Obituary

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 547, 27 December 1928, Page 7

Obituary

mr. s. e. McCarthy Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. Air. Samuel Ernest McCarthy, solicitor, formerly stipendiary magistrate, died at Christchurch last evening. He had been a magistrate at Clyde, Invercargill, Napier, Wellington and Christchurch, retiring from the Bench four years ago. MRS. ODINE McCOLL Airs. Odine McColl, wife of Air. James AlcColl, Alayor of Newmarket from 1915 to 1917, wllo has died, was actively concerned in patriotic work during the war, and assisted in the management of the Soldiers’ Club. Airs. AlcColl is survived by her husband, one son, Mr. J. A. AlcColl, of Sydney, and four daughters, Mrs. Eric Hay, Whangarei; Airs. J. Carmody, Dargaville; Mrs. N. W. Blackie, Hamilton; and Airs. A. F. A. MacCurdy, St. Heliers Bay. MR. GEORGE SOMERVILLE Mr. George Somerville, who has died at his home at Howick at the age of 74, was born at Drufncliffe, County Sligo, Ireland, and when a young man went to Canada, where he was married. Coming to New Zealand by the ship Zelandia, lie first settled at Napier, but for the past 40 years he had farmed his property at Howick. He was keenly interested in local affairs and was chairman of the Paparoa Town Board before the district merged with the Alanukau County Council. Mr. Somerville is survived by his wife and three sons. MRS. JEANNIE ORTON The first white child to be born in the Canterbury Province, Airs. Jeannie Orton, died at her home, Pleasant Point, near Timaru, on Christmas Day, at the age of 84. Airs. Orton was also believed to be the first white child born in the South Island. When the Canterbury Jubilee celebrations were being held it was stated that Airs. AI. Rosin dale, who was born on January 22, 1851, soon after the arrival of the first four ships with settlers, was the first white child to be born in Canterbury. However, it was pointed out that Airs. Orton, who was born on January 7, 1544, was seven years of age when the ships arrived, her father being Air. Samuel Alanson, who left the North Island with the Deans brothers in the early 40’s to settle on the little-known Canterbury Plains. His daughter was born in a hut on the Deans estate at Riccarton, this being the first house to be erected in Canterbury/

In December, 1865, Airs. Orton was married to Air. Reginald Orton, and they settled on a farm near Horse Shoo Lake, later removing to Pleasant Point, where Airs. Orton has lived ever since. Air. Orton was drowned while fording tlie flooded Opihi River in July, 1595. Until a few weeks before her death Mrs. Orton enjoyed good health, and when oveV 80 years of age she made a tour of the Dominion visiting her relatives. Of the 11 children two sons and six daughters are living, and there are 30 grandchildren and 10 great-grand-children. One of the daughters, Airs. A. A. S. Hintz, of Herne Bay, was visiting her mother at the time of her death.