OBITUARY.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14512, 14 September 1917, Page 6

OBITUARY.

MR. PHU.IP RUSH

A life full. of incidpoi, and not dcr void of ad\enluro was brought to a closo on Saturday last by the"death at Grovctown of Mr Philip" Rush, bno of Marlborough\s earliest settlers (says the-"Express"). • Born in London In 1536, the lato Mr Rush came to New Zealand with Jus parents in 1842, landing in AeLson., He first saw the Wairau in 1848, when1 his father and a Mr Flowers (each bringing with him a twelve-year-old' son) came to "the Big Bush"* to saw the I timber for the first" station •• buildings 1 erected on tlic Plain. ' Young Flowers, lit is interesting to note, afterwards beIcanie miller for Messrs Bros. The contract finished, tlio party returned to Nelson, but it was not "long hefore .Phil Rush made another expedition, this time to Colungwood, wJiere gold had been discovered. The lad of 17 was ono of the party which found trie blato River. After spending two or three,-- years at the tliggings,' ho went to Tadmor.

Mr Rush's second visit to' what is now Marlborough was made- in 1859, when, m company with three companions, ho chartered a vessel to come from Havelock to engage in pit-sawiri" in the"Kaituna. His brother, Mr Frank ; teh,-;ji>iued. the ,/^arty■•: ffiere^ -haviuo; walked" over, -the ; Maungatapu. ; The ver^"ra ;-was ; riot; ~a success.,.: but ;t jnade 'tlie 'Rush - 'brothers •sM their mates Maiifiorough settlers, as they were still engaged 'm the Kaituna wlien saparation was effected. In 1860 Messrs Rashford and Wylie took a cpnj^;art to erect the first bridge over the Tau Marina stream, and tlio party wore engaced to cut the timber. This done, the Rush brothers separated, and •). ml, with George Simpson, . "cut" honsos for Messrs G. Dodson and Sopor.- Then the Wangapeka fcold' rush claimed their • attention, and Mr Rush" spent three months there.

Messrs Baahford and. Wylie having underfcakpn to huild tho first; Omaka brulco, Mr .Philip TJusli was naain encaged in cuttinp fimTier. ATiout this time the Ta.smanian. Maid went ashore on th« Boulder Bank, and Bashford rn^d Wylio contracted to -et.'h O r off. l ml. Rush's services were called into requisition owing to his skill in'mak•i"g v Oalifornian pumps. The vessel •laving been "refloated, he .accompanied her to Nelson, as she was in se leaking condition,! and supervised the pumping operations. He then returned to the Wairau, and some time later began pit-sawing in the bush at Grovetown, and eventually made his home there. Up to abotit fifteen yoars ago *he- took a prominent part in local activities, Jiiß work as. inspector. of. roads bringing turn in.contact with many settlers, and he. was; for a long time associated with the Marlborough Racing Club, both as handicapper and as president. Of his three.,,children, one . fMr Percy Bush) resides in this district.