OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 68, 13 December 1939, Page 10

OBITUARY

Hawke’s Bay Centenarian

MR. G. W. LINES

Hawke's Bay’s oldest resident, Mr. George William Lines, who was born in Salford, Bedfordshire, England, shortly before Queen Victoria came to the throne, died in Hastings on Monday night, at the remarkable age of 102 years and nine months, says a “Dominion” Special Service message. During his lifetime, 70 years of which were spent in Hawke’s Bay, Mr. Lines lived under six rulers of the British Empire. In his early years he studied chemistry, but while in his youth lie emigrated to Australia with his family ami tried his luck in the goldfields. Meeting witli indifferent success, he soon moved on to New Zealand, with the goldfields in the Thames Valley as his objective, but a few years there convinced him that a fortune was not to be obtained for the mere picking up. After tackling various jobs, including driving packhorse trains, the principal mode of goods transportation into the country at that time, he responded in 1870 to the call for men in Hawke’s Bay. His first contract job was to float a raft down l lie Tutackuri River, then the main waterway for the transportation of goods to what is now the prosperous Herotaunga Plains. Mr. Linos was farsighted enough to realize that the real need of the district was settlement of land, aud Im took up farming for several years .and purchased property in Hastings. Leaving the Hastings district, he lived for a time in Dannevirke, and then moved to Maharahara. He was one of thcoriginal 15 applicants for blocks there when the settlement was established. Ou liis retirement 30 years ago he returned to Hastings, where he continued to take an interest in the development of the district.

In liis 70 years’ resilience in Hawke’s Bay, Mr. Lines naturally' saw many changes, and a verbatim account of bis recollections and experiences in the possession of the Hastings Historical .Society provides a valuable link with tlie past. There are left: four daughters, Mcsdames E. Hawthorne (St. George’s Road, Hastings), M. Bouid and M'. Harper (Otane), and R. Greenfield (Napier), and two sons, Messrs. E. Lines (Matamau), and I’. Lines (Hastings).

The funeral took place yesterday

Mrs. C. Fairbrother 'l'lte deafli occurred at her home in Now Plymouth recently of Mrs. Charles Fnifbrother, a daughter of the late Mr. Edward Snowball. Mrs. Fairbrother was born in New Plymouth, and though she did not take an active part, in social life she devoted much of iter time to (lie care of her own and other’s children. During the last war, witli her aunt, the late .Mr. Richard Cock, Mrs. Fairbrother was one of the many unobtrusive workers for the care of the troops overseas. Site is survived by her husband and two sons, Peter and Geoffrey, both of New Plymouth, and an 18-day-old grand-daugh-ter. Anottier son, Jack, an cutstanding student of the New Plymouth Boys’ High School, and the Auckland University, died suddenly in Auckland last March. Mr. Edward R. N. Russell The death lias occurred of Mr. Edward Robert Nolan Russell, senior partner of the legal firm of Russell, McVeagh, Mackay and Barrowclough, states a Press Association message from Auckland. Born in Auckland 70 years ago, he was in practice nearly 50 years. He took no part in public life, but was a director of several public companies. Mr, J. A. Smuts i llritlsli ilflici.'il Wireles-ei RUGBY, December 11. The death is announced of -Mr. J. A. Smuts, younger brother of tile South African Prime .Minister, at the age of 05 years. He took no part in politics and devoted himself to wheat and wine farming.