OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 10

OBITUARY.

PIONEER IN SAMOA. DEATH OF MR. W. J. SWANN. (From Our Own Correspondent.) APIA, May 28. At Apia Government Hospital on May 20 one of the few remaining old settlers who came to Samoa at the end of the last century, Mr. W. J. Swann. has died at the age of 77 years. For nearly halt a century Mr. Swann had been a resident of Western Samoa. He arrived there as a young man in the late 'eighties, ioi lont* veal's he had been a chemist and a trader and one of the bust known and respected identities of the territory. As a chemist he had ft reputation with the Sumoans in all parts of the islands. They implicitly believed in his knowledge and advice, particularly regarding ehiMren's diseases, and eanic from the most remote districts to obtain Ins assistance. air. Swann was a staunch Britisher and closely connected with all patriotic movements in Samoa. A brother, who died some years ago, was a well known chemist of Suva, Fiji, while a sister is a member of the Marist Sisters Order at Apia. Mr. Swann leaves a family of married daughters and younger sons. The funeral took place at the Catholic cemetery, Saleufi, the Rev. lather Deihl officiating. A very large_ and representative gathering paid their last respects to a staunch friend and good citizen. MRS. ELIZABETH LYMBURN. The death has occurred .at her resi; dencc, Cpates Street, Hamilton East, of Mrs. Elizabeth Kerr Lymburn, widow of the late Mr. J. H. Lymburn, in her 83rd year. Mrs. Lymburn was born in Scotland, coming to New Zealand as a child on the ship Helen Lee._ She resided at Pokeno, and later, during the gold rush, nt Thames. She had lived in Hamilton for 33 years. Her husband died in 1914. During her life the late Mrs. Lymburn was a keen Church worker, having been associated with the Primitive Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. She is survived by four sons, Messrs. Ernest Lymburn (Auckland), Alfred', George and Roy Lymburn (Hamilton) and two daughters, Mrs. J. Nicol and Mrs. N. Wallbank (Hamilton).

MR. JAMES ROBINSON. A well-known resident in the Foxton district. Mr. James Robinson, aped 70 years, died at liis home at Oroua Downs, ife was for many years connected with the Palmerston *North-Foxton railway line. After leaving the service he took up farming at Oroua Downs. He leaves a family of three sons, Messrs. F. Robinson (Palmerston North), C. Robinson (Foxton) and .T. Robinson (Auckland), and three daughters, Mesdames P. Lingard (Foxton), W. Caitehncss (Oroua Downs) and B. Healcv (Taihapc). MR. O'C. D. O'MAHONEY. i Mr. AY. A. Walsh, secretary for the northern district of the Hibernian Society, has been advised from Perth, West Australia, of the death of Mr. O'Connell D. O'Mahoney, national president of the society, who was the society's chief officer in both Australia and New Zealand. He was also chief commissioner for State lotteries in West Australia.

MR. W. MILLER. A son of early pioneers who came to New Zealand in the ship Jane Gifford in 1842, Mr. Wm. Miller lias died at his home in Roslyn Terrace, at the age of 70 years. He was'born in Newton, and as a hoy served his apprenticeship as shipwright with Mr. D. M. Darroch, at Mahurangi. When the Calliope Dock was opened in ISBB he assisted in docking H.M.S. Calliope and H.M.S. Diamond. MRS. E. RATCLIFFE. « (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. The death occurred at Frankton this morning of Mrs. Eliza Ratcliffe, a wellknown Auckland pioneer, aged 92. Born in Parnell, Mrs. Ratcliffe was the fourth daughter of the late Mr. William Williams, who arrived in Auckland in 1841. In 1037 the family moved to Remuera. Mrs. Ratcliffe had a remarkably retentive memory, and could recall many incidents associated with the early life of Auckland. She married the late Mr. John Ratcliffe at the Thames in 187."), her husband participating in the gold rush and working in the Talisman mine and later farming at Waharoa. Mr. Ratcliffe died 24 years ago. The surviving children are Mesdames D. Carroll and E. Holloway, of Auckland, and Messrs. T. Ratcliffe, of Frankton, L. Ratcliffe, of Morrinsville, and W. Ratcliffe, of Gisborne.

JOHN W. WARREN. (By Telegraph.— Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. The death occurred to-day of Mr. John Willing Warren, one of Hamilton's best-known residents, at the age of 77 years. Born at C'lapham, London, he was a con of the late Mr. F. Warren, a school board architect of London. His grandfather was also an architect. Mr. Warren was educated at King's College and studied architecture. He arrived in Now Zealand during the Parihaka native trouble in 1881 and joined the armed constabulary. He married Miss Sophia Cattlcy, of Okato, and about 1883 they left to reside in New South Wales. Returning to the Dominion, Mr. Warren continued to practise his profession at Stratford. He came to Hamilton in 1900 and was successful when competitive designs were called for the public library. For 20 years prior to liis retirement in 1932 Mr.' Warren was architect for tile Waikato Hospital Board. In 1910 he designed St. Peter's Cathedral, and many other public buildings iu the town, including the central fire station, were of his design. Mr. Warren was a prominent Freemason, and was a past master of the Stratford Lodge and the Alexandra Lodge, Hamilton. He was past district grand warden in the United Grand Lodge of England, and held Grand Lodge rank in the New Zealand constitution, and, in addition he hold Grand Chapter rank in the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand. He was a recognised authority on Masonic history and tradition. Throughout his life Mr. Warren took a keen interest in the affairs of the Church of England. He served as organist and in the vestry of Holy Trinity Church. Stratford, and as a vestryman at St. I'eter's Cathedral. He was also a versatile newspaper correspondent for manv years. He is survived bv his wife,

lie son nn<l two daughters, the children Iin«r Mr. P. Warren (Sydney), Mrs. M. Bartley (Auckland) and Miss War mi (Hamilton).

MR. GEORGE PALMER. The death has occurrcd of Mr. George Palmer, an old railway employee. He joined tlie service at Auckland in 1894, and was stationed in Christehurch from 1890 till 1930, when he was transferred to Wellington for a month before returning to Auckland as passenger foreman. Mr. Palmer retired from the Railway Department in 1931 after 37 years' service. I MR. J. A. McLEOD. Mr. John Albert MeLeod, whose death occurred recently, was born at Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1881. He arrived in New Zealand in 1903, and returned to Australia some time later. Arriving in Auckland a few years afterwards Mr. MeLeod joined the staff of the Auckland Tramways. His last engagement was as foreman with tha late firm of D.S.C. and Cousins and Cousins, Limited, in which he had charge of the building of many of the corporation trains. Mr. MeLeod took a prominent part in the activities of the Christadelphian fraternity, more especially in regard to the training of the children, bv~ whom he was much beloved. He is survived by his widow, and his two daughters, Mrs. Myrtle Taylor (Koliimarama) and Miss Adeline MeLeod.

MR, 0. W. BRAIN. ' ) Advice has been received by cable of the death of Mr. O. W. Brain, a wellknown electrical engineer, of Sydney. Mr. Brain came to Australia as a young man with his parents, and he and his elder brother, the late Mr. Austin Brain, settled in N.S.W. His father, the lato Captain W. Blanch Brain —a well-known oolliery proprietor of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire —came on to New Zealand with his wife and the younger members of the family, and remained in Auckland. Miss E. B. M. Brain, of Auckland, and Mrs. D. E. Duthoit, of Hamilton, were sisters, and Mr. M. C. M. Brain, of Kumeu, and Mr. E. H. H. Brain, of Ngongotaha, were brothers. Mr. Brain's elder son, Mr. Vivian Brain, is the chief electrical engineer for the Public Works Department in N.S.W., and his younger son, Mr. Geoffrey Brain, is an assistant electrical engineer in the Railways Department. The noted Australian airman, Captain Lester Brain, was a nephew. At one time Mr. Brain was assistantcommissioner to the New South Wales Railways. His early electrical training was with the Crompton Electrical Company, whose services he left in 1890 to join the New South Wales railways as chief assistant to the electrical engineer. Mr. Brain subsequently succeeded to the position of electrical engineer. During his term of office Mr. Brain was sent abroad twice for information regarding the latest phases of electrical engineering, and in 1910 he represented the Department at the International Congress at Berne, Switzerland. Mr. Brain was the first lecturer in electrical enginering at Sydney University. MR. JOSEPH WOODALL. The death of Mr. Joseph Woodall removed a well-known Auckland business man who, for many years befora going into business on his own account, was a departmental manager in Arcli. Clark and Sons. For some years he was traveller for the firm and 30 years ago he was well known in most parts of the North Island, before the day of the motor car when, with a wagonette and two horsey he used to penetrate with his samples into many outback districts. In 1915 he was elected to the Devonport Borough Council and held office for three terms, and was deputyMayor for two years. He was known as one of the progressives of the council, and during the war period did good work. He was a very active member of the Commercial Travellers' Association antj was president for a period. He was a supporter of the Liberal party in Parliament and exercised considerable influence in the Waitemata electorate, where he lived. A good musician he sang for some years in a church choir, and was a Sunday school teacher. Mr. Wood-all, who was twice married, is survived by his wife and a family of two sons and two daughters.