OBITUARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18589, 27 December 1934, Page 3

OBITUARY

MR. J. ,W. HUNT

The death occurred on Christmas Eve at th°- Cook Hospital of a. well-known resident of the district in Mr. James William Hunt, formerly prominent as a contributor to musical programmes and a volunteer entertainer ol more than average merit. Mr. Hunt had been 'seriously ill for several months and his end was not unexpected. ' The late Mr. Hunt was an Australian, and spent his boyhood on the far. side of the Tasman Sea. He came to New Zealand a few years before the (beat War, and was accepted for service with the yftjw Zealand Expeditionary Force, going abroad with an early reinforcement. He served in Egypt and France, and though he approached the age of exemption, he proved himself a good soldier, and was a highly popular member of his unit, the 16th Waikato Regiment. After the war he returned to New Zealand, and took his discharge in the Dominion, coming to Gisborne later and setting up in business as a firewood vendor, in a small way. For the past year Mr. Hunt had been 'failing in health", and his comrades heard ‘with deep, regret that there was little possibility of Tiis recovery, hence the announcement of his death was not a surprise to his friends. Mr. Hunt’s relatives are all in Australia, and it is understood that he had had no communication with his family for some time. By the general public of Gisborne, the deceased will be best, remembered for his unusual skill in the playing of the .mouth-organ. From that homely instrument he could coax music of a high order, and two years ago, when he entered the Gisborne Competitions festival, his effort was spoken of in the highest terms by the musical judge. It it probable that Mr. Hunt had few equals in -New Zealand in the playing of this instrument. The funeral of the late Mr. Hunt was fixed for this afternoon, the burial being arranged to. take place at the Soldiers Plot at Tarnjieru Cemetery.

MRS. FRANK DONNELLY

Gisborne families have suffered a bereavement in the death in Hawke s Bay of Mrs. Frank; Donnelly, after a 'brief illness. I Deceased was the daughter of Mr. Ul.ick Burke, a well-known bank manager of early Napier, and she. married *Mr. F. B. Donnelly in 1909. For many years she livecT at Mount Spencer, Wai- ' pukurau, until about six years ago, when she returned to the northern end of the district. During the Great War, her ability as an organiser was valuable in giving help to various societies for patriotic purposes. In the Gisborne district the late Mrs. Donnelly has a sister, Mrs. Thornlcy Sherratt, and a brother, Mr. K. U. Burke. To them, and to their mother,. Mrs. Gore, her two children, Mrs. J. M. Chambers and Mr. Pat Donnelly, and two other sisters, Mrs. Caro ana Mrs. Trips, the sympathy of a widespread circle of friends wilt be extended.

Tho funeral of a pioneer resident of the Waikato district, Mrs. Jane Isabella Washer, who died at the age of 84, took place at Ngarauayahia last Thursday. Her husband, Mr. William Washer, died at the same age eight years ago. Mrs. Washer was horn at Papatoetoe in 1860, her parents being Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Glow, who came with tlieir parents from Scotland in tho early days of Now Zealand. sho .was married in 1871, and in that year it took three days to travel from Papatoetoe to Pukete, now Iloroiu, where Mr. and Mrs. Washer was considered tne last of the original settlers of Horotiu, and the farm where she lived is now the centre of a rising tov/nship. She is survived by 11 chilidren of a family of 12. Mrs. Havers, Gisborne, is a daughter.

Following on two years’ retirement, after living the life almost of a hermit fop about 17 years, Mr. Robert Nelson, formerly caretaker of the native bird sanctuary at the Little Barrier- Island, died on Friday, aged 73 years. Mr. Nelson came to New Zealand from Scotland some years ago and for a time was employed by tho late Sir Thomas Mackenzie. He was then appointed caretaker at. the Little Barrier, and, .although he was relieved for a period after his first few years, he subscqeuntly served continuously on tho island for over IQ years-.