OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10084, 20 March 1896, Page 1 (Supplement)

OBITUARY.

It will bo seon from our obituary column that an old and respected colonist has passed away in tho person of Mr. Henry Keesing, at the ripe ago of 70. The deceased was a son of the late Mr. Henry Keesing, and brother to Mr. Ralph Keesing, of this city. Tho deceased was formerly engaged in business, but latterly has lived in retirement. Ho leaves a grown up family of sons and daughters. Very general regret was expressed on March 2 throughout Onehunga when it become known that Mr. C. H. Courtney's illness had terminated fatally. He was acknowledged by all who knew him to be a man of sterling character and uprightness, and much sympathy is felt for his widow and children in their bereavement.

Police Inspector J. B. Thomson, who was attacked with apoploxy at Kakaramea on Feb. 27, and had boon lying in the Pfttea hospital ever since, sufferod a rolapes on Feb. 29 and succumbed on March 1. The body was removed to New Plymouth for burial. Tho Into Inspector was born in 1836, so that he was just 60 yoars of age. Ho came to this colony in tho fifties, and was associated with the late Vincent Pyke and Mr. Standish, Commissioner of Police on the Otago goldfields. He was an energetic officer. He was stationed in Auckland for many yearn, from 1869 to 1887. He was transferred to Wellington in the latter year. In 1893 he was transferred to Taranaki. Ha was presented with a valuable service of plate upon his leaving Wellington for Taranaki, and a similar compliment was paid to him on leaving Auckland. He has given thirty-three years to the public service in New Zealand

H. S. Tiffen, one of the pioneer settlers of Hawked Bay, died on Feb. 21, aged 77. He came to the colony in 1841, as surveyor under engagement) to the old New Zealaad Company, and landed at Wellington, being one of the first to cross Ritnutaka. On the separation of Hawke's Bay from Wellington, and the establishment of tho Provincial Government, Mr. Tiffen became Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands, which office he held for many years. On his resignation, he became a member of the Provincial Council, and when the provinces were abolished, he was first chairman of the Hawke's Bay County Council. Many cases of charity benefited by his bounty. He leaves two brothers and a slater, Mrs. Hasclden, of Wellington. It is understood the late H. S. Tiffen left £2000 to the Napier Children's Homo, £1000 to the Cathedral Parish, and £1000 to the Bishopric Endowment Fund. In our obituary columns appears a notice of the death of a veteran in a double sense —a veteran soldier and a veteran colonist, Captain J. H. Rogers-Harrison, at the ripe age of 70 years. Captain Harrison was born in Hertfordshire on the 26th December, 1820, and in 1839 he joined the Chatham division of marines, but he bought out his discharge, and in 1842 ho joined the 11th Regiment of foot, with which he arrived in Hobartown in 1846, and reached Sydney the same yoar. Hero ho was transferred to the 58th Regiment, and coming on with the regiment to New Zealand in 1847 ho obtained promotion to the rank of ensign in January, 1851, receiving the Queen's good conduct bounty of £100. Ho served on detachments in the Bay of Islands from 1853 to 1855, and then proceeded to Taranaki as paymaster and quartermaster to the detachment under Major (now General) Nugent. From thence he returned to Auckland, and accompanied the regiment home in 1858. He retired from the service in June, 1859, and returned to Auckland in the same year. In the following year he was appointed captain of the Auckland militia. At the commencement of the Maori war he was sent to Sydney by tho then Defence Minister, the Hon. Thomas Russell, to raise mon for the Waikato militia, and on his return he was appointed acting quartermaster-general to the colonial forcos. This office he held until the end of the war. Ho was then appointed a commissioner by the Government to arrange accounts between the Imperial and Colonial Governments, but after the settlement of the war difficulties Captain Harrison retired into private life, and took no further prominont part in public affairs. It is with deep regret that a great many learned of the death of Mr. Richard William ISndean, tho second surviving son of .Mr. and Mrs. J. Endean, of the Waitemata Hotel. Thedecased, who was only in his 23rd year, had been ailing for a long time.

Our Thames correspondent) writes that very sincere regret was experienced thero on March 4 when it became known that Mrs. Fleming, wile of Mr. Andrew Fleming, of I'arawai, had passed away. The deceased lady arrived at the Thames with her husband at the first discovery of gold, anil has resided thero ever since. She was greatly beloved and reipocted by a very large circle of acquaintance!. The death of Mr. Joseph Taylor, of Washington Valley, another of the few remaining pioneor settlors, is announced. The late Mr. Taylor was a'native of Retford, Nottinghamshire, armed in Nelson on tho 25th October, 1842, in the ship Thomas Harrison. He married shortly afterwards, his wife dying some time ago. He was an Oddfellow, and was greatly osteemed by all who knew him.