OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 40, 17 February 1937, Page 13

OBITUARY

MR. A. F. STUART

More than sixty-five years' were spent in the printing side of the newspaper industry by Mr. Abraham, Francis Stuart, who died at Dunedm on Sunday in his eightieth year. In May last he completed sixty years' service in the employ of the "Otago Daily Times" Company, arid he retired from active work in September. A notable example of one of the old school of craftsmen, Mr. Stuart was recognised by his contemporaries as a compositor' of, considerable skill,', and the accuracy and speed of his work at the case set a standard that few of his fellow-workers could equal. In. July, 1871, he joined the staff of the "New Zealand Herald," where he worked for about six months before he took up a position with the "Auckland Star," being the first boy compositor on the staff of the latter paper. In 1876 he transferred from the "Auckland Star" to Dunedin and started work at a frame in the office of- the "Otago Guardian" on May 4. Since that date he worked continuously for the same company, and could claim that in- a remarkable record of service from 1872 to 1936 he had worked for only two proprietaries.

Mr. Stuart could also claim association with Sir George Grey, for during his sojourn in Auckland he and Mr. J. M. Geddis, who founded the "Free Lance," joined a squad of cadets inaugurated by the one-time Prime Minister of the Dominion. He remembered clearly how, as senior-ser-geant, he -..-as placed in charge 61 the "awkward" squad of about fifteen or twenty lads and. was made to drill them in the Albert barracks drill shed, now Albert Park. He was also a member of a party which spent a fortnight's holiday at Sir George Grey's delightful island home at Kawau.

Vivid recollections of the early theatrical days were retained by Mr. Stuart, who would relate many amusing anecdotes concerning such actors as William Hoskins, George W. Collier, Stuart O'Brien, George Darrell, John Hall, Mrs. Walter Hill, the Carandini family, W. H. Lake, J. B. Steele, and many others. He also remembered the author of "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," Mr. Fergus Hume, whom he described as "a dandy little man with a high bun hat."