Obituary J. Forbes McFarland Former Mining Commissioner dies

Always interested in natural resources and one who served with the Ontario government for 56 years in various senior mining posts — including 16 years as Mining Commissioner — J. Forbes McFarland died Feb 19 after a lengthy illness at the age of 85.

Probably no man was better known (and respected) amongst the Ontario prospecting fraternity than Mr McFarland. For there were few who did not come in contact with him at one time or another. Indeed he knew most on a first name basis.

He actually started working for what was then known as the Ontario Bureau of Mines in 1916 as a student messenger at the tender age of 13. He made rapid progress, later becoming secretary to the then deputy minister of mines, Thomas W. Gibson. Other responsible posts included that of supervising dredging operations in the province while being a mining recorder and chief of the Mining Lands Branch. In 1959 he was made chairman of the important Public Lands Investigation Committee. And for eight years he was a member of the Ontario Securities Commission.

After 40 years of continuous service in those various offices, Mr McFarland was appointed to the high post of Mining Commissioner with the dissolution of Ontario’s Mining Court in 1956. He held that office for 16 years until his retirement in 1972.