Donald Fraser; Ætat 85.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 40

Donald Fraser; Ætat 85.

One of tbfe early residents of Southland pass«d away on the 12th inst., in the person of Mr Donald Praser, who was wifchiu a few mouths of attaining tho age «f 85 years. Born near Inverness, Scotland, Mr Fraeer, like bis father before him, was a very successful farmer. The keen 'competition for land which Trs.B chars cberiqtic of tbe late fifties making a return ou capital invested" doubtful and tha conditions imposed ie3pecting game, whicb enabled landlords to secure a double rent, baiug obnoxious, decided him to seek a horxse in a new land, and he took passage for Dunedin with bis family in tbe ship Robert Henderson. To enable him to go on tbe land at once be brought with him a lot of agricultural implements, &o. Tbe Robert Henderson called ab the B!ufii to land some paaccngers, and as it seemed probable that she would bo detained for some fcimt) through bar eaiJors deserting her, Mr Fraser decided to go ashore there wilb bin family. Purchasing a cargo of horsea from Australia, be undertook a number cf small contract? for the Piovincial Government, and when thtsa were completed ha was deteriv d from going on tbe laud owing to the terrible state of the roads, due to tho heavy traffic to tbe goldfields during an unusually wet winter. Meantime several members of bis family obfc;;iued situations, and be decided to remain in Invercirgill, doing general carting work. About 17 years ago be purchased a small property near Gore, and settled there in his declining years. His wife after a prolonged illnes3 died about five nionlhs ago, and though up till that time ho was wonderfully hale and hearty for bis years, ho never recovered from big bereavement. He leaves a family of aeven, all grown up, bis eldest son being Mr John Fraser, of Mossburn (late of Fraser aud M'Lean), while another son is sub-editor of the Olago Daily Times. Tbe funeral took place on Wednesday, and was largely attended by tbe neighbouring settlers.

Mr George Munro, the well-known rcor.Hraental gculpSor, of Moray place, passed away on tbe 6bh insfc., at tha age of 62. Mr Munro was a Perthshire man, and arrived here in tba early sixties. He conducted a large business, and could not well give much time to public offices ; but it will be remembered by many of our readers thaft he served for a time both in the Dnnedin City Council and that of Caversham. Mr Munro was an ardent bowler, and for a time occupied the position of president of the St. Clair Club ; he was also an enthusiastic and successful angler. Twice he visited Great Britain and Italy in connection with bis business. Ib is no exaggeration to say that specimens of tbe work turned out of his premises may be found all over New Zealand from tbe Bluff to the Bay of Islands. In January of last year Mr Munro felt some concern about the state of bis health, and in May of that year he went on a trip to the Hot Springs and tuo South Sea Islands, but the change failed to benefit his health in any way. He returned to bis borne at St. Clair in July, and took to his bed almost immediately thereafter. Everything that careful nursing and

medical skill could do was tried, but without success. The funeral was largely repretentative, and the services were conducted by Mr Duncan Wright. He leaves a widow and two aons and six daughters to mourn their losd.