OBITUARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17714, 14 February 1918, Page 6

OBITUARY.

A. P. WEBSTER. News has been received of the death in Melbourne on Februax*y 9 of Mr Alexander Peebles. Webster, chief inspector of the Bank of Australasia. He was the eldest son of the lato Mr James Webster, of North Canterbury, anti was born at Dundee, Scotland, in 1859. His parents came to New Zealand the same year. Mr Webster was educated at .the Church of England School, Riccarton, and at Christ’s College, whero lie gained a Somes scholarship in 1871. Joining the Bank of Australasia in March, 1876, as junior at Christchurch, he rose to the position of ledgerkeeper. He was promoted to Masterton as accountant in 1880 and.subsequently filled the same office at Wanganui. In 1883 he became manager at Feilding, afterwards having charge of the branches of the bank at Feilding, Ashburton, Patea, Palmerston North. He was subsequently manager for the bank at Wellington, and was inspector of the bank at Wellington for some years, being eventually transferred to Melbourne as inspector of the Australian branches. He was a man of kindly, generous nature, a keen banker, and an authority of high standing in’ various branches of hie profession. Hia favourite recreation was lawn tennis, and 'he was a much respected member of the Presbyterian Church. In 1885 Mr Webster married a daughter of the Rev Basil Taylor, of Wanganui, and leaves a widow and a grown-up family. His mother. Mis Catherine Webster, resides at Mountain View, Cust.

ROBERT TODD. Mr Robert Todd, who was accidentally killed by a dray overturning at Mount Somers at the end of last week, was an old identity of the district. He was bern in County Antrim, Ireland. He came to New Zealand in 1869 in the ship Matoaka, and took up a farm at Papanui. After disposing of it ho again went into farming at Mount Somers, and did a lot of carting of stores and fencing material into the back country, bringing out wool on the return journey. He was a great horseman, and in the early days often forded the Rangitata, Ashburton, Wilberforce and Rakaia Rivers. Ho took a keen interest in educational matters, and was a member of the Mount Somers School Committee for many years. He leaves a fajnily of three soils, three daughters, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.* Two of his sons are at present serving at the front.