OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 4085, 28 June 1932, Page 22

OBITUARY.

MRS ELIZABETH JANE SOUTH. The death occurred at the Timaru Hospital of Mrs Elizabeth Jane South. Mrs South was born at Mosgiel 26 l ' years ago, and was the daughter of Mr and Mrs A. Rankin, of Mosgiel. The deceased was educated at the North Taieri School. After leaving school she took up a position in Dunedin. Later, she received an appointment to the Dunedin Hospital nursing staff, a position she held till an accident from a fall incapacitated her from resuming her duties at the hospital. Six years ago she took up her residence at Orari. Three years ago she was married at the North Taieri Presbyterian Church to Mr Norman South, of Winchester. The deceased was always willing to help in time of sickness. MRS W. A. TODD. Mrs W. A. Todd, who died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs H. Purvis (Mosgiel), was one of the fast-diminish-ing band of early settler poineers. She was born at Roslyn, near Edinburgh, in 1844, and in 1855 arrived in Otago with her parents. Mr and Mrs Thomas Henderson, in the Gil Blas. They settled on a farm in the Taieri for a short time, and then moved to “ Hcnderland,” Herbert. In 1565 the deceased was mar Tied to Mr William A. Todd, of “ Willow Acre,” East Taieri, and resided there for practically all her married life. She was of a quiet, retiring disposition, and was very highly respected by all who knew her. Her husband, who came to Otago in the Simla in 1851, died about 11 years ago. She is survived by one son, eight daughters, 21 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. THE REV. JOHN HOBBS. The Rev. John Hobbs, the first vicar of Hastings, died at his home on the evening of Saturday, June IS. He was born in 1851, in India, where his father was engaged in missionary work under the Church Missionary Society. At the age of 20 he went from Mauritius, where his father was then stationed, to England, ’ entering St. Augustine’s College, Canterbury, to study for the church. He took holy orders three years later, and at the age of 24 came to New Zealand. He was ordained at Dunedin in 1876, and became vicar of the parish of Naseby in 1877, In 1880 he held a similar position at Gladstone, and from 1883 to 1800 was vicar of Gore. In 1890 Mr Hobbs went to Hastings, and became the vicar of that parish. He resigned in 1910 on account of ill-health, and from that date until 1926 was in charge of several North Island parishes at different times, these including Te Puke, Terrace End (Palmerston North), and Wanganui West. He returned to Hastings in 1926, and, although living in official retirement, was instrumental in founding St. Barnabas Church, Parkvale. continuing in active association with this church up to the time of his death. MRS ELIZABETH J. BEGG. The death occurred at her residence, Selwyn street, North-East Valley, on Tuesday, of Mrs Elizabeth Johnston Begg, widow of Mr John Begg, at the age of 84 years. Mrs Begg, with her husband and a young family, came to Otago on the ship Auckland in 1879, and settled at North-East Valley. After residing there for about two years they moved to Sawyers' Bay, where they remained for about six years before returning to North Dunedin, where Mrs Begg had lived until the time of her death. Mrs Begg always took a keen interest in educational matters, and she was among the first ladies, if not actually the first, to take a seat on a Dunedin school committee. She also acted upon the executive committee of the local branch of the School Committees’ Association. Mrs Begg was, for many years, a member of the Moray Place Congregational Church, and she took a prominent part in the activities of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. During the term of office as Mayor of Dunedin of her eldest son, Mr William Begg, Mrs Begg acted as Mayoress, the most notable occasion during this time being the visit of the Prince of Wales, in 1920. She was predeceased by her husband about 28 years ago and she is survived by four daughters and four sons. The daughters are Mrs J. Lorimer (Christchurch), Misses M. K. Begg and M. V. Begg (Dunedin) and Miss Jean Begg, who is national secretary for the Y.W.C.A in India. The sons are Messrs William, Thomas, Hugh and Oliver J. Begg, all of Dunedin; MR JOHN ELLISON M’LEAN. The death occurred at his residence, 172 Dundas street, on Wednesday morning of Mr John Ellison M’Lean, at the age of 59 years. Mr M‘Lean was born in Manchester, England, in 1873, and he came to New Zealand with his parents on the ship Taranaki in 1879. The family settled in Outram, where Mr M’Lean received his education, and he came to Dunedin in 1896 to learn the trade of tailoring with Messrs W. Aitken and Son. Before leaving Outram, Mr AULcan was a member of the Outram Brass Band, in which he played the cornet. When he became a resident of Dunedin he joined the Engineers’ Band, of which he remained a member until it disbanded in the nineties, and he then joined the Southern Brass Band, and played the cornet in that organisa-

tion until it also went out of existence. Early in the present century he became a member of the Kaikorai Band as a baritone player, and he later took up trombone playing. He was solo trombonist in this band when it won the New Zealand championship in the international contest at the New Zealand Exhibition at Christchurch in 1906. At the time of his death he was in business in the tailoring trade with his brothers in Stuart street. Mr M’Lean is survived by his widow and a family of four—two sons and two daughters. The daughters are Mrs E. Campion and Miss Rena M’Lean (Dunedin), and the sons are Messrs C. J. E. M’Lean (Auckland) and Alan M’Lean (Dunedin). He is also survived by his brothers, Messrs Frederick, Thomas, William, and Roderick M’Lean.

MR TUITI MAKITANARA. WELLINGTON,-June 24. The death occurred at Levin to-night of Mr Tuiti Makitanara, parliamentary representative of the southern Maori electorate. He was 58 years of age. Mr Makitanara was first elected to Parliament in 1928, when he gained the Southern Maori seat in the interests of

the United Party by one vote. In the general election in 1931 he stood as the official Coalition candidate, and was again successful. He was born at Havelock in 1874, and educated at the Canvastown School. He took up farming in Marlborough, and later moved to Levin. There lie continued as a farmer and also as a Native land agent. In this latter capacity he represented Maori interests in some of rhe most important land negotiations between Maori and pakeha. MRS R. W. BROWN. Mrs R. W. Brown, who passed awav suddenly at her home, 65 Holly road, Christchurch, was the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert Wil son, of George street, Dunedin, where she was born. She received her education in Dunedin, and was a well-known and much-respected old High School girl. In ISS6 she was married in Knox Church to Mr R. W. Brown by the Rev. Dr Stuart. Shortly after her marriage she and her husband went to Australia, where they remained for about five years. They then returned to New Zealand, and made their home in Christchurch. The deceased was of a kind and genial disposition, and was well known and much respected by all who knew her. As a member of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Christchurch, she took a warm personal interest in it, and in everything connected with it. MRS GRIFFITHS. The death of Mrs Griffiths, which occurred at Balclutha North on Saturday, has removed from the community the last of the passengers who came out to New Zealand in the John Wickliffe, which arrived at Port Chalmers on March 23, 1848. Her parents—Mr and Mrs W. A. Mosley—brought with them a family of three girls, of whom Elizabeth (subequently Mrs Griffiths) was the second eldest. She was three years old when she arrived in this country. “I can remem-

ber,” said Mrs Griffiths a few years ago, “ that we had a white cow and her calf on board the vessel, but the cow died and was buried at sea somewhere about the Canary Islands. We had school on

board every day, and it was attended by the children, irrespective of age.”

Mrs Griffiths’s first home in New Zea land was at Halfway Bush, where her father erected a big, round tent, in which the family lived for five years. During that period Mr Mosley went to Waikouaiti on foot to procure some cows from Mr John Jones, and before returning to Halfway- Bush he learned to milk

The first winter experienced by .Mrs Griffiths in Otago was a very severe one. Snow lay round the family tent, or home, as it was then, to the depth of the children's knees. A calf which was given to her by her father was frozen to death in the snow. A neighbour, Mr Lewis, was lost in the snow while looking for cattle. Mr Mosley and others went out to search for him, but he had died from exposure before he was found next day. The school which the Mosley family attended was conducted by Miss Dunlop. On one occasion Air Valpy, of Green Island, gave a fete to all the school children, and sent bullock drays to convey- them to the place where the picnic was held. Mrs Griffiths and her elder sister received permission to attend the picnic in company with a neighbour named Mr Hepburn. When Mrs Griffiths saw that all the drays were full and that some of the children were made sick through the vehicles going over rocks and stones up hill and down dale she would not go in a dray, preferring to walk. The result was that she trudged all the way to Green Island and back alongside Mr Hepburn. Before they got home tiiey heard the eooee of Mr Mosley as he was going through the bush to meet them. Shortly after this Mr Mosley sold out to Mr Hepburn, and purchased land at Inch Clutha, where some members of the family still reside. The cattle were sent overland, and they swam the rivers. Mr Mosley then chartered the schooner En deavour to take the family round to Port Molyneux. After rounding tiie Nuggets and spending 28 days.at sea the captain could not find a place to land, and he had to return to Otago Heads, where the family were conveyed from the schooner by a whale boat and taken to a Maori whare. The Maoris were very good to them, giving them the best whare in the settlement. “We stayed with them for nearly a fortnight.” said Airs Griffiths a few years ago. The next incident in Airs Griffiths's life was the transport of the Alosley family to Dunedin by a Maori chief named Kia Kora in a whale boat, which was almost capsized during a heavy storm in the course of the trip. The party arrived at the beach in Dunedin in the dark, feeling cold and hungry, but fortunately Air Mosley was able to procure for them some carrot soup and a loaf of bread from some men who kept a “ footer,” a kind of store built on piles as a protection against the depredations of rats. The Alaoris started on the return voyage to the heads on a Sunday morning in spite of Air Alosley’s protest, which was made in view of the fact that the gale was still raging. The trip was attended by disaster, as the boat was found bottom upwards afterwards, and later on the bodies of Kia Kora and his sons were found. The Alosley family sat near the beach all night. The next day Mr Alosley went to Air Valpy, from whom he borrowed two bullocks, a sledge, and a man to act as driver. The family then set out on an overland journey to Inch Clutha. The trip occupied nearly a week. The first night was spent at APAlaster’s, somewhere on the south side of Saddle Hill. The Taieri River was crossed in a boat which Air Alosley had procured and behind which the bullocks swam. Mrs Alosley and her six children, the youngest of whom was onlj- six weeks old, were then placed in the sledge and the journey was resumed. Alany a jolt was experienced, especially when the bullocks jumped the creeks instead of wading through them.

By the time the Tokomairiro Plain was reached drizzling rain from the sea descended upon the party. Night was creeping on and not a house was to be seen. The head of the family had a tomahawk with him, and with this he chopped down some cabbage trees for shelter, placing them crosswise and upwards over the sledge. Air Alosley and the sledge driver walked about all'night to keep themselves warm, while the other members of the party sought shelter under the improvised cover. Notwithstanding the fact that they and the blankets were wet they soon fell asleep, with the exception of Airs Alosley. Their breakfast next morning consisted of dry bread and a drink of cold water from the swollen creek close by. Air Mosley then carried the family one by one on his back over the creek, which had risen to a height past his waist. When it came to his wife’s turn he nearly slipped, but he managed to get everyone across safely. The next stage of the journey took the family to Lovell’s Flat, where they were fortunate enough to find a man building a house with slabs, and they spent the night there. The next day’s journey took them to the Clutha River, at a place called Alount Coo-ee, where no one lived. Air Alosley coo-ee-ed to Air Redpath at the top of the island, and the latter brought his man and a boat to the scene. The services of Air Valpy "s man were then dispensed with, and he returned homewards with the sledge and bullocks. Airs Griffiths and her companions had then to make their way through long and thick flax bushes to the spot where Mr Redpath had his boat waiting for them, and after crossing the river they had to face another long walk through tall flax before reaching Mr JRedpath’s

house, where a week was spent be' re Air Mosley could get a boat and tno Alaoris to take the family down the river to Port Molyneux, or Kaka Point, as it is now called, where Air Alosley had a 25-acre section. Air Burrell, who occupied the adjoining 25 acres, had built a house of four small rooms of clay, witii a thatched roof. Prior to the arrival of the Alosley family Air Burrell had re turned to England, but the newcomers had received authority from him to occupy the house, in which they lived for more than a year, until Air Alosley built one for himself.

Three months or more elapsed before the Endeavour returned to Port Alolyneux, and her arrival there was due to the fact that Air Alosley got a crew of Alaoris to take a whale boa*: and tow her from Otago Heads to Port Alolyneux. The voyage occupied four days. With the help of the Alaoris the Alosley family got all their personal belongings, produce, etc., taken ashore and removed to the house, which was situated a long distance from the landing, with rough bush intervening. Until their supplies arrived their food consisted principally of potatoes, bought from the Alaoris, wild pig and pigeons. The clearing of the land involved a hard struggle at first, as a lot of flax, bush, etc., had to be cleared. In addition it was necessary to erect a stock yard for the cattle, which had been in the district while the family was at Dunedin and were running wild. For the first few years the cropping was all done by hand, the land having to be grubbed and dug. The young bullocks had to be sent to Tokomairiro to be broken in to work in the plough and harrows. The above details will enable one to realise the difficulties experienced by the early colonists, who faced all the hardships with the greatest courage and cheerfulness.

Airs Griffiths was married on Afay 3, 1866, and her golden wedding celebrations were attended by a large number of friends from all parts of Otago and Southland. Air Griffiths died on Alarch 15, 1917. MR RICHARD CLAYDON. The death took place at his residence, Selwyn, on Friday, of Air Richard Claydon, at the age of 80 years. Born in the village of Bodicote, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, England, in 1851, Air Claydon came out to New Zealand when 19 years of age by the sailing vessel Crusader. For some years Air Claydon resided at Ashburton, and helped to build the first railway bridge over the Ashburton River, in addition to assisting with many other large undertakings in the Canterbury and Auckland provinces. Among the Auckland works upon which he was engaged vw.s the building of the Calliope dock. Standing six feet in height and sturdily built, he possessed great strength,' and was a fine all-round athlete in his younger days, excelling at running, boxing, and field sports. It is recalled that when the famous Donald Dinnie was once competing at sports in Ashburton, Air Claydon was the only other man on the ground who could toss the caber used by Dinnie. MR THOMAS B. SPENCE. GISBORNE, June 24. The death occurred to-day of Air Thomas Bruce Spence, of Tiniroto Station, one of the best known station holders in Poverty Bay, and also for many years a prominent member of local bodies in this district. The deceased was 63 years of age. MR WILFRED GATENBY STEAD. HASTINGS, June'22. The death is announced of Air Wilfred Gatenby Stead, aged 53, of Flaxmere, Hastings. The deceased was a farmer and well-known racehorse owner and breeder, and was the eldest son of the late Air G. G. Stead. He had been in indifferent health for two years, and for the last two months bad been confined to his bed. He leaves a widow, four sons, and one daughter. COLONEL GRANT MORDEN. LONDON, June 26. The death is announced of Colonel Grant Morden, who was for many years Conservative member for Brentford and Chiswick; aged 52. He was the founder of the British Commonwealth Union and Canada Steamship Lines, Ltd.