OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1938, Page 7

OBITUARY.

PROMINENT WRITER.

MISS GURNEY, OF HOWICK.

With the death of Miss Elizabeth Mary CJurney, of Howick, in the Auckland hospital yesterday, New Zealand loses one of its prominent writers. She was kicked by a horse last Wednesday, and received severe internal injuries She was 3S years old. Miss Gurney was particularly well known as a writer of poetry and of short stories, and in these fields she had achieved distinction in Australia as well as New Zealand. She was particularly well known in the Dominion as the author of the "Windyridge" series of stories. Educated in Hawke's Bay she knew station life intimately; and it was this life which she portrayed so vividly in her stories. She came to live at Auckland with her parents some four years ago, and the family eventually settled at Howick, where they bought a property called "Windyridge." Miss Gurney received considerable encouragement and help from her mother, who died shortly after the family came to Auckland. Her love of horses could be seen in her writings, and it was ironic that a horse should have caused her death. She was closely associated with the Pakuranga Hunt Club. When the accident occurred she was quieting her horse, which was being clipped. The animal kicked out and struck Miss Gurney in the chest.