Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Thursday 6 April 1939, page 4


DEATH OF MR J. TOLMIE

M.L.A. For 16 Years

TOOWOOMBA, Wednesday. — The death occurred this morning of Mr. James Tolmie, one of Toowoomba's best-known citizens at the age of 77 years.

Born on the ship Registan just outside Brisbane on July 25, 1862, he was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Rode-rick Tolmie, who were coming from Scotland to Queensland. He was the eldest of a family of nine children. He was educated at the South State School, Toowoomba, and began as a pupil teacher in 1877. In 1894 he be-came editor, with a half share and interest, of the Darling Downs Gazette, a position he held until that paper's amalgamation with the Toowoomba Chronicle in 1922. He was a notable athlete in his younger days, being particularly pro-ficient as footballer and cricketer. He was elected to the Queensland Parliament for the double electorate of Drayton and Toowoomba in 1901. and with the exception of a break of 12 months in 1903, represented Too-woomba continuously until 1918.

JOINED THE MINISTRY He was Minister for Agriculture in the Denham Ministry for about two years, and was Secretary for Public Lands from 1912 to 1915. He was re-elected in 1915, when the Denham Government was defeated, and was Leader of the Opposition until he was forced to resign because of illhealth. At the general election in 1918 he was defeated by Mr. F. T. Brennan, now Judge Brennan. From 1924 to 1927 he was an alderman of the Toowoomba City Council. Before Federation Mr. Tolmie was a captain in the Fourth Queensland Regiment, and during the Great War was major in command of a troopship. He was a loyal adherent of the Presbyterian Church and a Mason. Mr. Tolmie, who did not marry, is survived by five sisters, one of whom is Mrs. Herbert Yeates, wife of Mr. H. Yeates, M.L.A. for Toowoomba. Nephews include Dr. Deryck Yeates, of Brisbane, Mr. H. Yeates, a barrister, of Brisbane, and Mr. Fergus Yeates, former Queensland Sheffield Shield slow bowler, and now of Sydney University. The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon.