Obituary

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 68, 22 March 1935, Page 10

Obituary

MR. GEORGE HENRY DAVISON (From Our Rongotea Correspondent.) If to succeed in securing the goodwill and respect of those among whom we have resided is to attain truo greatness, and that to live in tho hearts and memories of those who survive is tho test of true citizenship, then the mourning family and relatives of tho late Air. George Henry Davison must lind comfort in their recent bereavement. In a useful life, which extended for two years beyond the allotted span, tho deceased gentleman made an earnest endeavour to embody in his life and conduct tho principle of uprightness in his social and business activities and maintained a strict adherence to tho high standard of the religion which ho professed. Ever tolerant to tho opinions of others, his altitude towards his fellow men is well expressed in the motto of the sage of old who wrote "If the heart mean well may alt elso bo forgiven.”

Hr. Davison was born in the village of Randalstown, County Antrim, North Ireland, in tho year 18G3, and in his early manhoud ho spent several years in the United States, returning subsequently to Ballymena, where he adopted the family occupation of fanning, with success, for many years. Believing that a young country, such as New Zealand, offered greater opportunities for advancement to his growing family, ho came here in 1920 and bought a property in Rongotea, which he farmed very efficiently until his retirement to Marton three years ago.

Although ho was by nature of a very modest and retiring nature, Mr. Davison devoted a great deal of his time and thought to the affairs of tho Presbyterian Church, of which ho w-as an elder of 31 years’ standing. Ho belonged also to the Ancient Order of Freemasonry. Mr. Davison gave seven years of service on the directorate of tho Rongotea Dairy Company, of which he was chairman for three years. He was for six years a trustee of the Oroua Drainage Board and a commissioner of tho Rongotea Town Board for two years prior to leaving tho district. Tho last 'three years of his life were spent in quiet retirement at Marton, where he died after a brief illness, last Monday. Mr. Davison was twice married, his first wife being Miss Annie Wilson, who, with her eldest son, was a victim of tho influenza epidemic in 1918, both dying on Armistice Day within a lew nours of each other. Thero are three surviving children of the first marriage—Miss 51. Davison, of Martin and Messrs 51. A. and C. W. Davison, of Rongotea. Before coming to New Zealand Mr. Davison was again married, to sliss Annie Kane, who survives him and who has always displayed a sympathetic interest in his activities. Other telatives residing in New Zealand are Mr. T. Davison (Matamata), 51r. F. J. Davison (Hamilton), sTrs. T. Henderson (Waikato) and 51rs. J. 11. Henderson (Marton). The funeral took place at Rongotea on Wednesday afternoon, when a very large cortege of mourning relatives and friends assembled at Mr. Davison’s old homestead to attest their last tributes and respect. The burial services at the home and at the graveside were conducted by Rev. D. slclvor, of slarton, and Rev. IV. J. Berry, of Rongotea, who each paid eloquent tributes to the life and personality of a departed friend and counsellor. The pall-bearers were Messrs L. D. Carey, G. B. Gregory and J. 51cClure, eiders of the Presbyterian Church, slarton, and slessrs T. Fraser, A. H. Burgess and R. Anderson, representatives of civic bodies in Rongotea. The profusion of flowers with which the bier w-as garlanded gave mute but eloquent expression to the regard and esteem which the memory of the husband, father and friend finds in the hearts of tho community among whom he lived and laboured. Of him it may truly be said that he lived respected and died i-egretted.