OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5491, 23 June 1879, Page 2

OBITUARY.

We regret to record in our obituary column the death of the Kev. Henry Ellis, Wesleyan minister of Woodend, Canterbury, which took place on the 17th instant. His name will be familiar to old Auckland residents, aud to many of them he was well-known during his residence here, extending over a quarter of a century, both as a business man and a politician. He arrived here with his relatives from New South Wales, about 1850, and, with hia father, commenced busiuess in Shortland-street. Subsequently, he erected the block of buildings in Queen-street, called after his name, and where he did a large business as a general importer and auctioneer. He retired from commercial life to reside at Bird Grove, Epsom. In the Buperintendency contest, which ended in the return of Mr. Gillies, Mr. Ellia announced himself as a candidate for the chief magistracy of the Province, but Tetired on the nomination day in favonr of Mr. Gillies. Some time afterwards the General Government appointed Mr. Ellis Immigration Aijent for Auckland, the duties of whioh he efficiently fulfilled. The deceased gentleman was an eloquent and forcible speaker, and wielded a facile pen, aa hia manifold

contributions to our Provincial press abundantly testified. He had been a local 'preacher of long standing in the Wealeyan body, and about three years ago entered the ministry'of that cpjmmunion as probationer. His.first.station'was Waimate, some thirty miles-from Timaru ; his second, Woodend, where he died. He leaves a wife and one daughter, two other children having died in infancy. Mr. EUis'e decease was rather onexpected, although he had been ailing for a week or two. The immediate cause of death was pleurisy, and the lamented gentleman has passed away from his labours at the com-: •paratively early age of 51. On Sth June, at three o'clock, a.m., Mr. Samuel Cochrane, the well-known auctioneer, breathed his last at his son's residence, Remuera. Though not belonging to what may be regarded as the old identities, the founders of Auckland, Mr, Cochrane was a very old resident in the Auckland district. He has resided amongst as about 21 years, and during that time has been an active and useful man of business. He was born in New York in the year 1815, during a short residence of his parents in that city, and was thus in the 64th year of age. On the return of his parents to Ireland he was brought up in the vicinity of Londonderry, and was there engaged in the linen-trade. He subsequently settled in Montreal, and there carried on business for a number of years. Hearing of

the more genial climate of Auckland from

some relatives of bis who had settled here, Mr. Cochrane was induced to cast in his lot amongst us in the year 1858. During the greater part of bis residence here he has carried on tbe business of auctioneer and land agent, and gathered an extensive business, which bis sons carry on still. From 1860 to 1863 Mr. Cochrane took a very active part in developing the mineral resources of the Coromandel district, in connection with Mr. Keven, Mr. Michael Wood, and others. With this object in view, he purchased from the Government tha steamer Sandfly, afterwards better known by the name of the Tasmanian Maid, which he ran in the Coromandel trade for a number of years. He was also the principal owner of tbe steamer Waitemata, now known as tbe Enterprise No. 2, which was at first intended for the purpose of opening up regular steam communication with the North Shore, AYhau, Hobsonville, &o. Hie other, and last enterprise in connection with steaoi was the s.b. Jane, in the early daye of the Thames goldfields. Mr. Cochraue's object in these various ventures was the advancement of the Aucklanddistrict, and to secure fast and regular steam communication between this city and the various outdiatricts. In political life Mr. Cochrane took little part. For a short time he had the honour of a seat in the Provincial Council, but he seemed to delight in more practical werk than conducting debates in the Council chamber. On one occasion, we think in 1863, he received a special vote of thanks of the Provincial Council for his offer to provide them with accommodation ic which to carry on the business of the Province. He was chosen, in connection with Mr. T. Cheeseman, as a Commissioner to settle the compensation claims which arose in regard to the Auckland and Drury railway. In reference to the political or semipolitical positions which Mr. Cochrane occnpied, it may be mentioned that he wau a member of the first Harbour Board that was elected for Auckland. Among the many other things in which he took an active

interest for the advance of the district was the Drury Coal Mines, of which so high an opinion was at one time entertained. He also started a wool-scouring establishment at the Whau, which was carried on for some time, and also, in conjunction with Mr. J. Goodall, C.E., he owned the Prince Alfred battery, Grahams town, l n 1872, Mr. Cochrane paid a visit to the old country, and shortly after his arrival there he was appointed by Dr. Featherston, who was then Ageut-General of the Colony in .London, to the post of New Zealand Emigration Agent for the North of Ireland. This position Mr. Cochrane held until June, 1878, and was the means of selecting and aendingout many really good and useful colonists for this portion of New Zealand. Early in January last Mr. Cochrane returned to Auckland in a very unsatisfactory state of health, and lingered until yesterday morning, when death relieved him of further suffering. The complaint, which ultimately proved fatal, waa chronic cancer of the bladder. The great fund of humour which he possessed was oftentimes exhibited while discharging his duties as an auctioneer, to the amusement of those assembled at his sales. He wai3 altogether an exemplary and energetic citizen. His funeral waalargely attended. We have to record the fact that another of Auckland's old identities—Mr. George Gallagher, of Symonds-street— has gone over to the majority, and was laid in his last restingplace in the cemetery Junp sth. The experiences of the deceased were of the most varied character, and his presence in Queenstreet will be missed by a large number of old residents. Mr. Gallagher was a native of the town of Londonderry, Ireland. He was boru in the 58th Eegiment of the Line, in which his father waa a sergeant. Whea he grew up he joined the ranks, and in process of time ho was promoted to the rank of drum-major, a rank which he held for a long period. After the arrival of the regiment at Sydney, in 1843, under the command of Colonel Wynyard, they remained inactive for about a year, and then received orders to start for the seat of war in New Zealand. Hone Heke's war in the North was then commenced", and the regiment, the first full regiment of the Line which appeared in N« w Zaaland, landed at the Bay of Islands in the year IS-M. During this war, Drummajor Gallagher behaved with that gallantry which entitled him to the honour of the New Zealand war medal, which he duly received, and on retiring from his reg'ment he received the Imperial medal for long service and good conduct. In his position as drummajor of the 58th Regiment, he was the first Imperial soldier to enter the Albert Barracks and curiously euough, he was the last to leave its gates, for although he was not directly connected with the army when the ISth .Royal Irish left the barracks, he was caterer for the officer's mess of that regiment, and he closed the procession. The Albert Barracke has now passed away, and has given place to handsome edifices, occupied and owned by leading merchants, and the Albert Park, a recreation ground, has to take the place of these strong stone walls and frightful cannons, which created the means of offense and defence of the Albert Barracks of former timee. After the departure of the Koyal Irisb, Mr. Gallagher was appointed to the orderly-room as clerk, and this position he held for a few years, and then retired on a sergeant's pension. This was about 24 years ago. Upon retiring from the regiment Mr. Gallagher started business at the top of West Queen-street, in the manufacture of bread and biscuits. The tide then used to come up around the foot of Shortland-strset, and the Maoris camped around the beach. After some time he removed his business site to the position on which the New Zealand Insurance building iB now built, and while here he became contractor for supplying the troops and navy with bread and meat. He dealt largely with the natives to procure his supplies, and by way of trade established a traffic in kauri gum. At this time he maintained a branch store in Opotiki, and kept up communication with it by means of cutters. One of these, which had just been laden in Auckland, capsized in the harbour, and the freight floated about for several days. Prom this site Mr. Gallagher moved further seaward to that on which the Waitemata Hotel is now built. The site was not then reclaimed, and the establishment was built upon piles, arouud which the tide flowed. Here he carried on a very extensive business. The outbreak of the war in I'aranaki proved disastrous to him, and his tide of prosperity turned. The Taracaki natives owed him a large amount, and when hostilities began, they told him if the war continued they could not pay him. The war continued, aud they did not pay, so he lost his money, aud resigned the business which he was then carrying on. Wβ may add that Mr. Gallagher also supplied the troope at Otahuhu as well as those of Auckland and the port, and he employed a large number of men and horses. Shortly after Mr. Gallagher retiring from business Mrs. Gallagher died. This was in 1860, but some years after he married again, and started a bakery in Official Bay. Trade was not so good as previously, and Mr. Gallagher then took the lease of the hotel at Stokea's Point, where he organised athletic sports, &c, but the residents in the neighbourhood became alarmed on account of Maori demonstrations, and a Volunteer corps was formed, of which Mr. Gallagher was elected Captain. Subsequently he left the North Shore, and was appointed "clerk 'in the Militia office, an appointment which he held up to the time of the removal of the seat of Government to Wellington. He then became proprietor of tho Empire Hotel, Victoriastreet, from which he sold out and under-i took to cater for the officers' mesa of the 18th Eoyal Irish. He saw the last of that regiment leave the barracks, and he then re-

tired into private life, and, except the interest which he manifested at elections, hehas not since been much before the public Deceased was a brother to John Gallagher, who was Quartermaster of the Commissariat in New Zealand np to the time the troop* left, and who is now Acting Deputy Com-missariat-General at Dublin. Deceased was been ill abont a month, and waa treated lot dropsy and congestion of the liver. Hβ was tapped a week previously, fie was care~ fully attended by Dre. Goldaboro' andHainee,'. but medical skill could not remove his complaint. The funeral took place as above. It was very "largely attended, and a feature was that four of his old comrades of the 58th Kegiment carried the coffin from the honse to the hearse, and four others from the hearse to the grave. Deceased leaves a widow, two - daughters, and three sons, bat all are grown op- ■