OBITUARY.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXVI, Issue 3454, 5 November 1915, Page 2

OBITUARY.

END OF AN OLD RESIDENT.

There peacefully passed away yesterday at noon, at his residence, Thames Road, Paeroa, another of our old residents, in the person ot Mr Joseph Nathan, at the age ot 68 years. The end was somewhat sudden, though not unexpected. Just prior to his demise he received a telegram from Te Aroha to hold an inquest in connection with the unfortunate death of Mr Erenan, when almost immediately he expired.

Those who knew the deceased intimately could riot help observing that during the last few years he had been failing in health, but withall, he carried on his business, but not with the same vigour and enterprise as was his custom in days gone by.' About six years ago Mr Nathan bought a farm on Thames Road, and remained there up to the time of his death. He had been a resident of Paeioa for,upwards of twenty years, having come here trom Inglewood (Taranaki) and started in business as stationer arid tobacconist in premises close to the Criterion Theatre, which he had only recently relinquished owing to continued ill-health and his consequent inability to attend to it. A stern man, in some respects a hard man in business, yet, withall, Mr Nathan had many good qualities, and in various public capacities he had rendered marked service to the community. It. he took a cause in hand he was an unyielding fighter tor 'that*cause or principle which he considered was right, and nothing wouid alter any determination that happened to occupy his mind.^ Mi* Nathan cannot be described as a 1 successful business man, as public men go to-day : he spoke his mind too freely and bluntly to ever hope to attain that qualification ; but his earnestness : nevertheless won tor him a prominent position in public lite. - He was a Justice of the Peace, District Coroner, Returning Officer for the Electoral District ot Ohinemun, an ardent worker in the interest, of the volunteer movement, and was at one time captain ot his corps, 1 No. 2 Ohinemun Rifles ; he was also Chairman of the Committee of the Ohinemun Jockey Club, All these offices and more he held up to the time of his death. In his earlier life in Paeroa, he; was associated with numerous commercial transactions^ including the establishment' of the cooperative butchery, now owned by Mr Frank Ott. He at, one time held a seat on the Ohinemun County Council, x arid in many other ways had been identified with public affairs. ( Mr Nathan was a man of^education and ability, and, politically, was a keen supporter of the late Seddpn Government. "Prior to his declining health, Mr Nathan manifested an interest in the affairs ot the town;. Quite recently •he was compelled to have an operation performed upon one of his eyes )t which almost incapacitated him from carrying out his official duties with any degree ot assurance.; He occasionally drove to town, and one did not require t6 seek far to foretell thai his end was near, so that the passing away ot another old resident; in the person of Mr Joseph Nathan, has not altogether come as a surprise. We sincerely spmpatbise with the widow and family—three girls and one boy, the eldest being about 19 years of age. . ;