OBITUARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18089, 16 May 1933, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR. W. G. MACLAURIN SUCCUMBS TO BRIEF ILLNESS Tho many friends and acquaintances of Mr. William Gilbert Maelaurin will bear with deep regret that an illness contracted a week ago, and which in its early stages gave no evidence of' developing seriously, eventuated this morning in his demise. The late Mr. Maelaurin was one of the mOst highly-respected residents of Bov erty Bay, and enjoyed the reputation o) being among the most successful farmers in the district. His death will leave a serious gap in the ranks of a generation which did much to establish the prosper ity of the country, atid the loss will be felt personally by scores of his close friends.

Born 'in the (Shetland Islands 70 years ago < the late Mr Maelaurin came to New Zealand as a boy of 12 years, and spent a number of years iu the Waikato, where his natural. aptitude for ,a. life on tin' land found him many opportunities for profitable employment. He was an experienced farmer when 'he came to Gisborne 40 years ago, and look up a portion of the VVliataupoko block. This section he improved very considerably, and without specialising, he made ,a sub stantinl success of his venture. Later lie' enlarged' liis'interests’ by talcing up the Mangafuua station, bordering on Mr T. Holden’s Rinnnoa property, and in 1910 ho disposed of his interests .here and bought land at Hextou. He built a handsome residence there, occupying it with .his family in 1913, and made his home on the Hextou property up to the time of his death.

The deceased had taken only a small part in public affairs, having been a member of the Pouawa Road Board in the early years of his Poverty Bay residence, and latterly a member of tho Cook County Council, in which capacity his shrewd judgment, and experience of the needs of farmers made him an invaluable committee worker, though he seldom took a part in debates around the council table. Privately, ho was known as a generous supporter of social move ments, and his personality was quite out of the ordinary in its kindliness and clear foresight. The late Mr. Maelaurin is survived by Mrs. Maclauriii and two daughters and two sons. The daughters are Mesdames B. C. Watkins, and J. D. Williams, well-known Coast residents, and tho sons are Messrs. Robert Maelaurin, architect, of Auckland, and Wilfred Maelaurin, farmer, of Gisborne. A third son, Mr. J. S. Maelaurin, died a year ago. There are several brothers and sisters of the late Mr. W. G. Maelaurin surviving, these comprising Mesdames Goodfellow (Auckland), Ball (Napier), and Waddington (Masterton); Dr. Maclaurin (Wellington), Mr. E. T. W. Maclaurin (Wellington) and Mr. Kenneth Maelaurin (Te Awamutu).

CAPTAIN T. H. HOLYMAN (Elec. Tel. Copvright—United Press Asßn.) LAUNCESTON, May 15. Captain Thomas Henry Holyman, who traded on the Tasmanian and Australian coasts most of his life, died during the week-end.

VETERAN SCREEN ACTOR (Received May 16, 11a.m.) ■ NEW' YORK,-May 15. Ernest Torrence, the veteran screen actor, died early this morning, aged 54 years. He claimed the distinction of being the first talking picture actor 20 years ago.

Ono of Wellington’s best-known and most-highly respected citizens, Mrs. Mary Ann Kirkcaldie, widow of tho late Mr. John Kirkcaldie, head of tho firm of Kirkcaldie and Stains, passed away on Friday, aged 84. A daughter of the late Mr. Edward Hall, of Kent, England, she came out to New Zealand in 1808 to visit her unde, Mr. Robert Stains, and two years later married Mr. Kirkcaldie. Of a most charitable disposition she devoted much of her time to orphanages and other societies, and had taken a keen interest in the Plunlret Society and the Society for the Protection of Women and Children.