OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 247, 16 October 1923, Page 7

OBITUARY.

EMINENT AUCKLAND BOTANIST MR. T. T. CHEESEMAN. WORLD AUTHORITY ON N.Z. FLORA. STUDENT OF MAORI ART. A well-known figure is lost to Auckland and to the scientific world by the death of Mr. Thomas Frederic Gheeseman, secretary of the Auckland Institute, and Curator to the attached Museum. Mr. Cheeseman, who appeared hale for his age, seemed in good health until the last few days, when he complained of indisposition. On Saturday he spoke of making arrangements for the usual Institute lecture on the following Monday, but yesterday afternoon showed the signs associated with heart failure, and died peacefully in the afternoon at the age of 78.

Mr. Cheeseman was born in 1546 at Hull, Yorkshire, and was the son of the late llev. Thomas Cheeseman, who was at one time an active member of the old Auckland Provincial Council, and took a prominent part in the public life of the community. The Rev. Mr. Cheeseman came to New Zealand with his family in 1554, and the future botanist was educated at the Parnell Grammar School, and later at St. John's College. Mr. Cheeseman's life-long enthusiasm for botany was shown at an early age, and he now began to form the nucleus of his splendid herbarium, a valuable collection of dried plants, which he presented to the Auckland Institute. It is at present housed at his late home, but was only held by him until the necessary accommodation could be provided at the new building in the Domain. It contains specimens of all the known varieties of New Zealand plant life. He enlarged this collection and gained valuable facts about the local flora in the expeditions he made from this time onward in New Zealand and in the Pacific and outlying islands. As he said in the preface to his "Manual of the New Zealand Flora," his researches "have extended continuously from the year 1870 to the present time, and include an examination of almost the whole colony, from the Kermadec Islands and the North Cape to Otago." Through these studies he found time to try a little farming, but his real life work, as far as Auckland was concerned, began in 1874, when he was officially elected to his late position in the Auckland Institute.

A Life Service. The Auckland Institute was then merely a small suggestion of what it is now, and the present expansion is partly due to the cumulative effect of Mr. Cheeseman's untiring efforts for ite welfare. Counting some work done for the Lnstitute before his official appointment, Air. Checacnian has served this body for fifty years. At the last annual meeting'of' the council of the Instiute he was congratulated upon having completed fifty years of service as curator, and presented with un illuminated address in acknowledgment of his valuable service to the Museum and Institute and ac an appreciation of his devotion to the scientific principles for which the Institute was founded. Mr. Cheeseman was largely responsible for the preparation of the scheme for the new War Memorial Museum, so far as the division and general internal layout of the building was concerned. He was particularly anxious that the Maori section should be fittingly and artistically treated. It was. in fact, greatly due to Mr. Cheeseman's untiring exertions and knowledge of Maori art that Auckland possesses a Maori collection which is (fee outstanding feature of our Museum, and is probably the finest collection of Maori art in the world. His aim was to make the new Museum thoroughly representative of Polynesian culture, and this aim whs very materially aesisted by the gift by Mr. Turner, of* Suva, of his splendid collection of Polynesian craftsmanship and art. now stored by Mr. Turner at Fiji, awaiting suitable accommodation in Auckland's new Museum. In addition to his especial knowledge of botany, Mr. Cheeseman possessed considerable scientific attainments in other directions, and the manner in which many of the cases of natural history specimens in the Museum are displayed is due to his initiative. His idea was that the Museum should be made as attractive as possible, and he showed a very highly developed faculty for the classification of exhibits so that they would be of interest to the general public visiting the Museum as well as to tllfl cognoscenti. It is a matter for regret that he did not live to see the new War Memorial Museum in which he took so great an interest. His Scientific Work. Mr. Cheeseman's magnum opus was his "Manual of the Zealand Flora." This valuable contribution to the botanical literature of the world contains descriptions of known native and island plants, with nn account of common introduced ones. It was published in 190(3 by the Government, but, being out of print for some years, has recently been difficult to obtain. It is fortunate that for some time Mr. Cheeseman had been recasting this for publication by tnc Government in a new edition. This will contain the inevitable additions, and the classification of the plants will be changed to the modern grouping. This work had been so far completed, that before his death the author was engaged in correcting the proofs. A companion work is Mr. Cheeseman's " Illustrations of New Zealand Flora," in two large volumes. This contains beautifully executed plates of representative New Zealand plants, and was published in 1914, in England, where the drawings ■were mostly made, and with the editorial help of Dr. W. B. Helmsley, F.L.S., Mr. Cheeseman has contributed many papers on Xew Zealand botany to the Transactions of the New Zealand Instituct, and some to other scientific journals also. In the publication dealing with the sub-antarctic islands of New Zealand (edited by Professor Chilton), Mr. Cheeseman described the . flowering plants and ferns of the island*. As one of the reports of the Australian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914), he wrote on the same classes of pwnts found on Macquarie Island, to which was added a discussion of the origin and affinities of the Antarctic flora." As curator to the Auckland Museum. Mr. Cheeseman's energies covered all brandies of natural history, and one of the most valuable collections of Maori ethnological objects in the world has been brought together, which is of incalculable value for students of Polynesian ethnography. Achievements Recognised. Mr. Cheeseman. having been a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London for over fifty years was awarded the society's medal, a distinguished mark of recognition. He received the Hector Memorial Medal in 1918. He was nlso a Fellow of the Zoological Soeietv of London, and conducted a correspondence with scientific colleagues practically all over the world. Those who knew Mr. Cheeseman personally will not readily

forget his amiable and pleasant manner, -while those who discussed scientific questions with him must have noticed his deep absorption in hia work up to the very last. By his death, Auckland loses an old citizen who worked unselfishly for the city's 'benefit, and also a distinguished scientist, whose overseas reputation could not be guessed from liis unassuming character.

Sir. Cheeseman is survived by !Mrs. Cheeseman, one eon, Major Cheeseman, and one daughter, Mrs. E. Grant-Taylor, of Walton. The funeral obsequies were private, the body being cremated to-day. A PUKEKOHE PIONEER. The death of Mrs. Bridget Hartueady, which took place at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. B. King, at Paeroa, removes one of the pioneers ot the Pukekohe district. Deceased, wlio was born at Teakle, Co. Clare, Ireland, about 84 years ago, went when quite a young girl to South Africa with two ot her sisters. She was married at Capetown to the late Michael Hartneady. The young couple came to New Zealand not long "after being married, arriving at Auckland in 18C4 by the ship Maori, commanded by Captain Ashby. Since her arrival in Pukekohe early in 1865, deceased resided there practically all the time, until three years ago, when failing health compelled her to leave her own home and reside with her daughter. The interment took place at the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Pukekohe.