OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18929, 29 January 1925, Page 10

OBITUARY.

MR. ARTHUR E. SMITH. MAORI WAR VETERAN* !"||< The death occurred at Auckland onf Monday of an old colonist, Mr.- Arthur Edwin Smith, at the -age- of 87. Mr* Smith was born in Birmingham. As 4 youth ho was apprenticed to the build-, ing trade. Sixty-six years ago Mr. Smith came to New Zealand by the sailing ship Caduceus. His parents arrived some time' before him, he having been desirous of completing his apprenticeship before leaving. Mr. Smith fought in the Waikato during the Maori War and was decorated for his services. He after., wards continued in his trade as a cart penter in Auckland, and assisted in bui!d-< ing some of the oldest structures in tha city. He remained continuously in Auckland and was a prominent member of the Frank] in Road Methodist Church, Mi - . Smith leaves four sons and two daughters. His wife died 20 years ago* MR. THOMAS ALLEN. Another link with the early days off Auckland has been severed by the death of Mr. Thomas Allen, late of Allendale, Mount Albert, which occurred in England last week. Born in Leamington, Warwickshire, ill 1840, and therefore within a few weaks of reaching his 85th birthday, Mr. Allen was the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edward Allen, one of the earliest pioneer families of Mount Albert. While he was still in his teens he gava evidence of the unrest which in later years led him to travel round the world a dozen times, for he was so impressed with what he heard from the father of a young man who had gone to New Zealand thai he also decided to try his fortune here. Accordingly, he took passage in the ship Nourmahal, leaving London in August, 1859, and arriving in Auckland in December of that year. His father went to London to see him aboard, and, standing on .the deck, just before the last tender left, he said : "If you, are quite, satisfied that Auckland would be a good place for your mother and t'he rest of the family, I should be inclined to sell all my property and come out to you later." That condition was amply fulfilled, and they all arrived in the Black Eagle two years later, The only members of the family now surviving are a brother, Mr. Edward Allen» of Cambridge, and a sister, Mrs. M. E. Hooper. Mr. Thomas Allen himself remained a bachelor, and after retiring from farming he took an active interest, in public life. For many years he was a member of the Mount Albert Road Board, and also of the Auckland Hospital Board. As secretary of Prince Albert College, in Upper Queen Street, and for some years a member of the Board of Governors, he had full scope for his keen interest in education, whilo his many years of devotion to the Mount. Albert Methodist Church will be remembered by all the older residents in tha district. During the last 30 years Mr. Allen travelled a great deal, and until he finally settled in England he wrote frequently on his travels to the New Zealand Herald. His last, trip round the world was in the summer of 1920-21; when ha came to Auckland to see his relatives. He has since resided at Stanborough Park, a spacious rest home about 20 miles out of London, In his last letter to an Auckland relative, Mr. Alien stated that he had just published a book, entitled "A New Zealander in Many Lauds." 1

MRS. W. H. SPEER. [Bt OTLEGHAPH.—OWN eOUBBSSOOTJIMT. ] WHANGAEEL Wednesday. Mrs. Speer, wife of the Rev. W. HSpeer, Methodist minister, of Whangarei, died this morning. The deceased, who was in her 51st year, had been in ill-health for several' years past, and was practically a continuous invalid. Despite that disability, she had a great fondness, for flowers, and showed considerable skill attd ability as a gardener. She was a native of Shropshire, but had resided in Australia,''where' she was a school teacher before coming to Auckland to be married. It is nearly four years since Mr. and Mrs. Speer and family arrived at Whangam. having previously resided for various periods at Dargaville, Heiensvil'le, Papa- _ roa and Auckland. Mrs. Speor» leavc3 three children.