OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1897, Page 7

OBITUARY.

Cr. T. Morrison, of Dunedin, died very suddenly of apoplexy on December 31.

Capt. Garden, of tho ship Soakar, died ab Wellington on January 3rd of failure of the hearb. He was 5. years of age, aud formerly commanded the Margaret Galbraibh, and has been trading to England 30 years.

Mr T. R. Price, General Traffio Manager of bhe Cape Governmonb railways, arrived ab Invercargill on Jan. 15. He is on a bour of New ZealaKd, Australia. Hong Kong, Canada, United States, and England in the interesb of Cape Colony.

An old man named Edmund Heeley, of Waiorongomai, died in the Waikato Hospibal on January 7_h. He wa» an old soldier. Ho joined the lßbh Royal Irish Regiment in 1844. and with thab company saw service in Burmah, India, China and Crimea, also baking part in tho fumous Indian Mutiny.

On January 10th Mr Ernest Slaber died somewhab suddenly at Kuaotunu; aged 24. Tho circumstances are very sad. Throe weeiss previously Mr Slaber married Miss Julia Logan, and two days afterwards he was taken to bed. Dr. Smith, of Whibianga, was attending the patient for typhoid fever.

Word has been received of the death of Charles J. Dearie, formerly of bhe Thames, which book place at To Aroha. Mr Dearie was on old colonisb, being a residenb of Napier in the early days, and subsequently of Coromandel, where he managed a battery, For aboub twelve years be resided ab the Thames, being employed as Government Land Purchase Officer and Allocator of Native Revenue, but three years ago failing health compelled him to relinquish bis post and prooeed to Te Aroha, whore he had a small farm.

Mr J. C. Malfroy, Government Enginee* ab Kotorua, died on Jan. 6th at an advanced age. He had been ailing for some monbhs past. Mr Malfroy had carried oub many of the important engineering works in connection with the springs and other natural'wonders ab Rotorua and Whakarewarewa. He was a native of France, and represented tho colony at bbe'Paris Exhibition. At one time ho was Mayor of Ross, on the West Coast, and was largely engaged in goldmining. He leaves a widow bpb no family.

The remains of the late chief T.uraa JCukup. were consigned to their last resting place an December 23rd. The funeral cortege was composed of both Europeans and Maoris. The Otamatea Maori Band accompanied the remains and played the Dead March in "Saul" while passing through tbe town. The late chief was one of those who signed the Treaty of Waitangi. At the time of his death he was a professed Episcopalian, having been christened in that Church during last September. Before then he belonged to bhe Hauhau religion. According to the Maori custom, his successor is a near relation ; but the property, of which he was a large holder, hag all been willed to his faithful wife.

Ib will 5.c seen from cur obituary columns thab yet another of Auckland's oldest identities has passed away, in tbe person of. Mrs Charlotte Macfirrgor, wife of Captain MucG.egor, the wolf known shipping agent of th'n city. Mi_ MacGregor was born ab Cape Breton, Nova Scotia., in 1529, and was married in May of 1057 Ab Provincotoun, Doited ..'fates. Sailing for New Zealand with hsr husband, ahe landed before the end of the year in Auckland, where she has resided ever since. Mrs MacGregor had been a member of St. James . Presbyterian Church ever eineo its foundation, and always took an active infceresb in' church worfif. She was heid in high esteem by all who knew her, and leaves a large circle of friends to mourn her loss. Her two sons and. two daughters all reside in Auckland.

It is with extreme regret we announce tho deanh of Mr Jas. Robb, senior. The deceased gentleman had been in failing health for some time; and' parsed quietly into rest on Jan. 6tFt. Mr Robb was a colonisb of old (.banding,, having enffle outs from the aid country in the yGiir 1562. He first enabled in Auckland City, but after a short time removed bo Onehunga. Where ho resided up to the time of his death.

Mr WiUii>m Edmonds, another of tho early arrivals in thi. colony, died afc his residence, Lawrence street, Ponsonby, on Jan. 13th. The deceased was 66 years of ago, and hi« claims to be recognised as a very old colonist rests upon the fact that he arrived at the Bay of Islands with his father's family wlierf obdub five years of age, po thab he re.ided in New Zealand over 60 yeai., and' during that period experienced the-many vicissitudes fncidpntal to the lifo- of a pi.in__r colonist). For many years past Mr Edmonds has beeh connected with the gum brttdo, being foreman at Mos_r._ Garlt'ek s,nd Lyons, and more recently at Mr A. " Ha. her'i* store. Sotn. months ag. he- wa_ attacked by paraJyia, which uT^.n..£elyeau.ed hi.dtW_t. Deceased waa a brother of the late Mr S. J. Echnonds, the w a!!., no «m gum merchanb. He leave, a widow, but no family. During his long residence in Auckland Mr Edmonds earned the character of an honest, upright gentleman, and bap in consequence made many friends, who will hear of his decease with great regrcb..

The death tftok place lately ab Kgunguru, in tho North, of an old Maori named Paratone te Maau v one of the lost of the old ex-cannibal warriors of bhe native race. Old Psratene was over 90 yeays of age at tho time of his death, and was a member of the rigatiwai section of Ngapuhi, heina an uncle of Tenotahi, of Little Barrier Island fame. In the Star Supplement a few months ago we publis.Vid an inter<viting history of P;iratene's lito ar narrate^ by himsoif, in which he reformed to his exploits in the raids of tho Ngai\uhi under l v he famous Hongi Hika abonft seventy yea\ra ago, and amongsb which ha was prerte .t ab the capture of Masinaina t\n(l Mokoia, on the Tamaki Rivnr, in 18-33. He also was in the East Coasb Campaigos of Hongi in 1821 27, and took p.rt i. tho cannibal feasts of thopo days. Subsequently he was baptised by tbe late Rev. Mr Williams in 1830. and was one of tho party of chiefs who visited England in tbe sixties with Hare Pomare. Paraten . was* one of the natives evicbed from the Littl. Barrier Island laeb year, and ho sub.equenbly resided at Ngunguru. The inevitable tangi followed his decease. He was about the last of the old school of natives oF the cannibal era left in the north of Auckland. Mrs Ani Rangibunoa Swan*on, wife of the Hon. W. Swanpon, died on Jan. 4 after a long and painful illness of heart disease. The deceased was a warm-hearted charitable woman, much liked by all who were perponally acquainted with her. Among other gifts phe donafod a bed and fittings to the Auckland Hospital. Many persons phe beft-ionded will cheri. h kindly recollectionp of her. There was >» large gathering of old settlers at. tho funeral, which book place at Waikomiti on the 6fch. The Hon. W. Swnnpoti, M.L.C., ar.d hissone, were bhe chief mourners, and tho gathering was a represenbabive one. Among those present were the Hon. Thos. Thompson (Minister of Justice). Hon. W. .Tanning*. M.L.C., Sir Maurice O'Rorke, Messrs F. Lawry, W, Crowbher, J. .7. Holland, J. Bollard. M.H.R.'», Hon. J. A. Tole (Crown Pr. «*oi. or), Dr. Philson, Capt. Fernandez. Ma-srs E. He?keth (of H-flketh and T.icf-monrl). G. Gribbln, J. Kirk w00d..). Howde. ,E. Carr. F. Cherry, P. Darby, Oharl.n Canning. H. Phillip« and other old sofcttero, To Kani Pero and Tata Tamati. Tbo Yon. Archdeacon Dudley condnoted fch«twvtee fl*4b_ gttwo.

Beautiful wreaths were sent by member* of the Ministry, by the Hon, R. J. and Mrs Seddon, Hon T. and Mrs Thompson, Mr and Mrs J. J. Holland, Mrs Richmond and many obher friends. So numerous indeed were the wreaths, crosses and other floral tributes thab the grave was completely covered twice over with these offeriagOi