DEATH OF MR THOMAS PATERSON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3239, 12 April 1916, Page 28

DEATH OF MR THOMAS PATERSON.

There died in Duuedin, on March 20. Mr Thomas Paterson, a comparatively early settler of New Zealand. Mr Paterson was born 72 years ago in the parish of Wamphray, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. After attending- the parish- school of his native place, he entered Edinburgh University, and there distinguished himself in the mathematical and Greek classes. Having completed his college studies, he sailed for New Zealand, and arrived in Auckland in 1865. Shortly afterwards he was placed in charge of a school in the Hawke's Bay province. There he taught till the Poverty liay massacres of 1863. At that time To Kooti and his horde of Maori followers scoured the countryside, burning the dwel-ling-houses of the white population and murdering old and young without discrimination. As Mr Paterson's school district was in the vicinity of these atrocities many of the settlers left their hemes for places of greater safety. Mr Paterson then came south to fill an appointment in the Kaihiku School, in the Clutha electorate, the district where his brothe", Mr Matthew' Paterson —afterwards county engineer for the Clutha —resided. In Ka'ihiku Mr Paterson was very successful in preparing his advanced pupils for University matriculation. One of his most distinguished scholars was the late Mr Peter Hay, who was Engineer-in-chief of the Dominion at the time of _ his premature death. Mr Hay went straight from Mr Paterson's school to the University, and at the end of the first session came out head and shoulders above all the others in the college in mathematics. In 1874Mr Paterson relinquished teaching to enter business in Balclutha as an accountant and commission agent. He also held the position of town clerk of the borough for about a score of years, and for a period that of registrar of electors and returning officer of the Clutha district. Some years ago Mr Paterson gave up business in Balclutha and went to live with his son, Mr James Paterson, a well-known farmer in the Wendonside district. Mr Paterson's end came somewhat suddenly while on a visit to friends in the city, resulting from a paralytic stroke, to which he succumbed on the second day of thp seizure. Mr Paterson was married, while in Balclutha, to Annie, fourth daughter of Mr Peter Chirk, of Mossburn, near Clinton. That lady died in early life, leaving a very young familv of three sons and a daughter. The sr-cond son. Clark, died on reaching manhood, and the other members of the family are at present in various nosit'ons in Otago.