A LINK WITH THE PAST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 3

A LINK WITH THE PAST.

DEATH OF MR? A. H. SPICER

i Mrs A. H. Spicer, widow of the late i Mr A. H. Spicer, and eldest daughter • of the late Mr James Preece, catechist ■ to the Church of England Missionary 1 , Society, died on Monday at tho residence of hor grand-daughter, Mrs E. Holland, Orckei Road, Auckland. The deceased lady was born at Pm-iri on ‘ August 24, 1834, and was, it is claimed, the* first white girl born south of the Bay of Islands. Her father--Hie pioneer missionary oi the Hauraki district —landed there on Christmas Day, 1833. There was no other European, in the district, and at that time, the Natives were savage and uncivilised. Mr Preece, with his. family, moved to Thames in 1835. -Mrs Spicer was soou afterwards placed at school m Auckland. When her. father volunteered in 1847 to establish a mission i station at Ahikcreru (in tho Urewern Country). Mrs'Spicer* still a. schoolgirl, accompanied her father to that place, and, being in poor health., the Maoris carried her from Wliakatan© across a trackless and bridgeless country. Aliikereru up to that, time had been the scene of inter-tribal wars, and the Natives, for protection from their enemies, had their pas on tho top the ranges overlooking Te Mhaiti aim Ahikcreru. The missionary induced the Maoris to live peaceably, and they subsequently removed to the flat land through which the Whirinaki River follows its course._ Mrs Spicer returned to complete her’ education in Auckland, and had resided in that city since her marriage, with the exception of short •terms' of residence a:. Wellington. Melbourne and other places. The old lady, having a retentive memory, often related many stirring episodes of her life and of early New Zealand history. She well remembered the Rev Samuel Marsdeu, and when liis descendants attended the ! Marsdeu centenary, at Russell, in 1914 • they made a special visit to her. Mm ‘ i Spicer had ten children, those surviving being Airs H. Wallace Lawson. Airs Newton Mat-thews,, Misses Mamie-and Lila Spicer, and Mr J. E. D. Spicer, i all of Auckland.