OBITUARY

Otago Witness, Issue 3823, 21 June 1927, Page 25

OBITUARY

The journalistic profession has lost an able and greatly esteemed member in Mr John Hardcastle, sub-editor of the Timaru Herald, whose death occurred at Timaru suddenly on Sunday, June 12. The deceased was apparently in the best of health up to the time of his seizure. He had ' been connected with the Timaru Herald staff for 48 years. He acted as ed’tor of the South Canterbu/y Times for several years, and also for a time filled the editorial chair of the Timaru Herald. Prior to taking up his position on the Herald, Mr Hardcastle was engaged on newspaper work in Napier. His ability . and conscientiousness as a reporter, and ; his fine manly nature, made him wellknown and highly respected among all ■ sections of the community. For the past four years he had been living in retirement, but he could never quite estrange himself from the work which had occupied so many of the best years of his life. Mr Hardcastle is survived by three sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Mr Harry Hardcastle, is a special writer on the Wellington Evening Post; his second son, I Mr John Hardcastle, is associate editor | of the New Zealand Herald; and his third ; son, Mr Allan Hardcastle, is a member of the reporting staff of the Wellington Evening Post. The daughters, Miss Daisy Hardcastle (now Mrs Squire) and Miss Dorothy Hardcastle. M.A. (now Mrs Wooding), both reside in the northern part of South Canterbury. Prior to her j marriage Miss Dorothy Hardcastle was on the teaching staff of the Timaru Girls’ High School. A . Melbourne cablegram announces the death of Mr M. K. Al'Kenzie. a former member of the State Legislative Assembly and at one time Minister of Lands. Tho death occurred on Thursday of Private Albert William Fountain, second son of Mr A. Fountain, of Macandrew | Bay. The deceased was born at Roslyn, and was educated at the Clyde School. He was employed in Dunedin when war broke out, | and enlisted with the Main Body, New Zea- ! land Expeditionary Force. He was seriously wounded while on active service, and was I invalided to New Zealand permanentlv dis- ’ abled. He was an inmate of the Monte- j cillo Convalescent Red Cross Home lor some time. , I Under lonely circumstances the death occurred, of a widow named Ema Curtis, * aged 60. who had been living by herself j in a whare at Te Hapara for a number ; of years. A visitor to the whare found Mrs Curtis in an unconscious condition. She was conveyed to the hospital, where she died. The death occurred on Friday evening of Mr W. W. Pennycuick, secretary of the St. Kilda Municipal Band, in his 50tli year. He was admitted to the Hospital on Wednesday night suffering from a serious internal complaint. He was operated on immediately, but gradually sank. The deceased had been a member of the St. Kilda Band for the past five years, and had held the position of secretary for most of that .time. He was previously - a member of tho Kaikorai Band. He was a very active, prominent, and popular member, and his untimely death will be keenlv felt by the members of both bands. Following a seizure about a week ago. the death occurred rather unexpectedly on Friday night of Mr F. L. Ayson, late inspector of fisheries (states a message front Wellington). The late Mr Ayson was born in Otago 72 years ago, and after a few years at public schools in the province he started farming at an early age. As a boy he always took a deep interest in fisheries, and subsequently joined the Government service as a curator of trout hatcheries. From these beginnings he rapidly rose to the position of chief inspector of sea fisheries. He lias made several trips to America on behalf of the Government in connection with the development of New Zealand’s hatcheries; He represented the Government during the extensive trawling operations carried out by the Nora Niven off the New Zealand coast and the Chatham Islands. For many years he had been recognised as one of the leading authorities in the Dominion on fisheries, and his death has removed a valuable officer from the public service. Captain Charles Alexander Watchlih, a well-known seafaring man, concluded his last watch on June 12, having spent most of his 80 years on the oceans of the world. . He died at his son’s residence at Cheltenham (Auckland). For the best part of 50 years he had sailed around the coasts of New Zealand. The Burden of increasing years latterly prevented him from going to sea. He slipped on a steel deck of a hulk, and so injured himself that he was unable to crawl to shelter. He - lay a whole day exposed to the weather until a gang of Harbour Board employees discovered him, and rescued him from his plight. The accident was the immediate cause of the captain’s death. Captain Watchlin arrived in New Zealand in 1866, before the days of steamships, and his narratives of his experiences of windjammers included his service in command of the Forest Queen, Falcon, Creighton Lass, Glencairn, and the Herald. As the coal-powered boats drove the sailing vessels off the seas, the captain took over steamers and service in the Union Steam Ship Company’s boats Manawatu and Moa. He also, had a period of command on one of the first steamers controlled by the New Zealand • Government, the Luna. Australian papers record tho death “at Melbourne of Mr R. J. Alcock, who was

a . director of the Roval Bank, managing director of the Mercantile Mutual lire Insurance Company, and a member of tho, advisory board of the Merchants’ Marino! Insurance Company of London. The death occurred on Sunday at his residence, 38 Russell street, of Mr John Cooke, a member of the firm of Mcssrli Cooke and Matthews, printers, street. The deceased had been in failing" health for the past 12 months. Air Cook took a keen interest in various branches of sport and was an enthusiastic member of the Otago Bowling Club. At Palmerston North, on June 2, there passed quietly away one of the oldest, best known, and most highly respected, pioneers of the Manawatu district in the person of Air John Wingate, at the age of 85 years. Air Wingate came to New Zealand from England in the year 1875, and had lived in the Alanawatu district ever since. He was a prominent figure in the fanning community, being one of the first members of the A. and P. Association. He was also a justice of the peace. During his residence in Longburn tlbe late Mr Wingate took a great interest in politics, both local and national. He was an ardent supporter of the Reform Party and a keen prohibitionist. He also took a great interest in school work, and was chairman of the Longburn School Committee for many years. The funeral took place at Palmerston North, and was very largely attended, showing the respect in which the deceased was held. There are left to mourn their loss the aged widow, two daughters, and four sons. Th,? daughters are Miss Wingate (Palmerston North) and Airs J. Taylor (Musselburgh. Dunedin), aid the sons are Messrs J. R. Wingate (Napier). J. E. Wingate (Pohangina), H. Wingate (Longburn), and F. Wingate (Opotiki). There is also a number of grandchildren.

ARCHDEACON DEVOY

WELLINGTON, June 14. The funeral of the Ven. Archdeacon. Dcvoy, S.AL, took place this morning at the Karori cemetery. A huge overflowing congregation gathered at the church of St. Mary of the Angels, where solemn pontifical requiem mass was celebrated by Archbishop O’Shea, Monsignor M’Kenna officiating as assistant priest, with the Rev. : Dean Holley as deacon, Father Kelly as sub-deacon, and Dr Casey, master of ceremonies. The musical part of the. service was carried out by St. Patrick’s choir, under the conductorship of the Rev. Fathet I Kimball, presiding at the organ. Among those present were Archbishop Redwood, Bishop Brodie, of Christchurch, representatives of the various religious orders of tho several. Roman Catholic schools and of tho Hibernian Society, members of the lastnamed acting as pall-bearers. An eloquent and feeling funeral oration was delivered by his Grace Archbishop Redwood, who stated that from his babyhood in Queen’s County, Ireland, to his death at a ripe old age in New Zealand, the late Archdeacon had spent a holy and most meritorious life. He was a model as a Marist and as a Driest, and they could sav of him, “his works d o follow him.”' He had set a noble example to both the laity and the priesthood. During his nearly , 50 years as a priest in New Zealand he had celebrated some 18.C60 masses. There was a lengthy funeral procession,and as the cortege moved off large crowd* lined the streets. There was als o a great gathering at the graveside at the Karoii' cemetery.

BURIAL OF AIAORI CHIEFTAIN. ' CHRISTCHURCH, June 15. ' The remains of the late chief, Hone, were laid to rest at the little cemetery of the Ngaituahuriri tribe at Rapaki this afternoon. The church bell hung on the historic tree tolled gently, and the wailing of the women in a minor key, sad but musical, rose and fell, and the last rays of a winter sun shone down on the gathering of Aladris and pakehas who' had gathered to do homage to the last of a great chieftain. Alaoris to the number of nearly 300, from all parts of New Zealand, were present at the tar. 1, which, was commenced on Saturday, and the large number of pakehas present at the funeral was testimony of the very great respect in which the late chief was held by all. During the tangi the body was laid out in the centre of the meeting hall. A beautiful kakahu (mat), a present from the Ngatihuirapa tribe at Temuka, draped the coffin, and was later placed over it in the grave. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. Air Shaw, of Governor’s Bay, the late Air Tikao having been a licensed lay reader of the Church of England for many years. . Prior to the funeral a. short service was conducted in the meeting hall. Hymns in Maori were sung at both services.