OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21404, 21 February 1935, Page 19

OBITUARY

* MR C. HASTINGS BRIDGE The death occurred on Tuesday evening in the Rayston Private Hospital, Hastings, of Mr Charles Hastings Bridge, a native of Heathcote, a prominent member of the Canterbury Pilgrims' and Early Settlers' Association, and a well-known surveyor. On Christmas Eve. Mr Bridge, while on holiday in Hastings, met with a severe accident, falling and breaking a leg. Complications which ensued resulted in his death. Mr Bridge was a son of Charles Joseph Bridge, a Canterbury pilgrim, who arrived in Lyttelton on December 10, 1850, in the Randolph, one of the First Four Ships, and toop up 50 acres of land on the bank of the Opawha river (now known as the Heathcote). There Mr Bridge was born. He was educated at Mrs Alabaster's Preparatory School for Boys and at Christ's College. Mr Bridge spent the greater part of his life in Christchurch, where he practised as a survevor. • In 1374 Mr Bridge was articled to Mr Walter Kitson, a district surveyor on the staff of the Survey Department of the province of Canterbury. In 1876 he was transferred to the staff of Mr H. J. Lewis in South Canterbury, and in 1877 was for about six months in the Timaru Survey Office. In 1878 he joined the staff of Mr G. Laing Mea'son, who was in private practice in Timaru. This was about the beginning of the land boom, and Mr Bridge surveyed and subdivided a large number of properties in South Canterbury, many of them being for the Australian and New Zealand Land Company. In 1879 he obtained his authorisation and license under the Land Transfer Act, and was appointed Land Purchase Surveyor in the Public Works Department, Christchurch. At this period there was a large development in the construction of railway lines in Canterbury. At a later date Mr Bridge held a similar appointment for a year in the Railway Department, Dunedin. In 1891 he joined Mr George Hanmer in private practice in Christchurch, and the partnership lasted until 1905. He then began practice on his own account. This practice was carried on at first by Mr Bridge and his son. Mr Arthur H. Bridge, and since July. 1920. with Mr Gordon Parkinson. Throughout his life Mr Bridge was prominently identified with the Church of England, and was a member of the Diocesan Synod for many years, and also was a lay reader. He was a churchwarden; and member of the vestrv of St. Luke's Church when Archdeacon A. E. Lingard was the vicar, and was for a time Sunday school superintendent at St. John s Church. He was also a subwarden of St. Saviour's guild in the early years of its existence. . In 1880 Mr Bridge married Marian Griffin, daughter of the late Mr S. S. Griffin, of Timaru. Mrs Bridge survives her husband. His son, Mr A. H. Bridge, is at present city land surveyor under the Christchurch City Council, and his daughters are Mrs J. M. Hair, of Te Aroha, and Mrs P. Fetch, who is resident in England. The funeral, which will be private, will take place in Christchurch. A motion of sympathy with the relatives of the late Mr C. Hastings Bridge was passed at last evening's meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Town Planning Institute.