FLEMING, THOMAS REID (1863-1930), a son of John Stuart Fleming, was born in Edinburgh, and came to New Zealand in 1868 by the E. P. Bouverie. His parents settled on the West Coast and he attended the Westport primary schools, winning scholarships which took him to Nelson College. There in 1878 he headed the junior University scholarship list for the colony. In 1881 he was appointed to the staff of the Wellington College, and in 1882 gained his B.A. degree. He represented Nelson at football and Wellington at cricket. In 1882 he passed the University of London matriculation examination with first class honours. He graduated M.A. and LL.B. in 1888, and was admitted to the bar. In 1890 he was appointed assistant inspector of schools for Wellington, and in 1893 an examiner to New Zealand University. He was a founder of Victoria University College, where he was appointed instructor in political science and mathematics. In 1898 Fleming became a member of the council and in 1907 chairman. In 1901 he was made chief inspector in the Wellington district, in 1915 a senior inspector under the Education department, and in 1917 he was transferred to Otago. He retired in 1926.

Fleming introduced the home-reading movement and then founded the New Zealand section of the Australasian Home Reading Association. He was a member of the New Zealand University senate, of the Council of Education, of the district council of the Workers' Educational Association of Otago, and of the Wellington Training College committee. He was also an elder of the Presbyterian Church. On his death (on 14 Sep 1930) he was survived by his wife, Marion, daughter of Hugh Smith of Melbourne.

Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Hight and Candy (p); Who's Who N.Z., 1924; Otago Witness, 16 Sep 1930; The Dominion, 15 Sep 1930.

Reference: Volume 1, page 150

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