EIGHTY YEARS RESIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 62, 13 March 1919, Page 9

EIGHTY YEARS RESIDENT.

DEATH OF MRS. K. M. BCTLER. dno of thn very old residents of Auckland district died on Tii.-eday at the ripe a.'p of 00 years—namely, Mrs. tliza Mcrritt Hutler. Deceased was born in England, went with her parents to Australia, and came across to the Bay ot lelands from Adelaide in 1839, a year before Cnptain William Hobson was made first Governor of New Zealand. Shortly after arriving at the Bay she was married to Captain William Butler, and there were thirteen children, of whom jnlv three now survive. These are Mr. Percy S. Butler, Mrs. John Colbeck, and Mrs."Cleveland, of-Wellington. There are 150 direct descendants, including nve great great "Tiindehildren. Major D. 11. Luck and Mr. Hugh Hart Lusk are sonsin law of deceased. Mrs. Butler had letter?, from Rev. Marsden, flwt miseionary to New Zealand. also Bishop G. A. Selwyn. Bishop Patteson, and Governor Hobson. lp till "-almost the end, Jlr>. Butler retained her mental facultie-; splendidly, and never really looked her age. She was most highly esteemed by a lar_;e circle of friends. (.iiptuili and .Mii. Butler lived at JlHiiiio'.iui for close on 50 years. The widon then came to Auckland to reside. Jlrs. Butler had many exciting experiences in the. early days in the North, and on the occasion of the ilrst Maori war. in which Hone Heke took part, h friendly trihp [tlwrd a cordon of warriors around the r.iuli-r honujctead. exerted a powerful influence for good in the North, fit tiiuia «iien the position of the early st-ttlcis was uot too secure.