OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23003, 24 April 1940, Page 10

OBITUARY

MR A. S. PATERSON [THE PRESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN. April 23. Mr Alexander Stronach Paterson, one of the best known and most successful of Dunedin’s businessmen, died at his home at Alva street, Roslyn, early this morning, in his ninetyrfirst year. By his commercial contemporaries he was held in hign regard, and his unswerving probity, prompt payments, and high personal qualities won him confidence in all parts of the world. Bom in‘ 1849, he received most of his education in Ireland, and he was 17 years of age when he was brought to Otago. His first work here was in the employ of W. and J. Secular, for a short time, and. then with John and James H. Barr, warehousemen. He was still a young man when he became salesman for Russell, Ritchie, and Company, under Mr J. M. Ritchie. Out of that firm the National Mortgage and Agency Company was formed, and Mr Paterson continued his connexion, first as salesman and then as local manager. In 1886 he began business on his own account, and almost at once became prominent. One of his strong points was his ability to choose strong men as assistants. Sir George Shirtcliffe, his first salesman, was singularly able, and before long took charge of the Wellington branch. He was succeeded as the firm’s first lieutenant by Mr Thomas Thomson, another man of exceptional ability. After his death Mr J. E. Macassey held the position, and he has managed the concern since Mr A. S. Paterson’s retirement. Mr Paterson was a former president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce and was made a life member in 1924. Mr Paterson - married Miss Jean Forsyth, who belonged to a West Coast family. There are .four children. The sons are Mr John Rutherford Paterson, of Dunedin, and Mr Stronach Paterson, of Wellington. One daughter is Mrs Peter Wood, of Christchurch, and the other, formerly Miss Isabella Paterson, lives in England, and is the widow of a navy officer who was killed in the Great War. Some years .ago he made the magnificent gift to the city of a: large organ for the new Town Hall, and his private benefactions were many. A staunch Presbyterian, he was a generous supporter of Knox College, and he supplied the library of the college with modern books and also with suitable book-cases, so that the A. S. Paterson Library, as it is called, is probably the most complete and valuable of its kind in New Zealand, containing about 4000 volumes. MR W. DINEEN NEW PLYMOUTH, April 23. Mr W. Dineen, superintendent of the New Plymouth gaol, died to-day, at the age of 63 years,, after nearly 40 years of prison administration service. Mr Dineen was born at Oamaru. He served through the Boer War, and entered the Prisons Department in 1902. He was appointed to the New Plymouth post in 1924, and brought about many improvements in prison life.