PERSONAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15915, 7 November 1913, Page 3

PERSONAL.

The Maori iliil Firo" Brigade entertained tho Alosgiel Firo ikigade an a return social on W eunecday evunuig. Advantage ol tne occasion was taken by i»ir ti. lidUAic, supcuii' tendent ot Maori Mil Brigade, to ptesent Mr J. Nisbot. deputy superintendent, with a li&ndsom© iiatlsuind. Mr Laurie spoke ill most eulogistic tonus oi the excellent work done by Mr Nisbet as secretary ol tho brigade and ill ot-ner capacities, and said t-ne gill was made by tho members as a token oi esteem'and appreciation of the recipient's services m connection with tlie brigade. 'i'flore died at Timara on Thursday a, very old settler of Southland, Mrs William Dawson, in her eighty-eighth year. She was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1826, and was married'in the Old Country in 1849. In the following year she and her husband left in the Phoebe Dunbar for New Zealand, landing at Port Chalmers in October, 1850. Mr Dawson wae employed at various times at Waihola, Balmoral station, Kaitoflgata, and at Clutha in the sheep farming business, and in 1861 he and the deceased went to Southland, where they took up land in the Woodlaada district. There they resided until 1875, when Mr Dawson acquired a property in tho Fortrose district. Fourteen _ years afterwards vhey removed to Tapanui, and five yearn ago proceeded to Timaru. i Deceased leaves a family of seven. The funeral took place at Invcrcargill. A Maori war veteran, Ooloui-sergeant Richard Shepherd, N.Z.C., late H.M. 68th Foot, and Now Zealand Armed Constabulary, died on Sunday at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr A. Miles, Woodside road, Mount Eden, aged 75 (says the Auckland Star). Colour-sergeant Shepherd obtained the New Zcaload Cross by several acts of remarkable bravery in tho action at Otauto on March 13, 1869. With eix volunteers ho undertook to hold a position while a reconnaissance wae made. A force of Maoris came up, and in tho subsequent skirmish three of the seven men wero shot dead, and the remaining four wounded. Colour-sergeant Shepherd was struck in the neck, tho bullet just missing tho jugular vein. On another occasion ho held a ridge behind Ngatapa Pa for four days with a small party. Te Kooti nJid a big force of Natives were in the i>a, and. kept up a hot fire on the soldiers, who had no protection except from a shallow trench dug with bayonets and tomahawks. In the course of tho lighting Oolour-s?rgeant Sliepln.ird had a shoulder-knot torn off by a bullet, and later a Maori, who was aiming point blank at him, was shot hy a oompanion. After the wnr Colour-eergeant Shepherd lived successively at Thames, Kawakawa, Whangaroa, and Auckland. He leaves a widow, four sons, and eight daughters. There are 10 grandohildren.