OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10300, 27 November 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

OBITUARY.

DEATH OF MR. J. M. DARGAVILLE. • Very great; surprise and regret;,was; felt on Nov. 5 in the oity, when on the arrival of the Mariposa the Bad tidings spread that) Mr. J. M. Dargaville, an old Auckland colonisb, who -rid been on a visit to England, had died on board on tho passage between San Franuisco and this port. While on his way to England a few months back, Mr. Dargaville contracted heat apoplexy in the Red Sea, and he never completely recovered from the effects, and was ailing while in London.

Shortly after leaving Honolulu on Nov. fl Mr. Dargavillo quietly passed away, the doctor and stewardess being in attendance at the time. Tho surgeon of the Mariposa states that Mr, Dargaville died of enlargement of the liver, combined with an aggravated form of Bright's disease. At about four o'clock the samo afternoon the body was reverently committed to the deep, the captain reading the burial service, all passengers mustering as a last mark of respect. Mr. Dargaville belonged to an old Huguenot family, which left France and settled in Ireland at the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. He was a native of Ireland, and his father, who was a physician of eminence in Cork, provided his son with a liberal education at Fernioy College, where he studied with Mr. O'Callaghan, who was elected to the House of Commons, and Mr. Roche, _ a cousin of Lord Fermoy, who visited New Zealand some years ago. At a very early age Mr. Dargaville was seized with the ' spirit of adventure, aad emigrated with his brothers to Australia. After some experience of life in Victoria, ho entered the service of the Union Bank of Australia, in Sydney. At the age of twenty, as a junior clerk, he rose rapidly in the service, in five years becoming a branch manager, and two years later was sent over to New Zealand as branch inspector. Ho came first to tho VVost Coast, where he so increased the bank's business that he was promoted to the important post ot manager of the Auckland banch, in March, 1868, but resigned in July of the following year, and started business as a wholesale merchant in Hobson's Buildings, Shortland street, under the title of Must and Co. Mr. Dargaville, however, subsequently gave up the business, and entered the limber and gum trades in the Northern Wainwiiftrici, where he acquired the site of a township, and founded the present town of Dargaville. At one time in that district he had 400 men in hi 3 service, and ceriied on an extensive business.

The deceased gentleman took an active interest in political matters. He became a member of the Auckland Provincial Council for City Kast, and contested the Superintendency election with Mr. John Williamson, ex-Superintendent, and Mr. H. H. Lu«k, but was defeated through Mr. Lii?k splitting the votes. In 1881 he became a member of the General Assembly for Auckland City West, and in 1884 was re-elected by the same constituency, and supported the Stout Vogel Government. In 1887 he was defeated for Marsden, in 1890 for the Bay of Islands, and in 1893 lor Eden. He had announced hit' candidature for Auckland City, and intended contesting the electorate. Mr. Dargaville took a leading part in the projection of the Kaihu Railway Ho « is at one time a member of the Harbour Board, a? representing Parnell, being chairman of the Highway Board. When in the Provincial Council' he advocated and carried, by a ma jority of one, a scheme for supplying the city with water from Wat takerei by gravitation, It was during his temperary absence in the North that a counter proposal wascarried by Mr. Stannus Jones and others, in favour of the existing pumping scheme. The deceased gentleman was possessed of great shrewdness, business capacity, and practical experience of public affairs, and of a genial disposition,

On Saturday, Oct. 31, between tho hours of three and four o'clock, Mr. H. S. Myers, who was boarding at the Imperial Hotel, died somewhat suddenly at that hotel. Deceased leaves a grown up family in Sydney, the youngest being about 13. His wife and the eldest daughter are dead, all, including himself, died within tho last 18 months. An inquest was hold on the 2nd of Nov. Dr. Mankellar's evidence was to the effect that death was due to fatty degeneration of the heart and enlargement of the liver, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly. In our obituary column will be found recorded the death of a very old Auckland colonist, namely, Mr. George Strong, at the age of 71. He arrived in Auckland in the ship Anne, in June, 1848, and subsequently served in the pilot service and Customs, and during the Maori war served in the Auckland Coast Guards. In our obituary column will be found recorded the death of Mr. Wm. Frederick Bather, son of Major General Barber, and grandson of the late General Taylor, of Tamaki, at the age of 54. Deceased was descended from a military family. He was born at Madras, India, in 1842; educated at Circus Place School, Edinburgh, where be passed his examinations, and then went to Belvade College to be trained for the army, but through an injury to his foot he had to abandon this intention. He then came to New Zealand in the ship William Miles, in 1862, with his uncle, Mr. Allan Kerr Taylor, settling down on a farm at Tamaki, where he married tho second daughter of the lata Mr. Thomas White. At about half-past nine on November 2, Samuel White, carter, found a man lying dead on the footpath in CustomStreet. The police were informed, and Constable Hyde had the body removed to the morgue. Deceased's name was William Pendergaet, but he was also known as Pender, and was a working man, living at Taupaki. An inquest was held at Gleeson's Hotel next afternoon, The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased died from natural causes.

A man named Edwin John Forrester Clarke, mill-hand, was found dead in his whare, at Whitianga, on October 30th. From a post mortem examination made by Dr. Smith, death was found to have been caused by heart disease. Deceased was in very poor circumstances, but is said to havo left a wife and family who are well-to-do, in Henley, England. Mr. George Watkin Williams, who was on his way to Cliristchurch to tako the position of Commissioner of Crown Lands, died from the effects of a cold caught in the train on the journey from Invercargill. He came to the colony in 1856. He was with the present Surveyor-General in tho expedition to survey allotments for the military settlers at Patea, an operation carried on under cover of the rifles of the 18th Regiment. Mr. Williams served as a volunteer in several expeditions by Colonel McDonnell, and received the New Zealand war medal for his services,

Mr. Peter Ram-ay, of Oroahu, died on Saturday, Oct. 31, ai the age of 60. He was one of the Black Watch, and came to Now Zealand 35 years ago, and has been in Hawke's Bay nearly all the time since. The Maoris held a great t&ngi, as Mr. Ramsay was a great friend of the natives. Ita ceased was buried with Masonic honours. It will be seen by our obituary column that the only son of the lato Mr. Williams, of Fairfield, Kemuera, Mr. George Watkin Williams, has passed i.way after an illness of only a few days' duration. He was on his way from Invercargill to Cnristchurch, where he had been appointed chief surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands, a position he has held for some years past, first at Napier, then at Invercargill, where be will be very much missed by a large circle. Mr. Williams served under his brother-in-law, Colonel McDonnell, in the Maori war in the Wanganui District, as a lieutenant in the volunteers. Received the New Zealand war medal for hit services.

James Miller, commission agent, dropped dead at Dunedin on November 12. lie was seen to thrown up his hands and fall down, and on assistance reaching him ho was found to be dead. Ho is known to have suffered from a weak heart. He was about 70 years of age, and leaves a grown up family. The death is announced of three very old settlers—Mr. W. Gibbs, formerly M.H.R. for Collingwood, aged 77 J Mrs, W. Bettany of same ape; and Mr. Touetfc, who was one of «he early settlers who took refuge at Nfltam . ■

Mrs. Miller, wife of Mr. T. i Miller, manager of the Bank of Australasia, at Hawera, and the second eldest daughter of Mr. John Duthie, M.H.R., died at her fathers residence at Wellington on No?. 12th, . tc;.

Wanganui baa losb an old respected resident by the doath of Mra.Durie, at the age of 77. The deceased] lady arrived in the colony in 1843, and married Major Durie, who was for j some time Resident Magistrate at Wanganui; -.r, r ' Mr. Herbert Godfrey, 1 travelling representative of the New -Zealand . Loan and Mercantile Agency. Company, Limited, died at Ficton on Nov. 6, after ■ a short) illness,' from an intern >1 complaint. , One by one our pioneer settlers are vanishing. Too soon the actors and eye-witnesses in the arduous and quaint life in the early days of this colony will all havo departed to that bourne from which there is no roturn. On November 1, Mr. Richard Fairburn, eldest son of the late Mr. W. T. Fairburn, die! at his residence at Papatooton, unexpectedly, after* a very few hours' illness, much regretted and esteemed by all who knew him. He was a man of great kindliness, and an upright honourable character He was born at the Bay of Islands in 1819, and passed all his .life in this province. He had in the early days, before any • Government was, witnessed many wild scenes of disturbance in the times of untrammelled Maori savagery. He was the first white resident and farmer at Otahuhu in 1840, when ib was a wilderness of rn and tupakihi. The Rev. E. C. Leal, evangelist, of the Catholic Apostolic Church, died suddenly, at Wellington on Thursday . morning, the 19th of Nov. Ho rose from bed', partly dressed, and walked from his bedroom into the kitchen, where he was heard .to gasp and fall, and he apparently died instantaneously owing, it is supposed, from failure of the heart's action. He has conducted cvangelistical services in various parts of the colony, R. W. Capstick, an old Otago resident, well known in the early goldfields days, died on November 24, aged 77.