OBITUARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21493, 17 May 1933, Page 14

OBITUARY

MRS. P. V. C. EYTON [fbom OUR OWN correspondent] WA^KWORTH, Tuesday The death has occurred of Mrs. Polly Victoria Charlotte Eyton, widow of the late William Eyton', at the age of 66 years. Mrs. Eyton had resided on the Omaha Flats, near Matakana, for 37 3'ears, and. was well known throughout the district. Mrs. Eyton, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Price, came from England about 70 years ago, was born at Thames, where she lived until her marriage about -18 years ago. For about 10 years Mr. Eyton worked in the Thames district, sometimes in the goldbut generally in the bush. He then took up farming and for a short time occupied a property at Dacre's Claim, Big Omaha, before taking up a section on the Omaha Flats. At the time Mr. and Mrs. Eyton and their family settled there only one other family lived within miles of them. Their only other neighbours were the gumdiggers who worked the Flats and who frequently stayed only a short time. No roads had "been constructed, and stores were packed from Matakana, to which place the steamer Maori ran a fortnightly service. .. If travelling to Auckland, Mr. and Mrs. Eyton sometimes embarked on one of the numerous cutters and scows trading out of Auckland. Later, when a steamer service to Big Omaha was established, Mr. Eyton rowed across the Omaha Harbour to collect his stores. Of late years Mrs. Eyton had seen the gumfields converted into farm lands and the mud track into a good road. Mrs. Eyton's husband died about nine months ago and her youngest son about 18 months ago. She is survived by three sons, Mr. George Eyton, of Whangarei; Mr. William Eyton, and Mr. Arthur Eyton, who is working the home farm, and two daughters, Mrs. Robert Jones and Miss Gladys Eyton, of Matakana.

MRS. G. M. BERRY [from our own correspondent] HUNTLY. Tuesday The death occurred at Hamilton last week of Mrs. Grace Mary Berry, wife of Mr. Thomas Berry, of Huntly. She had been a well-known resident- of Huntly for the past 25 years. Born in Scotland 61 rears ago, she arrived iu Auckland when a babv with her parents, the voyage to iSew Zealand taking 110 days. After a few years in Auckland the family moved to the Whangarei district, where the daughter subsequently married Mr. Berry, the son of another early settler. Mr. and Mrs. Berry lived for many' years in the Whangarei district and '25 years ago came to Huntly, where J Irs. Berry took a keen interest in all charitable affairs. She is survived by her husband, two daughters and three sons. MR, "WILLIAM BLACK [.BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday . The death has occurred at Awakino of Mr. William Black, aged 85, a pioneer settler of North Taranaki. He was the third son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Black, who arrived in New Zealand by the ship Amelia Thompson in September, 1841. In 1866 Mr. Black arid his son William went to Tikorangi to tako up land allotted to the former for military service in the Maori wars. Mr. William Black farmed there until he obtained a larger area near Mahoenui. When he went there 45 years ago he was one of the first settlers in what was then a back-block area. Later he sold his property and took up his residence in a spot overlooking Awakino Heads. He had a fine reputation as a hard-working and progressive settler. He was the last survivor of the original Taranaki Volunteer Band of 1860. Ho is survived by his wife, four sons and three daughters;

MR. W. G. MACLAURIN

[BY TELEGRAPH—-PRESS ASSOCIATIONI GISBORNE, Tuesday

The death has occurred of Mr. William Gilbert MacLaurin, aged 70, a well-known settler and a member of the Cook County Council. Born in the Shetland Islands, he came to New Zealand at the age of 12 years,, learned farming in the Waikato, and then took up a portion of tho old Whataupoki block, Gisborne, where he was a most successful farmer. He is survived by Mrs. MacLaurin,. two sons and two daughters.

CAPTAIN GEORGE LINDSAY [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION 1 ESTVERCARGILL, Tuesday

Captain George Lindsay has died at. tho age of 66 years. For 15 years ha was harbourmaster at Bluff and wa3 formerly deputy-harbourmaster aj Timaru. Before that he commanded several Union Company steamers.