OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20875, 18 May 1931, Page 10

OBITUARY.

MRS. ALEXANDER DEWAR. The death occurred on Saturday of Mrsi Alexander Dewar, a well-known resident of Ponsonby, at the age of 97 years. Mrs. Dewar celebrated her 97th birthday last month at her residence, Pompalier Terrace, Ponsonby. Her active powers and keen interest in current events had made her a remarkable figure. Mrs. Dewar was born at Edinburgh on April 17, 1834, and as a girl of 20 Went to Australia with friends in the ship Hornet. She settled at Ballarat, and there married Mr. Alexander Dewar, a mine manager. That was the time of the gold rush, when fortunes were made in

a day, and Mrs. Dewar had a stirring life, which included very distinct reeol lections of tho battle of Iho Eureka stockade. It. was the call of the Thames goldfields which brought Mr. and Mrs. Dewar to New Zealand. I" 18/0 Mr. Dewar secured a claim adjoining the Caledonia mine and sank the Tookey shaft, but failed to reach the rich deposit which made the name of Caledonia

famous. When the water difficulty occurred, ISI r. Dewar arranged for the purchase of the. big pump from Melbourne, and was associated with the late Mr. W. hrrington in its erection. They left 'illumes in 1875 and came to Auckland, where Mrs. Dewar had lived ever since. Mrs. Dewar had always been keenly interested in women's organisations and was one of the pioneer members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in New Zealand. She was also one of the first members of (he Civic League, and had always been actively associated with I lie work of the Baptist Church. Until the time of her death she retained her menial alertness and constant touch with political and other outside affairs. Of Mrs. Dewar's family of 13 children, four sons and four daughters are still living, and she is survived also bv 22 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.