OBITUARY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 194, 16 July 1935, Page 2

OBITUARY

MR AUGUST SCHWABE. IN HUNDREDTH YEAR. After having lived under five monarchs, and entered into his hundredth year, Mr August Schwabe passed away on Sunday at the residence of his daughter, Mrs C. O Fischer, of 14 Worcester Street. Earlier this year he had celebrated his 99th birthday, and though there then appeared to be every indication that lie would join the ranks of the centenarians, this ambition was, unhappily, not reached. Though Mr Schawbe had had a tenure of life seldom attained, to the last he retained all his faculties and remained a keen student of world affairs. During his lifetime he had lived under the sovereignty of Emperor William I and Emperor William II of Germany; Queen Victoria (to whom he always referred as “The Good Queen”), King Edward, and King George V. Born in Germany, Mr Schwabe learned the trade of a tailor and spent most of his time in Berlin in his earlier years. Following the Franco-Prussian war, he decided to emigrate, and arrived at Napier on March 18, 1875. He was naturalised as a citizen of New Zealand six weeks after his arrival, and decided to remain in Napier., The great majority of those who came by the same ship proceeded either to the construction works of the railway from Wellington to Namier at the Forty Mile Bush, or to Norsewood, the journey being made by bullock wagons and horse drays. The trip from Napier to Takapau took two days by that means. For 54 years Mr Schwabe remained in Napier, following his trade as a tailor and conducting his own business. Both Mr and Mrs Schwabe were very highly esteemed residents or the Hawke s Bay capital. Mrs Schwabe passed away in 1929, and her husband then took up his residence in Palmerston North, where he received devoted atfeution, in his advanced age, from his daughter, Mrs Fischer, with whom he lived.

Three sons and two daughters are left by Mr Schwabe. They are Mr E. Schwabe, who occupies the position of news editor on the Labour Daily, Sydney, and was formerly a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery at Wellington; Mr P. Schwabe, a member of the staff of the Poverty Bay Herald; Mr W. Schwabe, of Church Street, Palmerston North; Mrs C. 0Fischer, of "Worcester Street, and Mrs J. Carter, of Napier. There are in addition 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchil-dren. The sympathy of many friends will be extended to the bereaved family. The funeral took place at Napier to-day, the cortege leaving from the Presbyterian Church for the Park Island Cemetery at 1 p.m. A FAITHFUL SERVANT. RENDERS YEARS OF SERVICE. By the death of Mr Samuel Kilgour, of No. 5 Hereford Street, which occurred on Friday, the Salvation Army lost a faithful worker who had given years of service in Australia and. New Zealand. Born near Perth, Scotland, Mr Kilgour went to Australia as a young man and journeyed north to Queensland, where lie took up a position as engine-driver at the Bundaberg sugar refinery. He made that town his home tor some 17 years, and it was while a resident there that he married Miss Emerson, who had come out from North Ireland some little time before Mr Kilgour. Both were actively interested in the work of the Salvation Army, and they continued to be so following their arrival in New Zealand. A severe dfought in Queensland about 1902 had an adverse effect upon the industrial section of the northern State, and it decided Mr Kilgour to come to New Zealand, where he entered the flax-milling industry at Oroua Bridge. Just prior to the outbreak of the Great War he took up flax-milling on his own account in the Bay of Plenty district, but difficulties in respect to transport and the scarcity of labour re T suited, in the mill being closed down. Mr Kilgour then returned to Palmerston North and was for a period storeman with the firm of Messrs Watson Bros., but for the past nine years lie had been caretaker of the Technical School. Five weeks ago lie became ill, and passed away on Friday night in his 75th year. During his lifetime, Mr Kilgour bad filled all the important positions in the Salvation Army which are open to a layman, being ably supported by Mrs Kilgour. In addition to Mrs Kilgour there are left to mourn their loss two daughters, Miss Kilgour, of Hereford Street, and Captain Maude Kilgour, of Territorial Headquarters, Wellington, who entered the Salvation Armv some time ago. The funeral took place on Sunday, when the cortege was headed by tlxe Salvation Army, while a large company of fellow members and old friends attended to pay their last respects. The graveside service was conducted by Adjutant Wallace, while Lieutenant-Col-onel Burton, of Territorial Headquarters, Wellington, was in attendance. The pall-bcarers were Messrs George, Harold and Russell Darragh (Feilding) cousins; Mr A. Kilgour, a relative; and Messrs G. Corbridge and J. Craven, two very old friends. Covering the casket were many beautiful wreaths, included, among them being floral tributes from the staff and pupils of the Palmerston North Technical High School and the officers and soldiers of the . Salvation Army Corps. In the evening LieutenantColonel Burton conducted a memorial service in the Citadel, when a largo congregation attended. MR W. E. TURNER. Mr W. E. Turner, of No. 118 Cuba Street, who succumbed on Saturday to the injuries he received in a collision with a motor vehicle on July 6, was a native of Tunbridge Wells, England, but he had spent the major portion of his life in New Zealand. As a boy he came from England in company with his parents. Marten being his first home. Latey Mr and Mrs Turner, senr., moved to Ashhurst. On attaining man’s estate, Mr W. E. Turner entered the butchering trade and, save for a period of three or four years in Australia, ho was actively engaged in and around Palmerston North, having spent the past 32 years in this centre. Of a quiet, retiring disposition, lie did not take any active part in public affairs. He was a member of the Druids’ Lodge. In addition to liis widow, there are left to mourn their loss a family of two sons and four daughters, the members being Messrs William Turner (Hawera) and Lawrence Turner (Palmerston North), Mesdames W. McLeod (Palmerston North), Cummerfield (Foxton) and Greig (Hawera) and Miss Turner (Palmerston North). There are also four grandchildren. The funeral took place at the Kelvin Grove Cemetery yesterday, when the graveside service was conducted by Rev. Canon G. Y. Woodward. MRS W. E. MILES. The death occurred on Saturday, at the advanced age of 82 years, of Mrs Mary Ann Miles, relict of the late Mr William Elisha Miles, who spent her girlhood days in the Feilding district. It was there she met and was married

to Mr Miles, who was engaged in contracting works in the early days. A few years later Mr and Mrs Miles went to England on a visit to Mr Miles’s birthplace in Kent, and they resided there for two years. However, the colonial life had made its impression on them and they decided to establish a home in Australia, where they resided for 12 years prior to returning to the Dominion. Then ensued stays of varying periods at Wellington and Wanganui prior to their coming to Palmerston North. Mr Miles passed away 1 about two years ago and there after'the health of Mrs Miles commenced to fail. Her condition finally necessitated her entering hospital, where death intervened on Saturday. There are six eons and five daughters left to mourn the loss of their mother, but only two—Messrs Roy Miles, of Ferguson Street, and Frederick Miles, of Argyle Avenue—are resident in Palmerston North. There are in addition 60 grandchildren and 17 great-grand-children. The funeral took place on Sunday, the remains being laid to rest alongside those of Mrs Miles’s husband in the Kelvin Grove Cemetery, Pastor Wesley E. ltichards conducting iht service.