OBITUARY.

Southland Times, Issue 14580, 22 November 1910, Page 5

OBITUARY.

JAS. 35 GAN, WHEYS BUSH. A very old and highly respected resin dent of Southland in tire person of Mr Jas. Egan, passed away at Wreys Bush on Wednesday evening last, at the advanced age of 81 years. The deceased was born at Lanes Park, County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1830, and 27 years later decided to try his fortune in foreign lands. Leaving for Australia in the sailing ship Thamus, he landed at Port Melbourne, at a period when many of the important gold rushes were in progress in different parts of Victoria, and these he followed with varying successes for a number of years. Then in 1863 he decided to give New Zealand a trial, having heard much of tire fame and opportunities for advancement which this new country offered to anyone who could overcome the initial hardships which necessitated the weary miles of travel before a claim could be marked out at the prospective mining ground. Thus the year 1863 saw the deceased, in company with large numbers of Victoria’s early contingent, land from the sailing ship. Red Jacket, at Port Chalmers. He was present at the first rush to the great mining field of Gabriel’s Gully and from then until 1880 visited all the principal parts of Otago’s numerous goldfields) the Queenstown fields in particular occupying his attention, where he was a well-known figure at the mining camps of those early days. It was ever a pleasant thing to hear the deceased discoursing on the many incidents, humorous, and otherwise, which came under his own personal observation during his close on 25;years’ connection with the doings of those many hundreds of men captivated by the gold fevers of early Australia and New Zealand. Luring the last 30 years of his life, the late Mr Egan had followed farming pursuits at Wreys Bush, where he was well known and always a popular figure in the neighbourhood. Not only amongst the older generation of settlers but also amongst the young people was he especially liked, and -his death will leave an irreparable gap in the ranks of Southland’s rapidly diminishing band of pioneer settlers. Although not actively connected with any of the sporting or other institutions of the province, the late Mr Egan nevertheless demonstrated that he appreciated a keen horse-racing contest and never absented himself from anv of the meetings of the Western district Other forms of clean sport were always sure of his hearty co-operation. One of his chief “hobbies” was coursing and, as a keen follower of the leash, he always bestowed special attention to his greyhounds. For the erection of th© Catholic Church, Convent, and School at Wreys Bush, much credit was due to his enthusiasm; indeed, all the principal institutions'of the district are owing in no small measure to his earnestness and Intense interest for the welfare and advancement of those around him, old young. A man of strong religious beliefs the deceased was a practical Roman Catholic and all the obligations necessary for the carrying out Of a strictly Christian life wore fulfilled, on his part, in a manner which was indeed worthy of emulation. It was only during the last few years that his health had shown signs of impairment as a result of advancing years, and some six months ago he was forced to take to his bed. During the last few weeks signs were not wanting to show that the end was rapidly approaching, but the deceased did not allow his spirits to droop, bearing up peacefully to the last, further appreciation of the respect which the deceased commanded was evidenced by tho large gathering of settlers on the occasion of the funeral on Saturday afternoon when close on one hundred vehicles in addition to a large number of horsemen, making a cortege of upwards of a mile in length, followed the .remains to the Wreys Bush Cemetery. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. Father Lynch, parish priest of Wreys Bush, assisted by the Rev. Fathet Keenan, of Riversdale. The late Mr Egan had never married but he has a brother in the distrle in Mr M. Egan, of Wairio.