OBITUARY

Southern Cross, Volume 23, Issue 34, 27 November 1915, Page 12

OBITUARY

THE LATE Ml! ANDREW KINROSS. A long and varied career closed with the death of Mr Andrew Kinross on'the 19th inst. Born at Glas gow tin 1829. he had seen mo e changes than fall to the lot of most men, and he retained a keen interest in life and the use of all his faculties till within a short time of his death. He came up to town from his residence in Bowmont street for the last time on the Ist of November, although even then evidently very weak and ill. In 1848, when in his 19th year, Mr Kinross, who had lost his parents some years before, engaged to sail to India as an apprentice on board the ship Orissa, but the vessel had to put into Mauritius’ and he returned to Glasgow eight months later. The prospects of Australia next appealed to Mm, and on the 30th of May, 1848, he sailed for Victoria, and landed at Geelong on Oct. 7th. He had engaged to go to a station 80 miles away before leaving Home, and he did the journey on foot, the first of the many long walks in which he delighted, tie,got on all right till he reached Buninyong, 7>o miles from Geelong ; for the rest of the journey he did not see a. single man, hut, or sheep till he reached his destination, and he passed the night crouched under a. log, cold, wet, and footsore. For a time he was employed in hutkeeping and shepherding, later he went into the carrying business and made 198 trips to various goldfields. The life was a hard one, but not without its spice of adventure in the shape of encounters with snakes and bushrangers. '‘Black Thursday ’ (Gth Feb-, 1851) was a memorable day in .Victoria. Bush fires raged over many miles of country, with disastrous consequences, and Mr Kinross, after riding all day with the mails for the station, spent the night in helping settlers to remove their families and stock to places of safety.

In 18(11 Mr Kinross brought his teams over to Port Chalmers, and carted goods to Gabriel s Gully and other rushes, afterwards entering into partnership with the late Mr J. C. Brown, M.P for Tuapeka, in a storekeeping' venture at Queenstown. The firm carted its merchandise from Invercargill, and Air Kinross brought his wife and family over to this town* lodging them in a two-roomed cottage and garret, for which he paid 30s a week. In 1809 he bought a farm at Alyross Bush, and lived there till he removed to Invercargill. While there he made his first essay in local politics, attending a meeting convened by the late Air Peter Dalrymple to consider the state of the East A tramway or railway was suggested, but Mr Kinross carried an amendment in favour of improving the Road. In 1809 he was elected as the Invercargill representative on the Provincial Council of Southland, and held a position on

the Executive. He afterwards represented the Waihopai and other districts on the council. Then came reunion with Otago, and Air Kinross was one of seven members of the Southland Council sent to Dunedin to confer with the Otago Council. The deputation consisted of Alessrs Kinross, Basstian, C'alder, Johnstone, AIcG illivray, Toshach, and Wilson. Air Kinross was the last surviving member of the deputation. He was also one of the seven Southland representatives on the united council, their names being—Fessrs J. Cumming, Aparima ; Theo. Daniel, Riverton ; Andrew Kinross, Oteramika ;> Geo. Lujnsden, Invercargill ; J. Rodgers, Oreti ; James Wilson, Afakarewa ; W. Wood, Waihopai. In 1&71 Air' Kinross sought Parliamentary honours. He contested the Alataura seat against Sir Francis Dillon Bell, later Alataura against the late Air J. P. Shanks, and still later Avvarua (1884) but suffered defeat on each occasion, the voting in the latter case being —J. P. Joyce 444, J. L. AlcDonald 339, A. Kinross 94, J. W. Alitchell 74, and T. IJodgkinson 54. He was for many years a member of the Southland Board, and of the Southland County Council, and he also did good work on the old Lindhurst Road Board. He also took a keen interest in the work of the Gaelic and Highland Societies, and was a member of the Gabriel’s Gully Pioneers’ Association.

Throughout his long life Mr Kinross had a passion for writing, and had in his possession a book into which he had corded some of his early poems in 1848. They were written

in a small exquisitely neat hand, and except that the youthful wr.ting is smaller, his handwriting,, as s .own in letters written shortly before his death, remained firm and legi .le to the last. When in Australia he kept diaries for a number of years, and when he came to N.Z. he started a series of scrap-books, the last of which contained cuttings from newspapers of quite recent date. About 1G years ago he published a volume entitled “Aly Life and Lays.” Many 7 of the poems were written to celebrate anniversaries and other events, while others dealt with patriotic themes or passing events. His work in this direction led to his being appointed a life member and bard of the Highland Society of Southland. In politics Mr Kinross was a staunch Democrat, and as he put it years ago, ‘‘advocated Liberal measures before Sir George Grey, Mr Ballance, or Air Seddon commenced life as politicians , and when Mr Ward was a schoolboy.” His bent was towards 1 land legislation, and he had the distinction of having drafted one of the Southland Land Acts.

With the death of Mr Kinross goes the last of the men who took an-ac-tive part in early, politics in Southland. Those who had business dealings with Mr Kinross found him a man of the highest integrity. Speaking of him, an Invercargill business man remarked —‘‘He drove a shrewd bargain, but he was a sure mark. Once goods were loaded on his waggons his cheque was always ready his word was as good as his bond.” Air Kinross was married in Geelong in 1853, his bride being Miss Haynes, who died some years ago. lie is survived by a grown-up familv.

The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, the service at the house and the graveside being conducted by the Rev. R. C. Hunter, of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. There was a large gathering of mourners, including pioneer settlers from all parts of Southland. Alembers of- the Town Council, the Caledonian Society, the Highland Society, apd other bodies were well represented. The Southland Pipe Band headed the procession playing ‘‘ATackintosh’s Lament” on the way to the Eastern Cemetery. Alany messages of sympathy' have been received by the relatives- including telegrams from Sir Joseph and Lady' Ward, and Ilis Honour • Judge Gilfedder.