OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 285, 2 December 1931, Page 11

OBITUARY.

MRS. C. J. BLACKBURN.

The -death occurred at Te Awamutu on November 26 of Mrs. Catherine Janet Blackburn, wife of Mr. /Norman Blackburn, of Matamata, at the age of 05. Deceased came from Sydney to Matamata about 20 years ago. She was a woman of very ..wide sympathies, and there was hardly a case of sickness or trouble in . the * distract which she did hot help irr some way. Mrs. Blackburn was a member.' of the Presbyterian Church, and was also superintendent for some' time of the; Anglican Sunday school. She was' also one >'. of the founders,. and first, secretary of the Matamata branch of St. John Ambulance. Deceased is survived by her husband and the following children:—Miss Enid Blackburn, of Auckland; Miss Leila Blackburn, of Matamata; and Mr. Harold Blackburn, of Hamilton. ■ ■;

MR. JOHN BEGG. The death of Mr. John Begg on Saturday afternoon at the residence, 2, Ngapuhi Road, Remuera, in his ninety-first year removes yet another of New Zealand's old colonists. At the date of his death he had been almost 70 years ini the Dominion. Most of this time was spent at Whangaroa, in the Far North, where he- settled on arrival from his native city, Glasgow. He later became acquainted with the well-known missionary family the Shepherds, and married the daughter, Elizabeth. The early hardships and vicissitudes which these old settlers had to go through can hardly be appreciated by the V present generations. The Maori wars were more or less ending, but they ~were anxious times for the scattered and: sparse, white .population which never knew when-a native hostile surprise might be launched against them. Doubtless the careful and considerate attitude of such men as Mr. Begg and the missionary-family referred to was in great'part responsible for absence of any actual.trouble from the Maori. Mr. Begg in public life acted as county clerk and treasurer for upwards of 30 years, his earlier training in accountancy fitting him for the carrying out of these duties with considerable ability. About eleven years ago he retired, taking a home in Remuera, near to some friends of the early days. His wife predeceased him some 18 years. A family of two sons and three daughters are left to revere his memory—Mrs. F. Hows (Kaikohe), Mrs. T. Williams (Okaihau), Miss Begg (Ngapuhi Road) and Messrs. John and David Begg (Whangaroa). There are twelve grandchildren and-three great-grandchildren.