CHURCHMAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 14

CHURCHMAN'S DEATH.

DEAN ALFRED FITCHETT.

VICAR UNTIL OVER NINETY.

MAN OF SCHOLARLY GIFTS

[by telegraph.—OWN correspondent.] DUNEDIN, Friday. By the death of Dean Alfred Robertson Fitchctt, D.D., C.M.G.., of the diocese of Dunedin, at tho age of 93 years, the city and the Dominion has lost one of its most illustrious citizens. Dean Fitchctt made his mark immediately after his arrival, in New Zealand in 1864, and as the years went by he continued to add to his reputation as a clergyman, a scholar and a man possessing unusual breadth of vision, until ho justly came to be regarded as one of tho best-informed men in New Zealand.

A member of a brilliant family, he was born in 1836 at Grantham, Lincolnshire. At an early ago ho decided to devote his talents to the Church, and he was destined in later years to become an outstanding figure in the religious world. He led ari cxtromely active life, and his remarkable vitality was. exhibited in the fact that when ho retired from the position of vicar of All Saints' Church—his sole incumbency in the service of the Church of England—lie had passed his 90th year. Even then, it was not the wish of iiis devoted parishioners that he should retire, but his desire to do so was reluctantly agreed to because all concerned realised that he had rendered yeoman service to the church and community, and he was entitled to a rest after such long and fruitful labours. Following his ordination to the Methodist ministry and his arrival in New Zealand from Victoria, Mr. Fitchctt spent some years in the service of that Church, first in Wanganui, then in Dunedin, then in Christchurch, and again in Dunedin. In January, 1879, it was announced that Mr. Fitchett had been ordained to deacon's orders by the Bishop of Melbourne. He took over tho incumbency of All Saints' Church without delay, commencing his ministration there on February 2, 1879. Although lie was first appointed to the charge for 12 months only, it must have been a source of gratification to him that his term of service in the parish extended to nearly 50 jfears. Apart from his Church work, tho late de:ui devoted his spare time to journalism, and as the chief contributor during many years to a weekly column in the press, which was read by thousands, he exercised a widespread influence. He displayed literary gifts of a very high order, allied to an encyclopaedic knowledge of books and affairs. Had he elected to follow journalism as a profession, there is probably no limit to the heights which ho could have scaled.

The late dean is survived by Miss Fitchett, a daughter of his first marriage, and two daughters and two sons of his second marriage. These are, Mrs. Mayo and Mrs. Elmore, of England, and Dr. Fitchett and Archdeacon Fitchett, of Dunedin. Dr. Frederick Fitchett, of Auckland, is a younger brother.