THE HOX. MAURICE DUPRÉ

Xot many plublic men in this province stand in quite the same position with their own compatriots, and with English-speaking citizens as well, as was occupied by ^laurice Dupré. In his death there are the éléments of tragedy. Mortally injured in the ^^laskinongé train wreck of Tuesday night he died at Three Rivers three days later, ending a life of achievement and of promise. He was fifty-three years of âge and prior to his accident had been in the full vigor of manhood and with what seemed to be the prospect of a long, active and useful life. By disposition he was bright, friendly and courteous and he possessed an ability that had been recognized in his élection to Parliament in 1930 and his sélection for the important office of Solicitor-General in the then Bennett Government Politically active prior to that time and since, Mr. Dupré exercised wide influence in party affairs and was a leader in his district. He had

been a delegate to the Impérial Conférence of 1930 and to the Âssembly of the League of Nations and the Disarmament Conférence at Geneva, being chosen chairman of the Arbitration and Disarmament Committee of the League and Vice-President of the Naval Committee. In these various capacities he served his country faithfully and well. He was a gentleman of unusual personal charm and his friendships were many. Indeed, it was through one of these friendships, that between himself and the late Senator Lorne Webster, that death came upon him. He had corne to Montreal to attend the funeral of an old and close associate and was returning to his home in Quebec when he received the injuries from which he died. The many who mourn him do so deeply and grievously {The Galette, Montréal, October 6, 1941 j.

MAURICE DUPRÉ

As day after day passed by and the Hon. Maurice Dupré seemed to be holding his own against the multiple injuries suffered in the Maskinonge train wreck, his unnumerable friends in both the French and English speaking populations of Quebec and Montreal felt their hopes of his final recovery rising. The news of his death after many hours of gallant fight against grievous odds is therefore ail the more saddening.

Maurice Dupré’s very wide popularity was deserved. He stood for much of the best in both racial cultures in his native Province, The political fates were not overly kind to him, which was regrettable, since, given a longer time in the public service, he woulcl in ail human probability hâve made his mark. In the short time he spent in the Bennett Cabinet (and six years are little more than an apprenticeship for the néophyte of Cabinet rank to get his bearings) he had competently handled House Committees. More important still, he represented Canada in a responsible capacity at Geneva

as a member of tiie League Assembly and of the abortive but noue the less significant Disarmament Conférence there.

His untimely and tragic death when he apparently had years of a full and useful life before him is a grievous loss which will be deplored by a multitude of his friends {The Montreal Daily Star, October 6, 1941).