OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 308, 30 December 1891, Page 5

OBITUARY.

Mr S. Bell, an old Napier settler, died on. December 20 from influenza, aged 75. Mrs Pender, wife of Inspector of Police, died on December 2Sth from consumption. Dr. Alien, a practitioner in Napier since 1885, is dead. Hβ had long been in weak heaitb. Mr Hickson, formerly Warden and R.M. at Clyde, died at his residence near Dunedin on December 23rd. David HendersoD, well-known throughout the colony as a railway contractor, died on December 20th from influenza. Mr George Bowin Leahy died on December 26th from the effect of sunstroke, and was buried next day in the Catholic Cemetery. Ho leaves a young wife and child to deplore the loss. Alex. Cairns, avery old Dunedin resident, died on December 11th, aged 79. He came to Obago from Victoria, and was for many years Inspector of Works under the Provincial Government. Two deaths, which the natives attribute fco witchcraft, have occurred at Mangatautari (Waikato) during the past month. One is of a woman named Takere, the other of an old and loyal chief of the Ngatibaua tribe, Rihia te Kanas, who did the Government good service in troublous . times. Another old and respected Auckland identity has passed away. Our obituary notices intimate the death of Mr J. F. (Saunders, tailor, of Queen-street. Deceased was a well-known figure in Queenstreeb, having carried on business ia that thoroughfare for the past 25 years. Mr Saunders had been a sufferer for a long period from a disease of the leg, but the immediate cause of his death was liver affection.

Mr Edward Allen, of Allendale, Mount Albert, died on Dae. 3 in his 81sb year, influenza being the complaint. He has been in Auckland well nigh 30 years, and in that time made many friends. Mr Allen and the whole family are members ot the Wesleyan Church. The funeral took place in the Symonds-atreeb Cemetery on the sth, A short service, conducted by the Rev. J. H. Simmonds, was hold ab bhe deceased gentleman's residence, while the after service was conducted by the Rev. J. J. Berry, in Wesley Hall, Pifcfc-sfcreeb. The' Rev. Mr Lee read the concluding, lines of the burial service at the grave,

Lieutenant-Colonel Butts, wfeo .was for a number of years in command of the Wellington Volunteer District, sustained a third stroke of paralysis on December 4bh, and euccumbed at 6 p.m. next day. Lieutenant-Colonel Butts served as Lieutenant with the 18th Royal Irish during the Waikato campaign in 1863-64, and also on the West Coast, at Wanganuiand Taranaki in 1865-66. He was married ab. Wanganui and weub Home with his .regiment. Returning to New Zealand, he was tor some years in command of the Wellington volunteer district, from which, position he was "retrenched" about twelve months ago.

Rev. Mother Regis, one oE the Auckland Sisters of Mercy, died at Sfc. Mary's Orphanage, Ponsonby, on Dec. 15th, from an affection.of the heart), at the age of sixty. The deceased was born at Drogheda, Ireland, and came to this colony some thirtyfive years ago. She presided over St. Mary's Orphanage for the pasb three years, and previously she had been elected Rev. Mother of the Sisterhood for two successive terms, representing in all six years. . For some time, also, she was Rev. Mother in Onehunga. She was a very able nun, remarkable for piety, learning, and administractive ability. The deceased had a long and painful illness. There was a large gathering at the funeral, which took place on the morning of December I7fch at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Ponsonby.

General regret was felt ab the intelligence which came down by the San Francisco mail on December 3rd that Mr Gilroy Wells Griffin, formerly United States Consul at Auckland, and subsequently Consul ab Sydney, died in St. Louis, United States, of Bright's disease of the kidneys. Mr Griffin passed through Auckland a few months ago on hie way to America in a very poor state of health. During his residence in Auckland ac Chief Consul for ]Slew Zealand, Mr Griffin made many personal friends, and devoted a large amount of time to the compilation of a series of valuable reports upon the resources of this colony. For this service he received the thanks of the New Zealand Government, and his reports were published in book form at the public expense. Since his promotion to the Sydney Consulate, he had performed a similar work for New South Wales, and had been thanked by the Government of that colony.

December 25fch was nob a day of rejoicing for all. A well respected settler and old identity in the person of Mr Thomas Bray passed away on Christmas Day at the-ripe old age of 93. Mr Bray arrived" ny the colony in 1544. He died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs Cant, and leaves a son, Mr Bray, of Onehunga. Mr Bray arrived with his family at Taranaki in 1840 in the ship William Bryan, and afterwards came on to' Auckland, where he commenced farming in the Mount Albert district. For many years he was successful in hie undertakings, and, by habits of industry and thrift, was enabled to keep himself and family in comfortable circumstances. Hβ leaves one son and two daughters to mourn their loss, besides 38 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren. His youngest son, John, was killed in the Waikato 28 yeara ago ; his eldest son, George, was killed in the Mount Albert gravel pit 17 years ago ; while the accidental death of his third eon, James, last March, will still be remembered by many. He survived his wife by 9 years, who died on 25th December, 1882. it

A special meeting of the Senate of the University of New Zealand was held at Wellington on December the 22nd for the purpose of considering the examiners' reports of the medical examinations of 1891, lately concluded. After perusal of all the documents the Senate conferred the decree of Doctor of Medicine on H. C. Barclay, M.8., Ch. B. and G. A. Copland, M.8., Ch. B. The degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery were conferred on W. W. Griffin, A. Hendry, B. A., J. P. Monzies, J. A. New ell, 8.A., and E. J. Roberts. M. Campbell. R. Church, C. T. Little, K. McAdam, anu M. "W. Ross passed the second professional examination, D. H. T. Black passed the first professional, and P. Andrews, J. L. Gregg, D. Black, W. J. Hislop, J. M. Matthews, and Emily H. Seiderberg passed either the whole or part of the intejf* mediate examination.