PERSONAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17375, 24 July 1918, Page 5

PERSONAL

The- many farmer friends ia Otago of Mr C liutty, t-hc popular implement traveller, will regret to inmr that he is at present seriously ill in the Dunedin Hospital. Mrs William Grant Aluiiro, of Ooematata, died on Saturday at her residence, after a somewhat lengtny illness. lhe deceased li'.dy, Avith her jiueband (who predcce<ised her some timo agoj, had been for half a. century intimately associated with the history of JNozth otago. During her long residence (says the iNorth Otago Times) tho won lor herself a warm regard, being held in affectionately cordial esteem by a. very largo circle of friends, who will ever remember ono -whose courtesy, kindliness, and Hospitality were proverbial throughout <-tago. ivtrs Muuro. who was 76 Years of age, left a large family of sons and daughters, including Mr T. A. Munro. of the Utago Land .Board. The funeral took placo on ivlonday, the remains being buried in the private cemetery of the- family at Ofceinatata.

Mr Jb\ J. Burgess, S.M., whoso relirement from the bench has been announced,entered the Justice Department in 1866 as a cadet in tho 'Ihaines Warden's Court, boing subsequently clerk of the court and mining registrar, and going to Auckland as clerk ot the court in 1094. Six years later he was appointed a stipendiary magistrate in Central Otago, returning in ISUB to the 1 names district, where lie was also warden. Since 1916 Mr Burgese lias been chairman of the First Military Service Board in Auckland, which position ho will continue to hold.

Tho iuneral of Mr James Philip Matheson took placo at DunecLn yesterday. Mr Mathoeon- who was well known in the railway service, died at Christchurch on Saturday aftor an illness of three days, and as he was adjutant oE tho South Island Railway Battalion, his commission dating from 1915, ho was buried with military honours. Some timo ago his brother was killed in action in France, and one of his sons, Mr James 3VI. Matheson, is in tho railway &ervico at Dunedin. Members of tho Railway Officers" Institute, together with the stall of ilio goods office and representatives of other brandies of tho Dailway Department, paid their last Tcspects to the deceased at the Christchurch Railway Station on Monday morning when the body was put into tho mortuary van for conveyance to Dunedin. There was a requiem mass in St. Joseph's Cathedral yesterday morning, and the funeral procession started from the Cathedray for the Southern Cemeteryat 1.15. The mourners included tho deceased's brother, Mr Ohas. Matheson (of the Post Office at Lnvercargill), and representatives of the various branches of tho railway stafjE in Dunedin. Captain Myers represented the Defence Office staff. The pall-bearers were Lieutenants F. Williams, G. Simpson, C. Barry, T. Harwood, A. G. Williams, and \V. S. M'Crorie, The Railway Engineers attended in a body, and the R.N.Z.A, and military police (under Ser-geant-major Gallagher) formed the firing party. Tho Rev. Father CofFey, who is an old personal friend of tho family, read the burial service.

Mr J. S. Barton, of Wellington, tho newly-appointed etipendiary magistrate, ia 43 years of age, and the son of the Rev. John Barton, Con-trregational minister, of Melbourne. He passed his first accountancy examination in 1900 in tho Incorporated Institute of Accountants in Victoria. Disliking the climate of Australia, Mr Barton cama to New Zealand in 1902, and started Banks College. He paseed , his examination for the New Zealand Institute of Accountants two years later. Mr Barton jxissed his legal examination in 1910, and then, by way of relaxation from strenuous work, he took a trip round tho world, and has-been in legal practice in Wellington since his return. For five years Mr Barton was lecturer in accountancy and auditing at Victoria University College. He took a great interest in the formation of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, and was for two years its president. A very old identity of the Clutha district, Mr John Charles Moxhay, died at his residence. Balclutha, on Sundav. The deceased gentleman, who was in his eightysixth year, was born in Torquay, Devon, and early in life shipped aboard a sailing vessel, and for a number of years led a seafaring life. After leaving "the sea he settled at Balclutha, where ho opened a butchery business, which he conducted successfully for several years. His wife predeceased him about 14 years ago. The sudden death occurred in Christchurch on Saturday of Mr J. P. Matheson, who was well known as one of 'the most popular and capable officials of the railway service. Mr Matheson came from Scotland under engagement to the New Zealand

Government, and was first stationed at Invercargill in 1887. In the following , year he was appointed etationmas'ter at Pukerau, In 1889 he was stationmaster at Riversdale; 1898. relieving officer at Dunedin; 1902,

traffic inspector at Dunedin; 1909, stationmaster at Timarii; and in 1912, stationmaster at Lyttelton. In 1915 he was posted as goods agent at Christchurch, where ho remained until the time of his death. Mr Matheson for some years occupied a scat on the Railway Appeal Board. He succeeded in establishing the confidence of the public •' with the goods department generally. Ho is survived by a widow and large family. Word lias been received by Mr W. W. Beswick, of Oamaru, that : hie daughter, Sister Mary Beswick, who has been on active service for the past three years, is returning to New Zealand shortly. It is understood that Sister Beswick is returning in charge of a party of sisters to take up duty a't tho Orthopsedic Hospital being established in Christchurch for the treatment of invalid soldiers bv electrical treatment «md massage. Sister Beswick, who is a survivor of the Marquette, and hasBeen eervice on various hospital ships and in Egypt and Salonika, has lately been in charge of a ward in No. 1 New Zealand Militarv Hospital at Wnlton-on-Thames. Mr James Pryde. of Weston, whose death, occurred several days ago. was a colonist of 62 years' standing. Born at Lylister, in. Caithness, he came to Dunedin in tho ship Strathmore in 1856, his fellow-passengers including Sir .T. L. C. Richardson, Dγ Hislop. Dr Hulme, Mr Colin Allan, Mr Al;>x. Livingston, and several others who have left their mark in the history of Otago. Mr Pryde was for several years with Mr James Allan, of Hopehill, Taieri, and then bought a farm at Saddle Hill. In July, 1863, he was married to Miss Grace Brash, who arrived in New Zealand by tho shipThree Bells. Over 40 years ago ho sold! out and went to tho Oaiuaru district, whero the family ha? resided ever since. For some years Mr Pryde was iu business at Duntroon and Maneno, and then started farming again at Totara. Owing to increasing years, however, he sold out about seven vcars ago. and thereafter lived in retirement at Weston. Mr Prydo was always a good and useful citizen, and took great interest in education. The golden wedding was celebrated at Weston about five years ago. A fracture of a thighbone through slipping about seven weeks ago on the asphalt surrounding his house produced complications which were necessarily serious in a man of his advanced age, and: which hastened the end. His_ widow and four daughters and a son survive him, tho family being—Mrs T. Henderson (Kauroo Hill)/Mrs J. Oliver (Maheno), Mrs E.Grove (Christchurch); Mrs J. B. Laurence (Ardgowan). and Sergeant-major D. P. Prydo, of the Defence Department, There are 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.