was noted for his close application and aptitude in his work. One incident in the life of Mr. Jones is well worth repeating, as showing his grit and uprightness of character. He went to South Australia some years ago, and started a newspaper at Mount Gambier. The venture did not meet with the success expected, and the result was that Mr. Jones left Mount Gambier several hundred pounds to the bad. The newspaper and its business, was formally wound up, and everyone to whom money was owing took the loss like men. James Fletcher-Jones returned to Tasmania, and set to work with a will, and although only employed on wages all the time, he never ceased toiling, despite the fact that it took him years to do it, until he had paid every shilling of the money that had been lost by the South Australian people. The deceased had been a very hard worker all his life—in fact, he had worked too hard, and the above-named reason was the one that prompted him. He was, up till quite recently, a member of the Queenborough Town Board, and on his sending in his resignation last week a unanimous resolution was passed by the board to place on record an appreciation of his services. Deceased was a zealous and hardworking member of the Methodist Church, whose cause he was ever foremost in upholding. He leaves a widow and grown-up family, for whom the greatest sympathy is felt. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 3 o'clock.