OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 25740, 2 August 1945, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR A. McLACHLAN Tire death has occurred at Gore of Mr Alexander McLachlan, one of the bestknown residents of the Otama, Tuturau and Gore districts. The son of a politician, he took an active part in the work of the Labour Party at Gore, on one occasion unsuccessfully contesting the Mataura seat in the general elections. For three terms, he served as a member of the Gore Borough Council. Coming to the Otama district in the earlier days of settlement, he became prominently associated with the activities of the Gore and Districts’ Early Settlers’ Association when it was formed in 1924, occupying the position of president in 1933-34. Born at Doyleston, Canterbury, 74 years ago, Mr McLachlan came to the Otama district early in March 1888, securing employment with Messrs A. Taylor and John Milne on the Black Hills. He next worked as ploughman for Mr A. Stewart, returning to Canterbury for the harvest, after which he took up his former employment. After another period in Canterbury and in the North Island, he returned to Otama and was engaged by Mr R. McCallum, leaving his employment before he was 24 years of age to purchase a threshing mill plant. This is believed to have been the first in the district. Selling out to Mi; W. L. Scott, now of Mataura, in 1902, he purchased a farm at Tuturau, which he worked till 1932,-when he retired to Gore. Mr McLachlan was largely responsible for the formation of the Threshing Mill Owners’ Union and served on public bodies at Otama, notably the Knapdale Road Board. On coming to Gore, he continued his interest in public matters, among the bodies claiming his attention being the Borough Council, the Highland Society, of which he was vice-president, the Early Settlers’ Association and the relief depot. Mr McLachlan married twice, his first wife being Miss J. Sherriff, the only daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Sherriff, of Outram. His second wife was Mrs E. Maris, a daughter of the late Dr Low, of Gore, who survives him. He is also survived by two sons and five daughters—Messrs lan McLachlan (Waimatuku), and Norman McLachlan (Christchurch), Mesdames R. Cumming (Waikaka Valley), J. B. Hill (Auckland), F. Menard (Christchurch), and H. Wright (Mataura), and Miss Mollie McLachlan (Christchurch).