OBITUARY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 96, 28 August 1923, Page 5

OBITUARY

MR JAMES EAIRWEATHEE, SEN.

Another link with the past has been severed by the death which took place at the Patea Hospital on Sunday of Mr James Fairweather, sen., at the ripe age of 80 years (reports the Press.) The deceased who was one of the first white children to be born in the Dominion, was of Scottish parentage, and was born in the Hutt district, where he lived for some time prior to moving to Canterbury. After a short residence there he came to the Patea district in the year 1874, taking up land at Kakaramea, this being some of the first Native confiscation land that was offered. Later he took up some land in the Opaku district, where he resided for a number of years. His wife predeceased him some 33 years ago. He is survived by a family of five sons and three daughters viz, Charles (Patea), George, Joseph and. James (Kakaramea), and Robert (Wanganui), and Mesdames Lightfoot and Gibbs (Blenheim) and Hotter, • *un. (Opaku).

W. F. BROOKING. The death of Mr William Francis Brooking occurred at New Plymouth last evening at the age of 79. He had been for many years prominently identified with the activities of New Plymouth in a variety of spheres (reports the News). Born in London on June 11, 1844, Mr Brooking was educated partly in Melbourne, Australia, and partly in New Zealand, where he arrived in 1855. He settled in Taranaki, where he learned the trad© of a carpenter and builder, being manager of Mr. George’s business until the beginning of 1888, when he acquired a business of his own as builder and undertaker on the corner of Broughanf and Powderham Streets. During the Maori troubles of 1861-62, Mr Brooking served witii the No. 1 Militia and with bush parties, and was a member of the Taranaki Rifle ‘Volunteers until the Parihaka scare in 1881, In public activities, Mr Brooking took a prominent part, being elected to the New Plymouth Borough Council in 1896. At the time of his death Mr Brooking was a director of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory, and chair man of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society. He was for a period chairman of the St Mary’s Anglican , Church Trust Fund. In Masonic circles Mr Brooking was a prominent member. Bowling was Mr Brooking’s chief recreation. He was for several years president of the New Plymouth Club and was a prominent figure on the club's greens. Mr Brooking married n daughter of the late Mr F. L. Brooking, of Now Plymouth, in 1879. His wife survives him, but he leaves no family.

The death occurred yesterday of Mr Jno.. Sampson, of Bell Block The late Mr Sampson was a very old and respected resdent of the district. For some years he was farming in the Sentry Hill' district and later moved to 801 l Block, his property being alongside the New Plymouth golf links. He is survived by nis wife and three sons, M’cstra H. C., Thomas and Herbert Sampson, and one daughter, Mrs v, ‘vy. Hill.