OBITUARY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3719, 16 November 1926, Page 5

OBITUARY.

WM. MARSHALL; Aged 87. The oldest resident of Queenstown, in the person of Mr William Marshall, died at his residence, Shotover St., early on Friday morning. Deceased gentleman, who was in his 88th year, enjoyed wonderfully good health until a few w-eiCjks ago, whcin a* ■g'GiiMSWu. break-up confined him to his bed. Indeed, up till .that time he had even undertaken light manual labour and seemed never happier than when engaged in honest service. Moreover,. be was in full possession, of his mental faculties, up to the; last Mr Marshall was. born in Tot-ley, Derbyshire, but was brought up in Yorkshire. In 1859 he left the Homeland in the Dutch built sailing vessel., Sir George. Pollock, 800 tons, bound for Auckland. Being then in the prime of early manhood he was fit and willing for anything. He found his way to the Wairoa and Kaipara districts, where ho was engaged bushfelling for nine or ten years. While in the North he saw service, in the Maori War. Then he suffered misfortune in the shape of a dishonest employer, which turned the peaceful 'tide of events. He was one of a party of thirteen who were hewing timber, when suddenly the contractor cleared out and left alii his men in the lurch, minus their wages—a fair-sized sum which had been allowed by them, to accumulate. Mi* Marshall and a mate wisely decided there was nothing to be gained by hanging round lamenting their loss, so they packed their swags and took a< passage by boat for the South. For the space of about three years they worked about Dunedin and then Mr Marshall came on to Wakatipu. That was in 1874. He was engaged for ten years on bush work at the Head of the Lake, but when the big bush fire, occurred at Kin loch he gave it up. He then tried Ms hand ait mining in the Skippers district. From there he went on to the 25 Mile, and later to the Buckler burn, but he never had much luck os a gold digger. In 1899 he entered the employ of the Lake County Council as maintenence contractor on the Arrow to Crown Range road. When this method was dispensed with and the men wenel engaged on, the day wages system he was transferred' to the Queenstown riding. Mr Marshall continued In the Council’s employ till! January, 1919, when he was retired. The Council recognised his long and faithful service by granting him a bonus of £5 and sending him a letter of appreciation.

Deceased never took part in civic matters, but he comported himself as an upright, honourable citizen, and a conscientious God-fearing man. He was a devout member of the Anglican Church, and right up till his health failed him he was never absent from service at St Peter’s.

Mr Marshall is survived by his widow and two daughters, Miss Nellie: Marshall and Mrs Sep. Ryan. , The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, when the remains were conveyed bo St. Peter’s and afterwards to the local cemetery. The Rev. H. S. Bishop conducted the burial service. The sympathy of the people of Queenstown will go out to the bereaved family in their loss.