OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18455, 19 July 1923, Page 10

OBITUARY.

EARLY WAIKATO SETTLER. MR. JOHN ATKINSON. ; : \ ;JS fa* -SCELEOEAPH.—OWN COBJtESPONtoBJST.jj '$£ •'•': HAMILTON. Wednesday. ' ' " v .A link binding the present town of' Hamilton. with the : genesis of settlement - < in the Waikato was broken this morning, fM when the death occurred of Mr. John Atkinson, at his residence, River, Road, '"• Hamilton. Mr. Atkinson was born in ■ Bassingham, Lincolnshire, 85 years ago, M and ; he came "to New' Zealand with one % of the early contingents of /.military'' settlers in 1867 from Ballaratj where hei enlisted. After a brief period in camp at Onehung*, ho was detailed - for ser- -, vice in the';i Waikato. Mr. Atkinson af- 'W rived in Hamilton shortly after- the date !■! on which the town was founded,; August iff 24, 1867, and he went through many pri- £4 vations which were the lot of the early pioneers. , ■ On ;: receiving - bis •■ discharge (1 from the militia, Mr. Atkinson took up v land on the; Ohaupo Road. In the early ''■ days he took an active part; in local poli- ? l .tics. .-vHe'' was for some, years- chairman 1 of {the- .Wadpa: County ; Council Ic. Mr, Atkinson retired,from active farming 23 years ago, and, 1 came to live 'in Hamil- / too. He leaves a widow,. but no family* ■

MR. HERBERT DeVILLE.'[BY TELEGRAPH,—OWN COBE.ESPONiJEKI!.l '■ " l> ';■-';. 'HAMILTON, Wednesday. The death occurred at the Waikato .' Hospital this .' morning of Mr. Herbert Deville, aged 63 years. Mr. DeVille \ came to New. Zealand when he was 20 years of age, and had been farming forJ;:|?| some years in the To Awamutu and Hamilton districts. He leaves a, and an adult family; " ' EAST COAST PIONEER..' [BY lELEGBAPH.'—OWN coßaasroN»Ej«.J [■■ WHAKATAK7E. Wednesday. There passed- away thin week* at the Whakatane Hospital one of the earliest '■--' settlers of the East Coast, in the person of Mrs. P. C. Seccombe, wife of' Mr., ' Thomas Seccombe, of Te Teko, in her 78tii " year. The late Mrs. Seccombe arrived 7 v m New Zealand with her father. 1 Mr. ' Udy, when she was 12 years of aWt and remained an Auckland for ©early 2A'&B. years, when she married Mr. T. SeAl<''" : combe, and, with him, went to settld V~" at Orete, at the East Cape. ; There ahtj >;4 erpenenoed very trying times during l , raids by Te At one time then! - home ._was surrounded by hostile natives': % '' and they were prevented from : reaching the coast, and had to make'their way ? to the nearest settlement, Opotiki, which I was 60 miles away, • by journeying -; through th& bush in the direction of '"> Motu. . ; Mr. and Mrs. Seccombe came to Whaktttane 27 years ago,rand settled itt -' Opouna, and. ten year later took n* land, in the Rangitaiki Swamp at Te 0j ieko, where they had since resided.-They ' ?, had done very valuable pioneering work,' havmg : devoted practically the.whole of their lives in preparing the way for the ' '?. settlement of these- parts. ,• Mrs. Sec- '>i combe had been in .. failing health for ■''■ some weeks, past. She is survived by : aer husband and a son, Mr. Thomas Sec* v combe, of Thornton, and a daughter, re- -*M siding in Te Teko. The funeral takes 'C place to-morrow afternoon, .-. ' : 'v%