OBITUARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 198, 4 June 1934, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR DAVID ASHBY.

AN OLD-TIME CRICKETER. (Special to the " Guardian.'') CHRISTCHURCH, June 2. The death occurred this morning of one of the oldest and best-known cricketers of the province, David Alexander Ashby. His age was 82 and it was his proud boast that a record established in 1878 is still unbroken. He would often speak of the time when he and Billy Frith bowled a strong Auckland representative eleven, on its home ground, for only 13 runs, eight of which were byes. The annals of first-class cricket in New Zealand show nothing since to compare with that magnificent bowling feat. Mr Ashby was born at Beddington, •Surrey, in 1852, and first -played cricket for the Croydon amateurs. He graduated to county cricket and played for Surrey for several seasons. On" one occasion W. G. Grace was caught off his bowling. He played for. the AllEngland Colts against the M.O.C. when only 19 years of age. Ho was 23 years of age when he decided to come to New Zealand. He landed at Nelson in 1875, but could not find a position there, and, with a companion, packed his swag to Dunedin. There he met with-no better luck and came back to Ohristchurch. In Christchurch his cricketing ability found him a position with the late Mr William Wood in his flourmill at Addington and through that opportunity he came permanently into the cricket of Canterbury. Mr Ashby retained his position with Wood's flourmill for 50 years.

A trip to Auckland was arranged in 1878 by Mr W. F. Neilsen and it was in Auckland's second innings that the young bowlers established then- record for Canterbury. Mr Ashby took five wickets for three runs.

Mr Ashby's first club in Christchurch was the Midland Club, but it was so strong that he and Mr Frith went over to United. When the English eleven visited New Zealand in 1876 Mr Ashby played against men with whom he had come in contact on the cricket fields of England. Canterbury were beaten on that occasion.

Mr Ashby played against Murdoch's Australians, a side which included such mighty players as Spofforth, Black'ham, Gregory and the Bannermans. That was the historic occasion on which the Australians were beaten by Canterbury by six wickets. Australia's 'first innings produced only 46 runs, Mr Ashby taking two wickets for 19 rues. The defeat was the only one sustained by the Australians before they went to England. The first time Mr Ashby travelled to Otago with a Canterbury side the journey was wholly by water, but on the second trip the team went by rail to Oamaru where they embarked on a paddle steamer. Mr Ashby married Miss Mary Jane Haddrell in 1882 and leaves a son and three daughters. OLDEST J.P. IN DOMINION. WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr T. Potts, J.P., of Petone, is dead, aged 88. He is believed to be the oldest Justice of the Peace in the Dominion. MR WILLIAM A. CHOATE. WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr William Alfred Choate, a wellknown builder and resident director, of Winstone, Limited, is dead, aged 72. MR T. Aj HICKS. CAMBRIDGE, Juno 2. One of the best-known Waikato settlers, Mr Thomas Alhambra Hicks, died to-day, after a short illness, aged 62. He was born on the ship Alhambra, coming to New ' Zealand with, his parents in 1872. Mr Hicks had lived ever since at Cambridge, and had a fine record of public service. At the time of his death he was chairman of the Leamington Town and Domain Boards, chairman of the Cambridge Reform organisation, a member of the Waikato Central Show and of many other bodies. Ho was never married, but is survived by two sisters and many relatives. MR JAMES ROLPH. SAN FRANCISCO, June 2. Mr James Rolph, Governor of California, died at San Jose this afternoon. He had been ill for two weeks with congestion of the lungs and a failing heart. Mr Rolph was born at San Francisco in August, 1869, and educated at Trinity Academy there. In, 1888 he entered the service of a shipping firm as junior clerk. He progressed rapidly and eventually founded a firm of his own, engaged in general shipping business and trading on commission; To this he added insurance by founding for the purpose the firm of Jas. Rolph, Landis, and Ellis. Meanwhile lie was becoming a leading figure, in San Francisco business and social circles. He was president of the Merchants' Exchange and of the Shipowners' Association of the Pacific Coast and an active member of the - local Republiean organisations. In 1911 he was elected Mayor of San Francisco. He was re-elected four times. In January, 1931, he became Governor of California for a term expiring _ in January, 1935. Ho created a sensation in November, 1933, by bis attitude toward the lynching of kidnappers and murderers. Two men who were in custody at San Jose, California, on the charge of kidnapping and murdering the "son of a wealthy merchant,

were dragged from gaol by a mob and hanged. Mr Rolph expressed approval ,of the mob's action. "It is time," he-said, "that drastic measures were taken to end kidnapping. This should bo a great lesson for the entire Avorld. We have shown that California will not tolerate kidnapping." No action was taken against the lynchers. Mr Rolph's attitude was much criticised by representatives of the churches and by other persons, but he defended the lynching on the ground that it was a demonstration of piiblic feeling against cumbersome legal proceedings which often allowed a kidnapper to escape on a technicality.

MR THOMAS HiOOD. An old resident of the Ashburton County, Mr Thomas Hood, died at Avonside (Ohristchurch), on Saturday. Mr Hood was the fourth son of the late Mr Thomas Hood, of Overdale, Rakaia, and was well-known as a successful farmer, spending most of his life on the homestead farm, of later years working it on his own account. He married Miss Margaret Ivory, of Oxford, who, together with four sons and two daughters, survive him. The members of the family are: Mr Win. Hood (Somerton), Mr Jack Hood (Christchurch), Mr Henry Hood (Gleniti, Timaru), Mr Frank Hood (Oamr aru), and Mrs Wilson Kerr (Napier), and Mrs J. T. Pratley (Ashburton). Mr Hood was very highly respected in the district, and his word wasal.ways honoured. Owing to ill-health he retired to Christchurch a few years ago. Both in Christchureh and at Rakaia he was a keenly interested member of the Church of England.