OBITUARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13960, 20 July 1907, Page 14

OBITUARY.

ROBERT WMITIX. The death of Mr Robert. Martin, the,wellknown builder, which took place on the 15th inst., removes from our midst another of our early settlors, and a man who inv pressed all who came in contact with him with a sense o[ the great nobility of bis character. He was a man who had seen much iii his earlier days and met with many adventures. Born in 1832 in Lanark,

the homo of William Wallaee, the great Scottish patriot, lie took considerable pride in a quiet way in tlie fact, that lie was descended from those dour Covenanters who made such a mark in the history of Scotland, and thai on his mother's side ho traccd his ancestry back to a. very old and well-known Scottish house. Ilia father was an actuary, and the dcoeased at an early ago entered tho cotton mills of his uncle, David Kelly, at, Rothesay.

His nnole was a bachelor, and his intention was to bring Mr Martin up to the l>i:sines.s and eventually leave it to him. This opening, however, was lost by tho death of a brother, which look the deceased home. After a while ho turned his at.le.ntion to tho building trade, and, being a man who believed in doing a thin? thoroughly if lie did it at all, ho worked for some years at the practical side and later studied at- the Edinburgh Institute for Architects, passing with oredit. Shortly afterwards Canada attracted his attention, and deceased, accompanied by bis father, mother, and brother John, sailed for thatcountry. His brother was an expert fellmonger, and ho and deceased determined to start a fellmongcry business, for which there was a good opening. Hero again 1)13 plans wero frustrated, for when everything was ready for a. start, with good prospects, .Tolm Martin fell a victim, to a cholcra epidemic which was then raging. Mr Martin took his brother's death so much to heart that ho sofd tho business, and being of a, raving disposition, visited many parts of America and Canada. Ho lived for some time in the baokwoods a.nd cncountored many adventures, throughout which ho proved, exceptionally immune to cold and sickness. It was only io intimate

friends and his family that lie recounted liis experiences, and one that made the most impression on hie listeners was his account of crossing below the Falls of Niagara, when the river was icebound. Only twice in the memory of man has the river been in this condition—in January, 1854, and again in 190-1. Mr Martin was stopping at the village of Chippewa, about two miles above the falls, and wishing to

transact some business in Buffalo ho set out on foot to the nearest station to en-

train. Arriving at the falls, and being prresed for time, he determined to cross the frozen river to the American side. He descended the. icc-eovcred wooden steps to tile river, .made feis way across, occasionally leaping chasms in the icc, and up tho steps on the American side. Ho got to Buffalo, transacted his business, and re-

turnod. Once not being 00011511 for his daring spirit, Jje reerossed the ice by moonlight. Mr Martin was always carcful to

impress 011 his listeners that the river itself'

was not actually frozen—the current is too swift for that—but tho January thaws had set froe groat blocks of icc in Lake Erie, and theso had been precipitated over the falls. in such numbers that a block had token plaoc. Speaking of this adventure in later years, 'he admitted the foolhardinesa of the deed. His description of his leaps over tho chasms and of the rushing, roaring, madly-racing water between was both vivid and inspiring. A falso step and ho would have disappeared, and a's he had not informed any of his friends, his fate might have remained for ever a mystery. Mv Martin was married at Toronto on September 8, 1857, hie wife being the daughter of Mr Thos. Lane, a farmer. Shortly afterwards, his parents finding the winters too severe, they all returned to Scotland. After a stay there and in Ireland, Now Zealand attracted liis attention, and with his wife and child he arrived at Port Chalmers in August, 1860, bv the ship Pladda, He followed his occupation for a time until, like .many others, he was seized by the gold fever and visited Gabriel's Gully, doing the journey on foot, as was tho custom then. Being ft'irly lucky, he left there for Dunedin; and narrowly escaped falling into the hands of bushrangers. But for a. lucky delay he would have been one of a number of men who were stuck up on Maungstua, l-obbed of their gold, aoid tied to trees for the night. His intention on settling in Dlined in was to follow the profession of architect, but building seemed to have greater charms for him, and lie followed this colling for years. Shortly after the Opening of the Rcslyn Tramway Company he was appointed managing director, and so successful was the company under his management that largo liabilities con-

tracted by accidents beforo ho took charge were wiped off and the company became a fine paying conoern. Tho present design of the cars on the Roslyu, Kaikora-i, and Mornington lines is bis work, and tho ratchet brake, tho safest on the lines, is his invention, Owing to an oversight, however, he neglected to take out a patent, and missed the fruits of his invention. Ho superintended the duplication of the line, but finding that his advice and experience were disregarded by his fel'low-directore, and foreseeing tho inevitablo end, he resigned hi» seat, and sold his interest in tho company—a course which saved him from considerable loss later on. Mr Martin then devoted all his time to hie occupation once more, and within the last few years erected several largo warehouses and buildings. With wonderful pluck he attended to his work to tJie last, and only took to his bed at 7.30 p.m. on tho 12th inst. Although conscious fo the end, ho spoke but little, and passed peacefully away at 7 p.m. on Monday. Mr Martin came from a family of considerable gifts, and in various lands different members of it, havo gained muoh henour. He himself was rccognised as an authority on his work, and possessed a knowledge of every branch connected therewith to the moTCst detail that was 6imply marvellous. Ho was of an inventive turn, and oould readily meet any difficulty. He was a good employer and knew a man's value thoroughly. Ho never aspired to any public position, finding his' chief happiness in his own. home. A man of the highest charaoter whose word was his bond, he gained the respect of all who knew him. His golden wedding vould have been celebrated in less than two months' time, but fate decreed otherwise. Ho leaves a widow and three sons and five daughters, | all grown un.

'The death of Mr Stewart Stevenson, of tho Arrow district, is announced. The deceased gentleman was 72 years of age, '-'id wae of a kindly and unassuming disposition. Born in the Orknoy Islands, He had been resident in tlio colony some 1 3 years, having come to spend his declining years with his sons, who have a 'arm on the Crown Terrace. Mr Stevenion's grandfather, Magnus Flott, served "ith Neleon, and from a French boat ■:scuro-d a quaint wooden bowl, which has been in the family over since. A brother of the deceased gentleman is fanning near Riversdaie.