Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), Saturday 9 July 1904, page 7


Death of Mr. Edward Keane, M.L.C.

The news of the death of Mr. Edward Vivian Harvey Keane, the recently elect-ed member of the Legislative Council for the Central Province, will be received with great regret by the large number of friends by whom he was so highly esteemed and resected. . Mr. Keane caught a severe cold during his recent election campaign,

and .has been suffering- ever since. At [irst the ailment was not regarded \jery' seriously, but later on pleurisy and pneu monia developed, and he was removed to Mis« M'Kimmie's Privatfe Hospital :. for treatment. Notwithstanding all the efforts which wero made, the progress of the malady could not be arrested, and he passed quietly away this morning. It has been arranged that the interment, which takes place tomorrow morning at Karra^ katta, shall be of a private character, and it is particularly requested that no flow ers be sent. Mr. Keane was horn in Cheshire, Eng land, in August, 1844, and was therefore at the tmie of his decease, only ' just a month short of sixty years oi age, al though up till the time of his last illness he enjoyed such robust physical health, combined with rare mental activity and energy, that, most people who knew hvm would have credited him with fewer years. After qualifying in England as a civil

engineer, he emigrated m 1876 to Mel bourne with a view to finding an opening for his talents. Victoria at that tme did not present so many openings for young railway engineers as 'it subsequently of fered, and jMri Keane being attracted by the famous 'bold . and comprehensive' policy of Sir (then Mr.) James P. Bou caut, proceeded to South Australia, where ?he entered the service of the Government as resident engineer on the Port Wake fild and Kadina, and Kapunde. and N!W; Bend lines. In 1879, he retired from the service, and secured the contract (or the construction of the Holdfast Bay Tail way. His next work was a Government contract for the line from Terowie to Orrooroo. ' Mr. Keane, -accompanied by Mr. George Farrar, C.E., now Engineer for Roads and Bridges in this State, next visited W.A. for the purpose of tendering for the con struction of the first railway from Fre mantle to Perth. In thi3 lie was unsuc cessful, being just beaten by Mr. Robb. This, his first introduction' to Western Australia, induced him to consider t'ho ad-, vkableriess of throwing in his lot with the firtunes of a State which he could, foresee must before long become a con3 siderable builder of railways. It thus came about that in course of time he suc cessively carried out the construction of the Iine6 from Guildford to York, York to Beverley, Spencer's Brook to Northam, ?Bunbury to Boyanupj and Gerald ton to Walkaway, besides various other public and'private- works. His asso ciation with the construction and financing of the Midland Railway involved him in serious financial difficulties and heavy per sonal loss. Notwithstanding the heavy demands up on his time at a period when he was' at the zenith of his. career, Mr. Keano : con-sented to be nominated, and was elected to represent Perth in the first House of Assembly in 'l890,and' in 1891 he success fully fought- a strongly contested' election for the Mayoralty of Perth.' It is remark able that the same man should have been one ofthe pioneers in fields so varied- as our political, municipal, railway, and gold mining life. As regards the latter, he took up the Kathleen, the first gold-mining lease applied for. at Yilgarn, and he and his co'-adventurers won from that property 2,000 ounces of gofd. : V'

Crockery. — A fine' display of this por tion of the potter's art is now on view it the warehouse of Messrs. William San dover and Co., Hay-street. This is a now shipment direct from the oest' European manufacturers, and includes many new aiid beautiful designs in toilet, tea, and din ner sets, teapots, etc. Lampware also plays a conspicuous part in this depart ment of the firm's business. We advise the firm's numerous clients to make an early visit, ,as this class of goods is sure to find a ver- ready sale. W. Zimpel is prepared to give estimates for shop and office fittings in all grades, in cedar, walnut, oak, or kauri. Satisfaction is guaranteed. The new Governor of Fiji, Mr. Eve rard im Thnrn, was educated at Marlbo rough and Oxford, and was appointed cu rator to the British Guiana Museum in 1877. He was stipendiary magistrate at Pomeroon from 1882 to 1891, when ho was' employed on the Venezuelan Boundary Commission. Ho was appointed a first class clerk at the Colonial Office in 1899, and promoted principal clerk in 1901, in which year he was promoted to the Lieu tenant-Governorship of Ceylon. It is announced that Colonel Price, Com mandant of the Queensland forces, will, in consequence of ill-health, be given leave of absence until the end of October, when his term of servico expires. Lieutenant Colonel Plomer will assume the position and duties of Acting Commandant, and, is is generally expected, will eventually receive the appointment of Commandant.