OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 24356, 10 February 1941, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR JAMES ROBERTSON

The death occurred suddenly on Saturday of Mr James Robertson, a former member of the Invercargill City Council. He was a retired railway en-gine-driver. Mr Robertson, although he was 79 years of age, kept remarkably good health and was playing bowls on Saturday afternoon, but while in the Invercargill Public Library on Saturday night he had a seizure and died.

I I Mr Robert son was bom in Elvinfoot, I Scotland, and he came out to New i Zealand with his parents 78 years ago. ■ His father landed at Dunedin in 1862 ! and walked overland to Invercargill, j Mr Robertson came to Invercargill with I his mother in the ship Titania, arriving ;on January 1, 1863. The family lived lat Biggar street. Mr Robertson’s first I school was at the corner of Princes and j Bowmont streets. Mr Robertson also I attended a school in Tay street on the ! site where the Education Board offices 1 now stand, a private school in Ythan 1 street opposite First Church and the I Grammar School, now the Middle ! School, of which he was one of the i first pupils. I In 1877 Mr Robertson joined the I New Zealand Railways at Gore. His first job in the service was pumping water for the engines and from this position he eventually rose to the rank of engine-driver. He had been stationed at Christchurch Auckland, Southbridge, Gore, Mercer and Clinton, the lastnamed for express driving. In all his years as an engine-driver Mr Robertson was involved in only one accident. Mr Robertson was a member of the Invercargill City Council for a period before 1929. He was also a member of | First Church for a number of years ; and held office as a deacon. He took a ! prominent part in the activities of the I St. Andrew’s Scottish Society. [ Mr Robertson was a keen sportsman 1 and was a member of the Southland Bowling Club. Fishing had also been one of his hobbies since his retirement in 1919. He is survived by three sons, Messrs Logan Robertson (Dunedin), Charles Robertson (Masterton) and lan Robertson (Invercargill) and one daughter, Mrs F. E. Taylor (Christchurch).

MR T. O. WALLACE

The death of Mr Thomas Oakley Wallace, of Brydone, occurred at the Gore Hospital, following an accident on his farm. He was born at Orepuki 38 years ago, being the only son of Mr and Mrs John Wallace. He went with his parents to Mataura, where his education was begun and he later went with his parents to Pukerau. About the time of the last war Mr Wallace, sen., took up land at Brydone and here Mr Thomas Wallace lived up to the time of his death. About five years ago he married Miss Catherine Smyth, I of Glenham. He subsequently carried on I his father’s farm. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. He is survived by his widow and two children.