OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 61

OBITUARY.

me ssage announces the death or Mr E. H. Bisley, formerly of the wellknown firm of Bisley Bros. Deceased for many years was very prominent in business and farming circles. He was 71 years of age. Death has claimed another of the early settlers in the person of Mrs Celia Milner who passed away on January 2 at her residence, “Park Farm,” ?L-rth Taieri in her eighty-seventh year. The late Mrs Milner was born in Wiltsli e, England and emigrated to Australia, arrivingin Victoria in 1856. After her rnar°lpfF°f V 1559 0- Sb i® and her hus band left for New Zealand, their final port being Dunedin, where they remained for NA^ l V’ me '- E . ventuall y they settled at nnHWl. Ta l ?r1 ’ W p h t re ¥ rs Milner raided until the time of her death. Of a family survi’v e ’ tW ° S ° nS and tbrCe dau a ht ers

There passed away on December 28 at his residence Bush road, Mosgiel, one of th© most well-known and highly respected residents of that town in ’the person of Mr David Owens. Mr Owens was born in Cardigan, South Wales, in 1861. During the 48 years he resided in Mosffiel he won the esteem of a wide circle of friends on the Taieri. For over 40 years he was closely associated with the Baptist Church and at the time of his death he held the office of elder and Sunday school superinleudent. A very large concourse of mourners followed, his remains to the East laieri Cemetery, where the interment took ?nrT' i S !i at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. R. Robertson. The deceased leaves a widow, eight daughters, and two sons.

the death of Mr George Murdoch at his home at Mayfield records the loss of one of Canterbury’s early pioneers, and one who had been a valuable settler in the Counl y over a period of more than 50 years. He was in his eightv-first fn a i«47 B °\ r f n Vi Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1847, Mr Murdoch came to the Dominion, landing at Dunedin in 1869 After spending a year and a-half on the Taieri irlains, he spent some time croppin" bv contract m Oamaru, and later took up farming activities at Timaru. H e first settled in the Ashburton County over 50 years ago, when he took up land at Rakaia and Chertsey, and two years later at Launston and Lyndhurst. Mr Murdoch acquired the freehold of the Mayfield estate, consisting of 4600 acres about 20 years ago wnen most of the country was in its natural state, and successfully farmed the holding, eventually settling most of it among his sons. The late Mr William Isbister whose, funeral took place on the Sth at Port Chalmers, landed at Carey’s Bay witn his parents from Williamstown. Victoria. i n being then about y ears o|r L A 1 * age he entered the Postal Department at Port Chalmers, under the late Mr F. G. Downes, then postmaster there. He retired .'rom the service in January, 1914, on superannuation. During his 40 years’ employment in the department Mr Isbister' fil'ed various important positions, viz., money order clerk at Dunedin; relieving postmaster, Otago district; postmaster at Rotorua and Napier, and later at the Chief Post Office, Auckland, from where he was transferred to the G.P.0., Wellington. His next appointment, was that of mail agent in the ’’Frisco service, in which capacity he acted f or 14 years, travelling in the Zealandia, Australia, Sonoma, Mariposa. Moana, and others. He was subsequently appointed inspector of post offices, and did duty both in the North and South Islands, and latterly was inspector for the Otago and Southland districts, which position he held until his retirement. Mr Isbister was a strict disciplinarian, his motto be ’ ng » “ f ,bo y ou gLness and loyalty to duty,” but his fairness and justice caused him to. be honoured and respected by his subordinates and his efficiency and attention to duty were duly recognised by the authorities.. Being of a kindhearted and sympathetic disposition, Mr Isbister was responsible for many acts of generosity

and chanty these being extended wiVi. out ostentation. H e will be genuinely missed by many old friends ' J ,lA Mel ?°2L rne cable gr a m announces tbe death at the age of 76, of Mr Joseph ktemiberg, who was known as the father of the Legislative Council. News received by the la st mail from the East states that Mr H. Downie, formerly of South Dunedin, died on board i' V S x e^ me iV M abl d°h on November 15 L.st. Mr Downie was manager of the Satupulo No Liability Tin Company, Takuapa, Siam, and was on his way to Penang for treatment for malaria.’ ft Z J at ,° Mr B° wnle "'as educated at tlffi Forbury School, and was apprenticed to Messrs J. Sparrow and Sons, engineers Dunedin. He assisted in the construction of the longest bridge on the Otago Central line, and also in placing several dredges on the river at Alexandra He was subsequently chief dredgemaster on several of them. He also took over to Australia several dredges for erection. Inc deceased was later dredgemaster of the tin mines in Tasmania, and from there went to the East, where he was employed in tin dredging just prior to his death. The deceased’s father, Mr John Downie, resides at South Dunedin

AIR W. H. P. FLEMING. Through the death at Invercargill of Mr William Herbert Pollock Fleming at the comparatively early age of 46, Southland loses one of its most enthusiastic admirers and most loyal supporters, while the two principal towns of Southland, Invercargill and Gore, lose on e who spared neither time nor money in their advancement commercially, industrially, and aesthetically. The deceased was the second son of Mr Thomas Fleming, who now resides in Timaru, but who was for a great many years one of Southland's lea°ding business men, and the founder of the firm of Fleming and Co. The late Mr Fleming received his education at the Invercargill Central School and at the Southland Boys’ High School. In 1900 he entered the firm of Fleming and Co. at Invercargill, and in his three years there he acquired a most intimate knowledge of all aspects of the milling business. Going to Gore, in 1903, to manage the company’s branch there Mr Fleming infused so much energy into his work and displayed so much business acumen that the mills developed with surprising rapidity, and stand to-day as a monument to successful industry and to the enterprise of one of Southland’s sons. The lat® Mr Fleming was never content with out-of-date methods, with the result that he made a study of all that modern science has achieved in the mechanical world, and never hesitated to equip the mills with. th e most up-to-date machinery. It was not surprising, therefore, that on their recent visit Mr L. S. Amery’s associates should have expressed astonishment at the magnificent equipment of Gore’s chief landmark. A few months ago Mr Fleming returned to Invercargill to managa the branch, his brother, Mr Andrew Fleming, assuming the management of th e Gora business. During his residence at Gore and invercargill Mr Fleming did not serve on local bodies, but hi s interest in the welfare of those towns and of the province was as intense as his loyalty, enthusiasm, and progressiveness could make it. Ha had an innate love of the beautiful, and in many ways this all too rare trait jf his found practicalv expression. Gore owes a lot to his advocacy of a city beautiful. Invercargill would have had equal cause to be grateful had he lived, for on any occasion on which a suggestion to improve the capital has been mooted no warmer supporter was forthcoming than the late Mr Fleming. In another practical way his interest manifested itself, for to him must be ascribed much of tha credit for the donation of the Fleming Cup, a valuable trophy awarded to tha Southland dairy factory most successful and diligent in the beautifying of he grounds surroundin" its headquarters. As the outcome of this competition many of the dairy factories throughout the province are now endowed with most beautiful surroundings. Mr Fleming was always very confident that there was a great future for aviation, and he was prominently associated with the New Zealand Aviation Company. He was one of the first New Zealanders to enjoy long pleasure trips in an aeroplane. He crossed from Bluff to Stewart Island in the early davs of the company, and later made a flight from Bluff to “Auckland and back. As an athlete Mr Fleming gained distinction in several branches of sport. He was a keen rower and had the honour of being in the New Zealand champion four in the contest decided at Waihola in 1904. As a footballer ne will be remembered by many Gore and Invercargill players who took the fie'd early this century. Since his retirement from active participation in sport he had held office on many sporting _odies in Gore. Both during the war and during, the influenza epidemic Mr Fleming showed himself a generous and sympathetic citizen. On patriotic societies and on relief committees he was an indefatigable worker.

Early this year Air Fleming was involved in a tragic motor accident at Riverton, when not only did he receive severe injuries himself but his daughter Phyllis was killed instantly. The effect of these injuries and the great shock consequent on the loss of his daughter seriously impaired his health, and were no doubt contributing factors to his untimely death. : Mr Fleming is survived by one daughter. Miss Doris Fleming.