OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3868, 1 May 1928, Page 48

OBITUARY.

With the passing of Mr George T, Steel last week the Gore district has lost one of its oldest pioneers (says the Southland Times). Mr Steel was a native of Brechin, Forfarshire, Scotland, where he was born 75 yjjai’B ago. When a young man he left his native heath for New Zealand, arriving at Port Chalmers in the sailing ship Auckland on October 12, 1873. He first settled at Waikouaiti, where he worked for the Latham family. He removed to Gore with that family in 1877, and for some time worked at Gore, He assisted the late Mr Thomas Latham in building the East Gore Presbyterian Church in 1881. Later Mr Steel worked for other settlers in the district, and he then joined the railway surface staff, with headquarters at the siding at M‘Nab, He purchased a small farm on which he resided up to a few weeks ago. The deceased retired from the railway service about 15 years ago. He leaves two sons and five daughters. One son, John, made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War, and another. Archie, died shortly after arriving home as the result of war service. A New Plymouth telegram states that Mr Percy Edward Marchant, aged 40, a blacksmith at Rohotu, was found dead in his bed on Wednesday night. He was an Imperial soldier and one of the Old Contemptibles. TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES. The tragic death of Arthur Major, aged 21, eldest son of C. T. Major, late headmaster of King s College, Mangere, was recorded in a private telegram received in Auckland on Friday night. Mr Major was taking part in the autumn muster on Glenmore Station, which is owned by his uncle, Mr George Murray, a well-known South Canterbury sheep farmer. Glenmore Station is in the rugged, precipitous hinterland bevond Fairlie, in the MacKenzie Country.* A message from Timaru stated that Mr Major slipped when descending a rocky gully, and his body was found some time later with the neck broken. Those who have visited Braemar and Glenmore Stations realise the hazaidous nature of musterer’s work in that mountainous country, and news of the untimely end of the young man, who excelled in that work,” will be received with deep regret by a large number of people in Auckland and elsewhere. Educated at King’s College, Mr Major was popular among his school fellows. A good all round performer, ha was for two years captain of the King’s College cricket eleven, and was lawn tennis champion in 1924-25. As a boy he was a promising golfer. On leaving college Mr Major went south to his uncle’s sheep station, where he remained until his sudden death last week.