OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22833, 18 March 1936, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR DAVID GIBB The death occurred on Wednesday last of Mr David Gibb, of Mosgiel, who had been a resident of the town for the last 21 years. Born near Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1855, Mr Gibb emigrated to New Zealand in 1879 in the ship Forfarshire. He worked on the late Mr Bryce’s farm, Lovell’s Flat, for 12 years, later taking up farming on his own account. After farming for 20 years on a property of the late Mr Adam, Bon Accord, Milton, he retired. *He visited the place of his birth in 1930. Mr Gibb never married. The funeral took place on Friday at Mosgiel, and was largely attended. In 1930 Mr Gibb published a book of over 100 pages entitled “ The Jubilee of David Gibb in New Zealand, with His Rhymes and Ravings and Reminiscences.” It was written in the fiftieth vear of his residence in New

Zealand, and covers the life of the early pioneering days down to the present. He sailed from London on June 18, 1879, and arrived at Port Chalmers on October 6, after a passage of 16 weeks. The first work undertaken was on the Otago Central railway. Leaving this after a time he was employed on the farm of Mr West in the Brighton district. From there he went to North Taieri and Lovell’s Flat. His account of the life of the early days makes interesting reading when compared with that of today. The songs, odd verses and epitaphs, are in the main connected with some rioted personage or another of the ’eighties and ’nineties of last century, or of personal friends and acquaintances. They awaken afresh memories of pioneering days, of the difficult and rough conditions existing at the time. He was a lover of Nature, and the beauties of Saddle Hill half a century ago are described in a two-page poem. He greatly deployed the burning and destroying of the native bush there. MRS DAVID HUDSON . A familiar figure in Balclutha was removed by death on Saturday in the person of Mrs David Hudson, who for a few years carried on, with natural kindliness and tact, the book-lending library established by her sister, the late Miss Riddell. Mrs Hudson was the oldest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Thomas Riddell, of Warepa, and was born on the Awamoa Estate, North Otago. She was married some <t3 years ago at Warepa, where she lived with her hueband until they -went to reside at Balclutha about 18 years ago. Her husband predeceased her some years ago. There were no children, but Mrs Hudson leaves a brother, Mr William Riddell, of Warepa, and a sister, Mrs J. Cunningham, Dunedin. The interment took place at Warepa on Monday. MR JOHN ADAMSON (Per United Press Association) HOKITIKA, March 17. The death occurred to-day of Mr John Adamson, a well-known Hari Hari settler, mail contractor and sportsman; aged 71 years. CAPTAIN ALBERT DUDER (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 17. The death is announced of Captain Albert Duder, aged 80 years, formerly harbour master at Auckland. He retired many years ago. He was an enthusiastic yachtsman. FATHER FERDINAND DIGNAN (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 17. The death occurred in a private hospital at Auckland of Father Ferdinand Dignan, aged 57 years, who had been parish priest at Thames since 1916. MRS T. R. SAYWELL (Per United Press Association) HOKITIKA, March 17. The death occurred yesterday of Mrs T. R. Saywell, the eldest daughter of the late Mr H. L. Michel.