OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue XXXXIII, 22 April 1901, Page 2

OBITUARY.

The ranks of the early setters of T.aranaki are rapidly thinaing cut, and during the past few days two more of the number who bore the heat and burden of the to'lsome work of colonising Inve passed over to the great majority. There passed away on Saturday, at the residence of his Bon William, a fine old specimen of the men who overcimo the innumerable obstacles of the wok of settlement, in the person of Mr. John Bat ridge. The deceased ger tieman wan in hia 89th year, and arrived at New Plymouth in 1851. He shortly afterwards took up land at Omata, on the first opening up of the block. On the outbrrak of the Maori war in 1860 he wae, wish other settlers, r'riven off his farm. Mr. Berridg *th n took bis part in the defence of the district during the long and troublesome conflict with the Maoris. Mrs. Bsrridge died some fifteen yesrs since, a>>d for a number of years pist he has lived a retired life with his son in New I)lymoutbj being held in high esteem by » >arge circle cf friends.

Another old identity, who disl at the residence of her daughter (Mrs. J. Baker) a* Auckland, on Thursday, was Mrs. Richard Coleman. The decease-! lady (who-e ma'den name was Harris) arrived at Jjfew Plymouth in 1841, by the ship Amelia Thompson, and some time Litsr married Mr, R, OjlemtP, a member of the original Taranaki Po ice. Mrs. Co'eman, with her husband, w«nt through all the struggle? and hardships incidental to fchp lot of the early settlers, and for some years lived cm a block of land in the Mangoroi district. Mr. Coleman d-ed several years ago and latterly Mrs. Coleman ha* lived with her daughter, at whose pl.ee -he died, as stated above. She leavps a family of three daughters and four sans,who arc now residing in difloMnt parts of tho colony,

The body of d was brought down from Auckland last *ight, and the interment will take placi at 2 o'clock to-day (Moadayl