OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19151, 7 November 1927, Page 9

OBITUARY.

MR WILLIAM COUSTON. , (files* absociatiox tbleoram.) DUNEDIN, November «. The death occurred to-day in First Church, of Mr William Couston, a very old identity of Dunedin, at the age of 90 years. Shortly after the morning service started, Mr Couston suddendly collapsed and was carried into the vestry, where he expired in a few minutes. He had been in business in Dunedin for many years as a retail ironmonger, and personally supervised ' the management of th« business until his death. Jfo is survived by <a widow, two sons, and four daughters. He was an elder in First Church.

CAPTAIN A. ,C. SHOWMAN. [THB PBBM SpMial flerrie*.] ' AUCKLAND, November 5, Captain Arthur C. Showman, Welt known as commander of the Royal Mail liner, Niagara, died in a private hospital a( Sydney this morning. Ona of the most popular ioasters in the Union Company's fleet, Captain Showman served his time in the employ of the New Zealand Shipping Company, being .on the Rangitikei for a number of years.

On the maiden voyage of the Waikare he came to New Zealand and remained with the Union Steam Ship Company for about five years. From the Dominion he went to America; and for several years was in the trad* between San Francisco: and Manila. About 1905 he returned to New Zea. land and rejoined the Union Company, with which he had been ever since. For a number of years ho was on the West Coast trade as captain of the Kaituna and other and of the Mapourika, when she ran in the passenger service from Wellington to Greymouth. . Later he took command of the Waihora, and was in the Calcutta trade for some time. From this he Was transferred to the Pacific Slope cargo service, where he had charge of the. Waihetno and other vessels. When the R.M.S. Aorangi was launched and came on to the New Zealand run, Captain Showman took over command of the Niagara, where his genial personality and hi« excellent seamanship endeared him to all whom he met. Only a few months Ago Captain Showman, who had beert a widower for some years', was married in Svdnev to a New Zealand lady. On the 'last 'trip of his vessel from Vancouver he took ill, and was relieved by Captain Hill, of the MaramA. Captain Showman went as a passenger on the Niagara to Sydney, where he, entered a private hospital. OapUm Showman, who was in his early m ties, was probablv the best known and most popular of all the Union Company's masters. He had very many friends in Auckland, where, as a Freemason, be was a member of the Albion Lodge, Deronport. He leaves a son.