OBITUARY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4232, 17 January 1940, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR JOHN T. NORTH. AN ESTEEMED TOWNSMAN. A very large number of Te Awamutu and district residents were shocked yesterday when they learned of the death, which had occurred at an early hour that morning, of Mi' John Thomas North, of Park Road, one of the best known and most highly respected residents of Te Awamutu, and a son of the town and district’s earliest settlers, the late Mr and Mrs Wm. North. Deceased had not enjoyed his normal good health for some time, and had been a patient at a private hospital for several weeks, for a complaint that failed to respond to treatment as well as expected, resulting in further investigation, when it was found that Mr North had developed a malady that rapidly resulted in his demise. Mr North, who was 57 years of age, was born in Te Awamutu, and from his youth actively identified himself with the sport and social life of the community, and, as a lover of music, he became a bandsman (ultimately attaining to the conductorship of the Te Awamutu Municipal Band), a prominent member of the choir of St. John’s Church (later becoming conductor) ; a member of the choir of the local Orphans’ Club, of which institution he had been a member from its first year; a member of the old Philharmonic Society, and other institutions that had to do with music. In the realm of sport he also figured prominently, and his consistent patronage brought him high office in the Waipa Rugby Union and Te Awamutu Football Club, the Waipa Hockey Association and Te Awamutu Hockey Club, the Te Awamutu Tennis Club, besides basketball, athletics and racing; but it could be said that bowls was his chief recreation, especially in the past fifteen or twenty years, and after serving in the senior office of the Te Awamutu Bowling Club he became president of the South Auckland Bowling Centre, and held a seat on the executive for several years, with credit to himself and to the club he represented.

In church work he was a great asset to St. John’s Parish, and was indefatigable. He held office for several years as warden of St. John’s Church, besides filling the position of choirmaster and organiser of musical functions. He was a foundation member of Loyal Te Awamutu Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., and held every office in the lodge. He was a director of the Te Awamutu Terminating Building Society. As a bandsman he played for many years in the Te Awamutu Town Band (later the Municipal Band), held many offices, including that of conductor, and later was a generous patron-r-in fact, the multiplicity of his offices in various organisations must have been at times the envy and admiration of other folk not so happily endowed with qualities that so commend themselves to people who have the choice of officers. Genial and generous, honest and sincere, “Jack” North will long be remembered with affection, and to members of his family—his wife (who was formerly Miss Ethel M. Bowden, member of another old Te Awamutu family), son Mr Raymond North, and daughter, Mrs Allan Terry, of Tauranga—will be extended sincere sympathy in their bereavement. Surviving brothers and sisters of deceased are Messrs E. W. North (Onehunga), W. J. North (Te Awamutu), Charles North (Ohaupo Road), Mrs Matthews (Auckland), Mrs A. D. Reid (Thames), Mrs R. Land (Henderson) and Mrs Tapp (Te Papapa).

The funeral is to leave St. John’s Church this afternoon at 2.30 for the Te Awamutu Cemetery.

MR NICHOLAS B. FRYDAY. Mi 1 Nicholas Benjamin Fryday, a man well known in central Taranaki farming and political affairs for very many years, died at Stratford last Saturday at the age of 87 years. He was a native of Dundrum, County Limerick, Ireland, and came to New Zealand in 1877. He joined the armed constabulary, and was stationed first at Pirongia; after serving in other parts of New Zealand, he resigned from the constabulary, and settled at Ngaere, Taranaki, where he had been engaged in dairy farming ever since. His eldest son, James, was killed at Gallipoli, and Mrs Fryday died in 1917.