OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 112, 8 November 1933, Page 16

OBITUARY

MR. T. DEVINE

A 'lifelong friend writes:—Mr. T. Devine, who died at Otaki a few days ago, was typical of Wellington 's sturdy pioneers. Arriving at Lyttelton with his parents in the ship bamarang in 1552 and coming on to Wellington, they landed on the beach at Pipitea, Point. After a short period at Lower Hutt they moved to \Valnui-o-mata, where Mr. Devine's parents managed a farni for Sir William Fitzherbert. Here Mr. Deviue married a Miss Wood, whose parents were also early settlers hi the valley. The young couple took up a bush section in the standing forest at Whitemau's Valley when there were only bush foot tracks from the Upper Hutt, and gradually carved out a home for themselves and their children.

The hardships and great hearts of these and similar pioneers can scarcely be realised todayi working a day now and there on county roads to get. a few pounds to buy grass seed to sow the land gradually being cleared, carrying out the keg of butter on their shoulders to market and returning loaded up with flour and groceries to keep going whilst the bush was cleared.

For fifty years they toiled, and then retired to Otaki, where some of their children had settled. Mrs. Devine died some three months ago, and was soon followed by Mr, T. Devine. At his burial a service was held at Upper Hutt, conducted by the Rev. Mr. Ayrton, of Otaki, assisted by Mr. Cochrane; and the service at the graveside at Wallaceville by the Rev. Mr. Ayrton .and the Rev. Mr. Hunt, of Upper Hutt.

The family consists of three sons, Jack (Mamaku), Thomas (Levin), and James (Feilding), three daughters, Mrs. Noble (Otaki), Mrs. Nelson (Taumarunui), and Mrs. Gurney (Otaki). There are twenty-three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. So passes another pioneer who- has done so much to make New Zealand what it is today.