OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 26

OBITUARY.

Mr Percy Challis, who was widely known and respected in Invercargill, expired suddenly while chatting with a group of friends on August 19. For some 18 years Mr Challis was a member of the staff of the Borstal Institution, and about 18 months ago he resigned from the Prisons Department, and, with his brother, commenced in the business of florists, seedsmen, and landscape gardeners. He leaves a widow and three young sons. A Christchurch telegram announces the death of Mr Edward Charles Derry, aged 56 years, a single man, well known as a bandmaster, and formerly New Zealand champion cornet player. Mr Richard Dummigan, whose death occurred at his residence at Invercargill on August 18. was the oldest chemist in that town and probably in Southland. He was born at Girvan. Ayrshire, Scotland, and came to New Zealand in the ship Sevilla in 1864. He resided at Invercargill for over 60 years, and was for a long period dispenser to Mr Joseph Hatch, who established the first chemist’s business in Invercargill. Later he became dispenser to the United Friendly Societies and then went into business on his own account at Mataura and Bluff. For the past 10 years he had lived in retirement.

Mr Charles Falconer, who passed away at East Gore on August 18 at the age of 75 years, was a native of Glenkilerie, Perthshire, Scotland. He arrived at Port Chalmers in the ship Wellington in 1873. He worked for a time at Milton, and later on at Edendale, and then on his father’s farm (Mr Thomas Falconer, Ardlebank, East Chatton). In 1888 he purchased a farm at Merino Downs, which he worked very successfully until about 20 years ago, when he sold out and retired to live at Gore, where he had resided ever since. Mr Falconer was best known as an authority on stock, and his knowledge of the ailments of stock (both horses and cattle) proved very useful. He never married. The death of Mrs Louisa A. J. Chilman at the age of 75 years occurred recently in Invercargill (says the Southland Times). Mrs Chilman, who was the eldest daughter of Captain Clare, harbour master, Invercargill, arrived in Invercargill when 10 years old. and at the age of 25 was married to Mr Edward Chilman, then of the Customs Department at Lyttelton and Wellington and afterwards collector at Hokitika. Her husband predeceased her some 29 years ago when Mrs Chilman returned to Invercargill, where she spent the remainder of her days. In the very early days the deceased was an active member of St. John's Church, being a member of the choir and a Sunday school teacher. She retained her interest in church matters throughout her long life. There were six daughters and three sons, five of whom live to mourn the death of their mother. Two sons were killed during the war.

An old resident of Caversham passed away on Friday in the person of Mr Cornelius Payne Bird at the age of 92 years. The deceased came to New Zealand in the sailing ship the Earl of Zetland over 53 years ago. Born in Tottenham Court road, London, in 1836, Mr Bird started his apprenticeship as a white-smith at the very early age of 10 years in the employ of his father. He finally made up his mind to emigrate to New Zealand, and landed at Port Chalmers in 1874. As his trade was very dull in Dunedin, Mr Bird held minor positions until he joined the firm of Barningham and Co., and later the well-known firm of Shacklock’s, with which he was associated for approximately 20 years. He resided in Caversham for practically the whole of his 53 years’ residence in New Zealand. Mrs Bird predeceased her husband some 36 years ago. and he is survived by two daughters, Mrs List and Mrs Grant, and one son, Mr C. R. Bird, all of Caversham. Mr Richard Seddon Cunliffe died at his home in Fitzherbert street, Petone, on August 25. Mr Cunliffe was born in Greymouth in 1866. and was a nephew of Mr R. J. Seddon. He served his apprenticeship as a printer on the Greymouth Star, after -which he went to Wellington and was employed in the Government Printing Office. • He was a 'past president, of the Petone Working Men’s Club and held the office of past district president in the Druids’ Lodge. He is survived by a widow and one soft (Mr R. F. Cunliffe, of Lower Hutt) and one daughter (Mrs J. O’Sullivan, of Auckland) . A link with the early history of the Hokianga district has been broken by the death of Mr Thomas Lumsden Millar,

aged 81 years (says the Auckland Star). A son of the late Captain John Millar, the deceased was born at Whitehouse, Leith, Scotland, in 1847. He came to New Zealand in the ship Caribou in 1862, landing at Dunedin. Mr Millar worked on the Otago and West Coast goldfields for some years. He joined the Post and Telegraph Department in 1874, and remained in that service until retiring on superannuation in 1914. Mr Millgr was appointed to take charge of the Rawene Post Office when it was opened in 1876, the first telegraph office in the Hokianga district. In 1882 Mr Millar married Marion, third daughter of the late Captain Clendon, R.N., who was then resident magistrate of the district. After his retirement he took up farming at Harcha. RIFLEMAN M. HEALEY. D.C.M. The constantly-recurring anniversaries of the outbreak of the Great War and the few days of national mourning that have found their way on to the calendar as the result of that terrible period are about the only reminders the average person has of the days when civilisation seemed to be tottering. Almost a decade and a-half has elapsed since the world was plunged into the awful holocaust that raged in Europe for four years, but the rising generation knows little of those stressful times. Reminders, pathetic and moving, crop up from time to time, however, and provide food for serious reflection. Such a one is provided in the announcer ment of the death at the Dunedin Hospital on Wednesday of Rifleman Maurice Healey, 24/186, D.C.M., at the age of 46 years. Thousands of men who fell in the war have been revered for having paid the supreme sacrifice, but the circumstances surrounding the death of this soldier hint the question -whether, after all, death in action in the thick of battle is really the great sacrifice. For three years Rifleman Healey served in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade on various fronts with conspicuous gallantry, being wounded on more than one occasion, but always returning to the seat of war. The Armistice came, and in due course he was invalided home, a physical wreck, unable ever again to resume his pre-war life and occupation—a gallant man doomed to a living death in soldiers’ hospitals throughout the Dominion. For 10 years he struggled with the weakness and infirmity that were his heritage from the war. His family and those of the medical pi fession who attended him dui ing that long period of suffering mention with praise the indomitable courage and will to live that urged him in his fight against Nature. And after 10 long years of suffering he paid what must be accounted the greatest sacrifice of ail. His conduct in France earned him a decoration in the form of the Distinguished Conduct Medal. How this was won is best described in the following extract from the fifth supplement to the London Gazette, dated January 14, 1919: “ His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of , the Distinguished Conduct Medal to the under-mentioned private for gallantry and distinguished service in the field: — “ 24/186. Private M. Healey, N.Z. Rifle Brigade. For most conspicuous gallantry dur. ing the attack on the enemy positions near Gouzeaucourt on September 12, 1918. “ He was one of a patrol which pushed on after the capture of the objective to the position held by 7 the enemy support company, 800 yards in front of our line. During the attack on the enemy support company he was placed in a most dangerous position, where, though isolated from the rest of the patrol, he carried on the fight alone, killing 10 of the enemy with bayonet and bullet and wounding an officer who appeared to be fo high rank. “ His fine work was largely responsible for the surrender of those of the enemy company alive.” Mr Healey is survived by two sisters and a brother, all of whom are resident in Dunedin. On their shoulders fell the burden of caring for the frail piece of humanity that is only one of hundreds of similar tragedies of the World War. Since his return to New Zealand the late Mr Healey had been a patient in practically every soldiers’ hospital and convalescent home in the Dominion, and for a long period he was an inmate of the Montecillo Home.