OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 24109, 24 April 1940, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR A. S. PATERSON PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN OF DUNEDIN (Special to The Times) DUNEDIN, April 23. Alexander Stronach Paterson, one of the best-known and most successful of Dunedin business men, died at his home at Alva street, Roslyn, early this morning at the advanced age of 90 years. By his commercial contemporaries he was held in high regard and his unswerving probity, prompt payments and personal character won him confidence in all parts of the world. Born in 1849, he received most of his education in Ireland and he was 17 years of age when he was brought to Otago. His first work here was in the employ of W. and J. Scoular for a short time. He was then with John and James H. Barr, warehousemen ,and he was still a young man when he became salesman for Russell, Ritchie and Company, under Mr J. M. Ritchie. It was out of that firm that the National Mortgage and Agency Company was formed and Mr Paterson continued his connection, first as salesman and then as local manager. In 1886 he began business on his own account and almost at once leaped into prominence. One of his strong points was his ability to choose strong men as his aids. Mr George Shirtcliffe, his first salesman, was singularly able and before long took charge of the Wellington branch. He was succeeded as the firm’s first lieutenant by the late Mr Thomas Thomson, another man of exceptional ability. Mr J. E. Macassey has managed the concern since the date of Mr A. S. Paterson’s retirement. Mr Paterson married Miss Jean Forsyth, who belonged to a West Coast family. There were four children. The sons are Mr John Rutherford Paterson, of Dunedin, and Mr Stronach Paterson, of Wellington. One of the daughters is Mrs Peter Wood, of Christchurch, and the other, christened Isabella, resides in England. She is the widow of a Navy officer who was killed in the Great War. Mr Paterson was at one time president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce and was made a life member in 1924. Some years ago he made a magnificent gift to the city of a large organ for the new Town Hall and his private benefactions covered a wide range. A staunch Presbyterian, he was a generous supporter of Knox College and he supplied the library of that institution with modern books and also with suitable bookcases so that the A. S. Paterson library, as it is known,is probably the most complete and valuable of its kind in New Zealand, comprising about 4000 volumes.

MR W. DINEEN (United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, April 23. Mi’ W. Dineen, superintendent of the New Plymouth Gaol, died today at the age of 63 after nearly 40 years of prison administration service. Mr Dineen was born at Oamaru. He served through the Boer War and entered the Prisons Department in 1902. He was appointed to the New Plymouth post in 1924 and brought about many improvements in prison life.