OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21976, 28 December 1936, Page 8

OBITUARY

* MR FRANCIS ROWELL Mr Francis Rowe'l, a well-known resident of Leeston, died suddenly, following a heart attack at his home on Christmas Day. He was 69 years of age, and had enjoyed robust health throughout his life. Mr Rowell was a son of Mr and Mrs James Rowell, who came to New Zealand in 1859, and took up a property on the Springs track in 1861, subsequently selling out and acquiring another property in Day’s road. Springston South. Mr Francis Rowell gained a sound knowledge of farming on his father’s property. For a time he was in business at Sumner and later purchased a farm at Brookside, which he conducted with considerable success for many years, eventually leasing the property. He also owned a farm at Ellesmere, which he purchased about two years ago. Mr Rowell took an active interest in all matters affecting the welfare of the district in which he lived. For many years he represented Ellesmere and several other counties cn the North Canterbury Hospital Board, giving a great deal of time to the work of the board. He was a member of the Leeston Town Board for some time, and of the Coe’s Ford Domain Board since its inception. He also took a keen interest in various branches of sport, particularly in shooting, and was an enthusiastic member of the Ellesmere Gun Ciub, of which he was a past president. A man of genial and generous disposition, Mr Rowell was greatly esteemed by a wide circle of friends. He married the only daughter of Mr and Mrs G. Drew, of Sumner, and is survived by his widow, seven sisters, and one brother. Another brother died suddenly five weeks ago. A large number of people attended the funeral on Saturday afternoon, the cortege leaving Leeston for St. Mary’s Church, Springston. where a service was conducted by the Rev. N. A. Friberg, vicar of Leeston, who a.so took the burial service in St. Mary’s Churchyard. The bearers were Messrs L. B. Evans, W. J. Walter (North Canterbury Hospital Board), L. C. Lemon, I. Mawson (Ellesmere Gun Club), A. McLeod, and Joseph Brooks. Many beautiful floral tributes were received. MR W. H. CUTTEN [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, December 27. Mr William Henry Cutten, of London, who died at Takaouna on Christmas Day at the residence of his brother, Mr E. C. Cutten. formerly stipendiary magistrate at Auckland, was the fourtn son of the late Mr W. H. Cutten of Dunedin. He was born in 18j7, when his father was Commissioner of Waste Lands under the O.ago Provincial Government. and proprietor of the Otago Witness.” He had thus just completed his seventy-ninth year. Mr Cutten was educated at the Otago Boys’ High School and later went to London and became a student at Gower’s College, one of the engineenns, colleges attached to London University. While he was at Gower’s College hs invented the speedometer. He fitted it on to a bicycle he was riding about London, but when steps were taken to have it patented it was found mat the same thing had been patented only a few days before. His engineering bent had shown itself earlier, when he and his brothers built a bicycle in me early ’seventies, the wheels having tangent spokes. This principle was patented in England long afterwards, and is now almost universally used lor wire wheels. , . . On returning to New Zealand in the late ’seventies he and his brother commenced business as manufacturing engineers in Dunedin, under the name of Cutten Brothers. In 1883 the manufacturing side was dropped, and the firm continued as consulting and mining engineers. Their specialty was gold dredging, and the firm was the first to apply an elevator at the tail of the dredge, an improvement without which dredging would have beeni very limited in its application. The 1889 gold dredging boom in Otago so extended the firm’s business that eventually dredges were being supplied from New Zealand to South America, Africa. Burma, and Siberia. The firm moved its headquarters to London in 1903. and it then introduced the idea of dredging for tin, a Siamese dredging company being the first and one of the most successful of these companies. During the war this class of business came almost to a standstill. Mr Cutten first of all took a position in the Woolwich Arsenal, and later accepted an appointment as shore inspector for the Navy. After the war the business went ahead again and was carried on until about eight years ago, when the two brothers who conducted it retired, and left it to some of the members of the staff. In his younger days. Mr Cutten was amateur cycling champion of New Zealand, a position he held against all competitors until he was ousted by his younger brother, Frank A. Cutten, who. in turn, held the champicnship until he retired from racing. These two brothers, with some little assistance from other members of the family filled the heme with cups and a wide variety of other trophies which they won as athletic prizes. About two years ago, Mr Cutten came out to New Zealand from London, leaving his wife and two children there. He stayed with his brother, Mr E. C. Cutten, and was never well enough to return to England. MR JAMES EDGAR (press association telegram.) DUNEDIN, December 27. Mr James Edgar, whose residence in Otago had lasted for more than 60 years, died oh Saturday at the age of 80. For more than 28 years he was general manager of the Victoria Insurance Comnany. He was well known as a bowler, and in other forms of sport. He served for a long time as a deacon of Knox Church.

ing on. At the time the scheme is finished will the tradesmen employed by the State be absorbed in other industries, or will the State have to continue building for the sake of making work? Again, when we embarked on the purchase of land for settlement more than 40 years ago we laid the foundations of a political party, Crown leaseholders who demanded the freehold. and when their friends came into power they got it. We know that everybody who has a piece of land wants to mortgage it because mortgaging nowadays appears to have become a regular industry, as it were, though such a great thinker as Gladstone regarded mortgaging as he regarded bankruptcy—something in the nature of a last resort. Well, if we get enough State houses built, what assurance have we that the State tenants will not demand the freehold? Does anyone seriously believe that the present Opposition will refuse them when it comes into power? “I have hinted merely at one or two of the reflections induced by the scheme. It requires no prophet, however, to say that the scheme, no matter how good the intentions of the Minister in charge—and I do not question them—is doomed to failure, because it is fundamentally unsound and therefore cannot solve the question of housing. May I say in conclusion that the essential equity and social benefits of land value taxation are fairly demonstrated by the flourishing state of the building industry at the present time in the city. Wellington is the largest centre that has adopted rating on the unimproved value in its entirety. And the critCcs notwithstanding, the system has come to stay because it deserves to stay. Extend that principle in the direction I have indicated, and we shall soon have no housing question, no unemployed question, no labour question."

MR JAMES GOW [THE PRESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN. December 27. Mr James Gcw, of Wingatui, died on Thifirsday at the age of 80 years. Mr Gow was born in the Taien county m 1856, being the sen of a farmer who farmed at Taien in 1802. . educated at the local district school and at the Otago Boys’ Hign School, and afterwards returned to take up farming in his native place. Mr Gow was a prominent member of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, joining that body on its establishment, and throughout his life he was keenly interested in ns growth and develonment, serving m its highest office. He also a successful exhibitor, and often gave service as a judge. He was a.member and former chairman of the laien County Council- and w'as also for a long time a steward of the Dunedin Jockey Club. MR ALEX THOMSON ITHE PRESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN. December 27. One of the Dominion’s best-known breeders of Clydesdale horses, M Alex Thomson, of Kelso, died suadenly at his home yesterday He was 55 years of age. Stock bred by him enjoyed a high reputation, and was eagerly sought after by New Zealand and Australian buyers. MR K. MITCHELL (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN. December 27 The death occurred on Saturd;ay or Mr Keith Mitchell, aged 41 years who, in July. 1935, in association with DU Walter Brundcll. won a prize oi £12.000 in a lottery. He ™ as _ for ™f„J employed by Dalgety and Company. Ltd., and for some years past was head of the lea department of J. Rattray and Son, Ltd. He leaves a wife and several young children. MR ARTHUR BRISBANE (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIOTIT.) NEW YORK, December 26. ■ The death has occurred of Mr Arthur Brisbane. [Mr Brisbane, who was one of America’s most eminent journalists, began his career as a reporter on the New York “Sun” in TBB3. Later he was London correspondent, of the paper and was then appointed editor. He was for seven years managing editor of the New York “World,” and was edi'or of the New York “Evening Journal” frem 1897 to 1921. He owned two newspapers, the “Washington Times and the “Evening Wisconsin.” which he sold to Mr W. R. Hearst in 1919. Mr Brisbane was 72 years of age at his death.]