TAPANUI

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25303, 13 August 1943, Page 6

TAPANUI

Racing Club.—The annual meeting of the Tapanui Racing Club was held on Friday night, when in the unavoidable absence of the president (Mr J. A. McDonald) the chair was occupied by Mr Keith Rodger. The attendance was a very small one. The chairman referred to the death of Mr M. McAuley, who had been a member of the club for 50 years, and it was decided to send a letter of sympathy to the McAuley family. The secretary of the Racing Conference wrote advising that no permit would be granted the club to race this year. All the retiring officers were re-elected for the ertsuing year. Obituary.—Mr Malcolm Ferguson,, who died at his residence, Tapanui, at, the beginning of the month, had lived in the district for 70 years. Born at ‘ Thornhill,” Stirling, Perthshire, in 1853, he came to New Zealand with his parents when seven years of age. Sailing from Glasgow in the ship Gala, the family arrived in Dunedin in February 1860, after a voyage of three months, and their first home was on a small property at Woodside, Taieri, where Mr Ferguson was educated. After working for some years on the Taieri he went to Crookston, and after working on his brother’s farm for some time, he joined the staff of the late Mr David McKellar, of Brooksdale. Station, as a shepherd, eventually rising to the position of manager. When the station was subdivided for closer settlement, he secured a portion of it which he successfully farmed. He disposed of this farm when he purchased another property near by, which he farmed for 20 years, when he retired to a small property adjacent to Tapanui township. There he resided until his death. In 1882 Mr Ferguson married Miss Margaret Hain Christie, who died nine years ago. There were no children. Mr Ferguson did not take an active part in public affairs, but interested himself in societies which fostered farming and the production of first-class stock. He was a successful exhibitor at the local A. and P. shows and the Dunedin Winter Show. He took a keen interest in the Otago Early Settlers’ Association and was recently elected a life member. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, which he supported most liberally.—The death of Mr Mark McAuley occurred suddenly early this month. Born at Armoy, County Antrim, Ireland, in 1861, Mr McAuley, when 22 years of age, arrived at Port Chalmers by the sailing ship Trevelyan, after a voyage of 83 days. He proceeded to Clinton and was engaged on the Dunedin-Invercargill coach road. He later worked at Greenfield and Blackhills. His next move was to Tapanui Flat, and after two years there he was employed as a wagoner on the Broodsdale Estate, where he remained for 10 years, and when the estate was subdivided for further settlement in 1900 he acquired a section on which he resided up to the time of his death. Mr McAuley was a lover of animals, and was well known for his ability in handling and caring for horses and dogs. He took a keen interest in all affairs in the district, and was a member of all the local societies, in most of which, at some period, he had occupied the presidential chair. In 1902, Mr McAuley married Miss Emily Pinckney, who died in 1915. He is survived by three sons and one daughter.