OBITUARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 April 1946, Page 8

OBITUARY

MR. H. W. KITCHINGHAM

The death occurred at Greymouth on Sunday of Mr Henry William Kitchingham, aged 84 years, one of the oldest practising solicitors in New Zealand) and one of the best known officials in the sport of trotting. He was admitted to the Bar i.n 1’8.83 and had been associated with the firm of Guinness and Kitchingham .for nearly 70 years, becoming widely known for the extent and the soundness of his knowledge of law. He was a foundation member of the Greymouth Trotting Club, of which he had been a member and officebearer for over 50 years, for many years as president, and he was a member of the New Zealand Trotting Association for 35 years, being president for some years. He was awarded the Coronation Medal several years ago. Mr Kitchingham was born in London but had lived in Greymouth on the same section in Tainui street for 74 years. He took an active interest in the development of the district. He was associated with a number of commercial enterprises, and was a director of the Greymouth Evening Star Company, Ltd., from 1891, when the limited company was formed, until his death. He was one of the founders of the West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which lor many years assisted in the development of the farming assets of the province.

*’ Work for Sport Mr Kitchingham was associated with trotting and racing in Greymouth from 1870, when he attended a meeting of the Greymouth Jockey Club at Omoto. In his youth he was one of the best cricketers in the province, and from the time the only playing area on the present Victoria Park was a small cricket ground it was his ambition to have it developed

•into the first-class trotting track and sports ground it is to-day. In the purchase of the area he was one of the prime movers, and as a foundation member and, for many years, president, of the Greymouth Trotting Club his plans and hopes for its development were gradually fulfilled. In recent years Mr Kitchingham has been associated with trotting administration. in which he earned a reputation for sound and progressive leadership and drafted sets of rules of trotting which are in force to-day. Earlier he was a keen breeder of pacing and trotting stock and raced some good winners. Probably the best horse he bred and raced was Jingle, who ran third in the New Zealand Trotting Cup of 1916, and won the Forbury Cup, but among others he bred were Pcollo, who reached the best classes, Woodland Whispers, Mako Mako, Orange Pippin, Irish Peach, Golden Pippin, Croesus, Theseus, Pactolus and Midas, the last-mentioned four all being by Rothschild from Palm Bell. Horses owned by Mr Kitchingham won the Greymouth Trotting Cup on three occasions, the winners _ being Croesus, Mako Mako and Theseus, while Wild Palm, owned by his late wife, also won that race. Mr Kitchingham was the oldest surviving Past Master of the Greymouth Masonic Lodge, having held office about 1892, and was one of the committee responsible for the purchase of the property on which the present Masonic Hall stands. He was also an active member of the Loyal Greymouth Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.F. for many years and was Grand Master in 1887.

Interest in Politics Mr Kitchingham was keenly and actively interested in politics and was asociated with the campaigns of his late partner in business, Sir Arthur Guinness, when he was member for the district from 1884 to 1913. Mr Kitchingham’s wife predeceased him about two years ago. He is survived by one son, Mr F. A. Kitchingham (Mayor of Greymouth), two brothers, Messrs T. G. Kitchingham (Christchurch) and A. E. Kitchingham (Wellington), and two sisters Mrs T. Jamieson (Greymouth) and Miss A. Kitchingham. (New Plymouth) . The funeral took place this afternoon at Karoro Cemetery and was largely attended, the cortege including representatives of district local bodies and trotting and business interests. The Rev. P Kirkham conducted the services at Holy Trinity Church and at the graveside. The pall-bearers were Messrs W. H. Larcombe (secretary of the New Zealand Trotting Association), W. D. Taylor (Law Society), J. Daniel (representing the staff of Guinness and Kitchingham), C. Neville (Greymouth Trotting Club), A. J. Wilson (Evening Star Company) and P. Blanchfield (Borough Council). .... Flags were flown al. half-mast on the grandstand at Victoria Park yesterday during the Greymouth-West-land trotting meeting as a mark of respect to Mr Kitchingham.

| AIRS, MARY STUART lIAY The death occurred suddenly in ‘ Wellington of Mrs Mary Stuart Hay, i widow.of Dr. Frank Hay. Mrs HayJ was the fourth daughter of the late| Mr and Mrs R. J. Seddon, and was born at Waimea. She began , a teaching career at the Kumara Public School, and later joined the staff of the Thorndon School, when her father took up residence in Wellington in 1893. When Mr and Mrs'Seddon went to England in 1897 to attend Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, Mrs Hay accompanied them. As private secretary to her father, Mrs Hay will best be remembered.} Her ability, tact, and friendly nature - made her eminently suitable for this position. She afterwards joined the staff of the Treasury, where she re- ‘ mained until her marriage to Dr. Hay <

in 1.924. Though for many years Mrs Haj had been in indifferent health, she maintained a keen interest in public affairs. She is survived by four sisters, Mrs W. S. Bean, of Christchurch, Mrs C. G. Morice, of Hil' street, Wellington, and Mrs Knox Gilmer, of Wellington, and Mrs Sedclon Woods, of Kent, England, and two brothers, Mr Stuart Seddon and Mr T. E. Y. Seddon. Mrs Frank Dyer,

who died in 1944, was a sister, j MR. W.IUBISSET (P.A.) INVERCARGILL, April 22. The death occurred in Dunedin this morning of Mr W. F. Bisset, aged 67, advertising manager of the Southland Times, and a well-known figure in Invercargill. Mr Bisset was born in Australia, and came to New Zealand more than 35 years ago, taking a position with the Evening Post, Wellington. He was soon after appointed advertising manager of the Southland Times. Mr Bisset was a member of .Knox Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Social Service Association, and the board of directors of the Y.M.C.A., He is survived by a daughter and three sons.