OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19214, 31 December 1925, Page 10

OBITUARY.

REV. JAMES CHAPMAN. j FORMER AUCKLAND MINISTER, i I [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 WELLINGTON, "Wednesday. The death, in retirement, of the Rev. j James Gates Chapman, lately minister of j of the Taranaki Methodist Church, oc- [ caned suddenly to-day. The late Mr, | Chapman was apparently in good health | yesterday •when he was playing on the j Thorn don bowling green. | The deceased, who was 62 years of age, j was born in London, and came to New j Zealand as a young man, entering the ministry of the Methodist Church. He commenced service at Hawera in 1389. He was then stationed successively at Leeston (1890-91), Wellington (1892), Miitcn (1893-94), and Balcluiha (1895-26). In 1897 he paid a visit to England on the occasion of the Queen's diamond jubilee. On his return he was posted to the Pitt Street Methodist Church. . Auckland, where he ministered until 193 G. The next three years he served at Davenport, Aucki land. He was then transferred to WangaI nai and served there until 1908, when he ! went to New Plymouth, He was stationed there for two years. In 1911 he vras appointed to the Taranaki Street Methodist Church, Wellington, and served here continuously until 1920, when he retired owing to ill-health, having completed over 30 years in the ministry. Mr. Chapman was well known as a great student of English literature and was a fearless and powerful speaker. He was specially happy among young people j and was always a great help to the sick and bereaved. He married the eldest daughter of the late Mr. W. Wiggins, and leaves a family of two daughters, Mrs. Bell, of Auckland, and Mrs. Saxton, of Wellington, and a son, Howard Chapman. MR. REUBEN PARR. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COB RESPONDENT, j TE AROHA, Wednesday. One of the best-known of the Waikato pioneers, Mr. Reuben Parr, passed away at Te Aroha on Tuesday evening at the agQ of 86. He leaves a family of two sons and two daughters, ail of whom were present. The eldest son is Sir James Parr, Postmaster-General and Minister for Education and Justice. The late Mr. Parr was a native ol: Nottinghamshire, England. He emigrated at the age cf 20, first going jto Canterbury, where he was employed' a! View Hill, Oxford. Ho married and came to the North Island in 1867. After a brief sojourn on the Thames goldfields, where he met with no fortune, he weJ.t to the Waikato, taking up the management of Mona Yale estate for Mr. E. R. Walker and afterwards Mr. C. Douglas and Mr. A. Price. During the Maori troubles he served as a trumpeter with the I Cambridge troop of the Waikato Cavalry. Being satisfied of the fertility of the I Waikato he took up virgin laud himself | at Pukerimn, where his family were born, i and in 1877 he went out into the comparative wilderness, taking up a large area at Waitoa, in the Hauraki Plains. Like many of the early settlers, however, he lost almost everything in the disastrous slump of the eighties, and had to give up his new venture. With characteristic courage he again took up new swamp country, and, being an experienced farmer, made a great success of his latest venture, enabling him to retire in comfort in Te Aroha. He took a lively interest in public affairs, being a member of many local bodies. He was keenly interested in sport and for 40 years was clerk of the course to the Te Aroha Jockey Club. On retiring he was made a life member. A believer in education the late Mr. Parr made many sacrifices to educate bis children. He was a friend of Sir William Herries and was chairman of his . committee for 20 years. The family are:—Sir James Parr and Mr. John Parr, Auckland; Mrs. William Hodgson, Auckland, and Mrs. Frank Corcoran, Te Aroha. There are 19 grand children and two great-grandchildren. REV. JOHN CREWES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday, The death has occurred of the Rev. John Crewes, aged 78. The late Mr. Crewes was well known in ecclesiastical circles, hero for 40 years. Early in his career ha stood against Sir Julius Vogei. He was one of the promoters of the Wellington Zoo and was the first president of the Weliington Zoological Society. * MRS. ELIZA HERBERT. The death of Sirs. Eliza Herbert., an old colonist of New Zealand, occurred yesterday at her home, 61, King's Parade. She was the widow of the late Mr. Thomas Herbert, of Auckland. Mrs. Herbert, who was 86 years of age, arrived here by the ship Siam over 50 years ago. She leaves a family of two sons and three daughters.