OBITUARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 2, 4 January 1887, Page 2

OBITUARY.

We have to-day to announce the death of an old Nelson citizen who was well known to almost everybody iu the place. For some time past it haa been known that Mr Joseph (Jarrard bad taken to his bed without any probability of his rising from in again, but at the last his death was somewhat, sudden, aa it was believed th»t owing to his powerful constitution he would linger on for several days, and perhaps weeks. Tho disease which has carried him off was cancer in the Btomaoh, and although he has nob been suffering actual pain, he has for some time past been in a state of great discomfort and misery, occasioned by constant and violent Attacks of sickness which pulled him down terribly and quite prostrated him. About 11 o'clock last night he was suddenly taken much worse, and at 10 o'clock this morning he breathed his last. Mr Garrard oame here first as mate of the steamer Airedale in 1859. He made one more trip in that steamer to Sydney and then settled here. He was for many years, together with a partner of the name of Bullard, in charge of the Intercolonial R.M. Company's bulk, which was lying in the stream, where the steamers on their arrival from and departure for Australia used to call. Subsequently to that ho was wharfinger for Mr John Symons, who leased the wharf from the Provincial Government, and afterwards, when it passed over to the General Government, he acted in the same capacity for them, and continued to do so until he was seized with his last illness. A kinder hearted man than the deceased never breathed, nor one of a more sympathetic disposition. If ever a case of distress came under his notice he was not, satisfied until something had been done to relieve it. He was nob largely endowed with this world's goods, but he possessed a fine voice, and was pasßiona'.ely fond of music, and hr was always ready and willing to turn this gift to account for any purpose of a oharitable description, and there are many widows and fatherless children who have received welcome assistance in the hour .of their need in the shape of the proceeds of concerts which our good old friend had got up for their benefit. Great is the sympathy that is felt with his widow and children in their hour of trial, and deep is the sorrow expressed by many that they are never to look upon his honeßt face again. Mr Garrard was an enthusiastic member of the Nelson Harmonic Society, to which he had belonged from the days of its infancy, and never had he missed- attending one of their concerts until the performance of " The Messiah " a fortnight ago, on which occasion he was to have taken the bass solos, but alas ! at the time he should have been singing he was confined to his bed. He had been out of sorts for some time, and on the occasion of the last concert at which he was present, on the 30th September, he said to a friend that he felt very depressed but did not know exactly what was the matter with him. It is somewhat strange that the last song he sang from that platform where his appearance was always so warmly greeted should have contained the following stanza : — A soldier old and worn am I, My campaigns are all finished, I live at home iu peace, and yet My ardour's undiminished, And while I feel I'm growing old, And fast my strength is sinking, I fight my battles o'er again, . - While thinking, thinking, thinking. Sad indeed would have been the effect produced in the Provincial Hall had it been known at the time that the words " My campaigns are all finished " were prophetio, and that) the fine hearty voice and goodnatured old face wer« then being tieari and seen for the last tame. rruw ii nm mw y i r^»--»— "-*—— 'T-irrniTrTgiir-