Contributor.

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 42, 13 January 1900, Page 9

Contributor.

THE LATE MR GARTHWAITE.

Another of the earliest businessmen of Invercargill has gone to his rest. , William Garthwaite died on the 24th of December, 1899, in what may be called the closing hours of the eighteenth century. He arrived in Otago from Yorkshire in the shi|> Nourmahal early in 1858, and remained in Dunedin for some time. He then decided to come south to the then nearly unknown Invercargill, and commenced business here. The steamer Queen —the first steam trader on the coast —left Dunedin for Invercargill in September, 1858. Mr Gartbwaite and several others, now members of the “ old identity,” were on board, shaping their course for a comparatively unknown country—with few people and no roads. [Though often said to be, the Queen was not the first steamship seen on this coast. In ’49 and ’SO the Imperial paddle steamer Acheron (Captain Stokes), was employed in the coastal survey of this island, and visited the Bluff Harbour two or three times, but did not come in to the New Elver.] Mr Garthwaite, with his wife and family of boys, opened a general blacksmith’s establishment, on the site of Mr Scott’s business house, nearly opposite Thomson’s store, in Tay street. His workshop stood all alone, a few feet back from Tay street, where for some years he conducted the largest blacksmithing business in Invercargill, and became very popular with the few people of this then new country. A few years later he entered into an ironmonger’s business, with Messrs daggers and Hargin—two very early-day business men of the little village. Later on he took possession of the Provincial Hotel and Theatre Eoyal, which some years afterwards were burned down. The Salvation Army barracks and buildings now occupy the site of the old hotel and Theatre. Mr Garthwaite took a part in the first and early day municipal government iof Invercargill, having sat at the ! Council table, and also as mayor for I a time. A motion of his in the old ! Town Board room will be remembered by several old residents. It became popularly known as “ Garthwaite’e motion”—“ Don't all speak at once .” He was always genial in manner —full of good-nature to all, and enjoyed the respect and goodwill of those who were acquainted with him. It is much to be regretted that, like so many of his early day compeers in the good work of colonisation, his private business and speculations did not turn out as well as they promised, or might have been expected to do. It is the many changes th&t have taken place and the occurrence of the unexpected that has so often happened, in the career of the earliest business men and settlers of Southland that has put them off their level. It is to be deplored that so few of the pioneers have attained to that position of independence that early indications pointed out to them as being within their grasp. But so. it is. Mr Garthwaite has left a widow and several grown up sons to mourn his loss. They have the sympathy of all the early colonists of the south, who join with them in their respect for the memory of an honest pioneer colonist.