OBITUARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14151, 10 March 1910, Page 6

OBITUARY.

A RESPECTED TEACHER. Oil Tuesday morning the mortal remains of William Edmund Foster, who died on Saturday, were piuced on the ■train at Cave station, in the presence of a number of sorrowing friends, for conveyance to Wellington to be cremated there, according to the wish of tlie deceased. Mr Foster had been for a few years a resident of the Cave,- where he had been master of the school, until failing health compelled him to relinquish the duty to Mrs Poster, who had qualified for the profession years ago. The deceased had had a long and honourable career as a teacher in North Canterbury, and it' is understood that lie and Mr C. S. IJoward, of Timaru, were the two oldest survivors of the early staffs under the North Canterbury Board. He was a son of Captain Foster, of the good old-time ship Zealandin; was born in London in 18-13, and came to New Zealand in 1856. At first he took. up laud in the Thames district. His father,- presently after took up a station near Oxford, and deceased also came down and settled in Canterbury. After managing a station on the Ashburton for a time he took to., school teaching, and in 1873 obtained an appointment under the North Canterbury Board. He had the Amberley school for live years and the Halswell school for twenty-two years. Giving up teaching he went farming in the Springfield district, and after five or six years experience of farm life, not too fortunate on the whole, Mr Poster accepted the mastership of the Cave school, where lie gained the respect of all his neighbours. He came into contact with the farmers more than most school teachers do, through acting as secretary to the Cave Saleyards deceased had six brothers and a sister -in New Zealand. One of them was formerly manager of the Bank of New Zealand Assets Boards, and is now managing director of the Wellington Meat Export Company. Deceased's i eldest son is chief officer of the s.s. J Wanaka, and another is managing a sheep station in Amuri. One of three daughters is married —Mrs Suckling, of Christcliurch. Deceased had suffered for some time from anaemia, and at last died somewhat suddenly, at the comparatively early age of 66. He had long been an advocate of cremation as the most sanitary method of disposing of the dead, and at his earnest wish his remains were conveyed to Wellington, where the nearest crematorium exists. J. B. WILLIAMSON. Per Press Association. WANGANUI, March 9. Mr J. B. Williamson, the Well-known sportsman of Auckland, died in a private hospital this morning from blood poisoning, i supposed to be due to the after effects of a fall. Mr Williamson brought a number of horses to and attended the races last week. ,