DEATH OF MR JOHN PATERSON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13706, 24 September 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

DEATH OF MR JOHN PATERSON.

By tho death of Mr' John I'alerson, which occurred at his. residence, High street, on .tho 11th another of the fast-diminishinsr .links.which bind the early history of Otago with tho present day has been severed. As a citrzonjthe late, Mr Paterson was not a prominent figure "in connection with the active and strenuous public life of the coinniunity. He belonged to the quiet, .steady, persevering., industrious order of workers who by their excellent lives get an cxamplo to their fellow men, and who by their unobtrusive piety and religious efforts leave an impress on their day and generation which is alike beneficial to those with whom fhoy are brought in contact as well as to tho general community. During his 40 years' residence in this city .Mr Paterson, by his consistent life and by his work on behalf of religion, won tho esteem and maintained tho respect of a largo circle of friends and a considerable section of the public with whom lie was brought into touch, and the news of his death, which wo published yesterday morning, will bo received with genuine regret by a large number of our readers. Mr John Paterson was born in Edinburgh in 1813, and was married at ' Banff on December 4, 1843. to which town Mrs Paterson belonged. Ho printed and conducted newspapers in several parts of Scotland and 'Ireland until coming to Otago with his family, where be arrived in the William Davie (Captain Peter Logan) on Novomber'l, J866. On their arrival Mr Paterson and family were welcomed by bis brother (the- Hon. James Paterson) and sister (Mrs Geo. Hepburn), and their numerous relatives and descendants. Mr Paterson worked at his trade as a printer on the Times. Witness, and Star newspaper in Dunedin until retiring from active work many years ago,, since when and tip till the time of his death he had, with Mrs Paterson, .resided quietly at his residence in High street, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Mr Paterson found an activa sphere of religious wort in St. Andrew's Church with which lie was connected for 40, years, and for a large proportion o? that tjime he conducted its Sunday school and otherwise employed himself in its interests For 40 years lie was an occasional Presbyterian lay preacher, and ho officiated in most of the nonAnglican Protestant-ohurches in Dunedin and neighbourhood for s many years. Ho was preceded to the colony, by the relatives above-named and others, and also by his father, who undertook the voyage when 80 years of age. and jived some years there' after. On the 4th December. 1693. Mr and Mrs Paterson celebrated then' golden wedding at'their residence, High street, when the proceedings were of'the happiest and most cordial character, a very largo num-, her of friends coming and going during the afternoon and evening, and giving expression to tho hearty pood wisbes which are usual on such occasions, At the time of his death Mr Patereon hac 1 reached the age of 83.years, and up till the end of a

good, useful, and even life, characterised bv uprightness t and strict integrity, ho had possession of well-preserved faoultics of mind and body. Mr A. S. Paterson, tho well-known merchant of this city, i 6 a bod o( tho deceased gentleman.