OBITUARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12696, 30 December 1901, Page 5

OBITUARY.

SIR NOEL PATON

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, Dec. 27,

The death is announced of Sir Noel Paton, the well-known painter, aged

eighty. (Sir Joseph Noel Paton, R.S.A., LL.D., D.L., was the King's Limner for Scotland, to which position 'he was appointed in 1865. He was knighted two years later.)

[Per Press Association.]

PALMERSTON NORTH, Dec. 28,

Mr Richard Leary, an old resident, died in Auckland last night. He left here in bad ihealth four weeks ago. The deceased acted as borough treasurer for many years, and was president of the Chamber of Commerce for several years, and also a prominent member of the Wesleyan body. He was one of Palinerston's most enterprising citizens, and his death is universally deplored. JAMES W. THOMAS. There died at a boardinghouse 'qji the South Belt on Saturday, James W. Thomas, of Amberley, after an illness of but a short duration. Mr Thomas had bean well-known throughout North- Canterbury since 1870, when lie and a partner, Charles Hill, arrived from Home as ship carpenters in an emigrant vessel, and were at once engaged by _Mr E: G. Wright, who was then constructing the Ashley railway bridge, near Rahgiora. Both men were expert workmen, and proved invaluable to Mr Wright as foremen at several of his largest bridges. When that gentleman retired from contracting to the Windermere estate, Hill and Thomas followed on with their work and became renowned as bridge and road contractors, a class of work Mr Thomas has followed ever since, though in a smaller way, since his partner died. His last occupation was as foreman over the bridges being constructed on the Waipara-Gheviot j railway, under Mr Park. It was while at this work that he caught a chill which has resulted in his death at the early age of 56. He leaves a widow and grown-up family resident at Amberley. Mr Thomas was a Freemason, having originally joined the Robert Burns' Lodge, No'. 406, S.C., but afterwards affiliated with the Amberley Lodge, No. 2008, E.C. His funerals takes place at the Linwood -cemetery this afternoon.