OBITUARY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 222, 16 September 1909, Page 8

OBITUARY.

. [from otjr correspondent.]

WELLINGTON, Wednesday. There are few Civil servants who have not come across the late Mr Charles Meacham, for over thirty years an officer of the Treasury department, who passed away yesterday aged 75. He retired in 1902. Mr Meacham served under General Cameron in the Waikato in the 40iJh, in which regiment he was a sergeant, and was present at Rangiriri. He had many a curious yarn to tell about the "godd old days," and was very popular with everybody in the "Big Buildings." His son, Charles Meacham, is a well-known business man, boing a member of John Duthie and Co.'s staff. One'of his daughters is the wife of Arthur Blacklock, famous in Wellington cricketing circles, another married Mr Stevenson, of the Hansard staff, and a third Mr McLean, of the Post and Telegraph Department.

Another death the news of which may interest old Wellingtonians over your way is that of Mr John Valentine, who died yesterday at the old age of 86. He, too, was an old soldier, being bugler in the 65th when William the Fourth was buried. He came to Wellington with his regiment in the forties, with his brother Nathaniel, who was the regimental bandmaster. "Nat" Valentine may be remembered as an hotelkeeper at Petpne. Mr Valentine was in Wellington during the earthquake period in 1848. He went to the Victoria goldfields in 1852, but came back to Maoriland,~'and in 1862 opened the Foresters' Arms Hotel in Ghuznee Street, which he owned and conducted for many years. He was a good type of the old-time publican, who had a joke for every customer. He dearly loved a "crack" with a friend, and although he had lived in retirement in Oriental Bay for some years, he could often be seen about the city until old age and infirmities made him keep to his room.