OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12055, 10 July 1917, Page 2

OBITUARY.

DUNCAN RUTHERFORD. Mr Duncan Rutherford, proprietor of tho Leslie Hills Estate, Amuri. passed away in Christo.hurch yesterday at the age of sixty-four years. About twelve months ago he. suffered from a seizure of the heart, but apparently recovered his health. Last, week he was somewhat, indisposed. On Friday he attended a. hare drive held for patriotic purpose,;. On returning homo he felt a great lassitude and became weak, and on Sunday his condition became so serious that he was taken in a motorcar to a nursing home in Christchureh, wheYe he was attended by two doctors. It was, found there that he was suffering from a complication of diseases. An operation was discussed, but as his heart still was weak it was folt that an operation would be fatal. Yesterday he gradually became worse and he passed away soon after 4 p.m. Mr Rutherford was born in Australia in 15.53, and came to Canterbury in 18fi0 with his parents, who took up the Leslie. Hills Estate. They were some of the very early settlers' in the district, Mr Rutherford was educated partly by private tuition and partly at Christ's College, which he attended from 1865 to 1870. part of the time with his brother, Mr A. W. Rutherford. He was an exceptionally powerful man, and when young entered with great ardour into athletics. Cricket and football were "his favourite pastimes. At the college he was captain of the first eleven in cricket and captain of the first fifteen in football. Many years afterwards, when he was a middle-aged man, he retained his love for both those pastimes, and did a great deal to foster them amongst the young men of the Amuri district. He was captain of the Amuri Cricket Club for twenty-five vears. The Leslie Hills Estate, which has an historical family interest, ultimately passed into his possession! He managed it. with conspicuous ability rnd industry, working hnvd at all the. varied duties on a. large sheep station, in which he became an expert, He was one of the best authorities in this part, ot Aew Zealand on several elates of ■stock. His special study, which became a hobbv wuh hi m , , ras thp brced . mg of half-bred sheep. By his industry and cam they achieved a name throughout .New Zealand. He was a warm supporter of racing, and always had a \om- horses in training. During hi s career he won some good races on the flat, Female Franchise and Gwendolina being two useful performers in J,i s black and white colours while Tngoda earned classic distinction as the winner of the Canterbury Oaks and the New Zealand St Leger. It was, however, in the jumping department that he took his chief pleasure, and at different times he was represented by some first-class steeplechasers and hurdlers. He won the It rand National Steeplechase in 1892 with Alum, second placo being filled by Norton, who won the "Maiden Steeplechase later in the day, and at the same meeting he secured the Grand National Hurdle Handicap with Kulnine. A year later Norton was again second in the Grand National Steeplechase, this Time carrying 12st 121b, and won the Beaufort "Steeplechase under a similar weight, while Kulnine was second in the Grand National Hurdle Handicap, a position he also filled two years earlier. Barnardo was second in the Grand National Hurdle. Handicap in 1894 and again in 1895, while Social Pest Avon this race three years later. In 1899 Venture was third in the Grand National Steeplechase, but the deceased sportsman then had a lean spell, and. he was not prominently represented in either of the big jumping races at Ricearton until 1908. when Eurus won the Grand National Steeplechase, two vears after be had succeeded in the Wanganiii Steeplechase. Eurus' was his last big Avinner at Ricearton, though Daylight Bill Avon the Aylesbury Steeplechase in 1914 and the Wanganiii Steeplechase in 1910, in addition to capturing a number of hurdle races at other meetings. Stronghold, the sire of Daylight Bill, Avas another horse avlio Avon over hurdles, AA-hile Andrea had a short but brilliant career as a hurdler, which Avas brought to a close by a fall at Timaru. Until quite recently he continued with a feAV other jumpers, most of Avhom were disappointments. Apart from his successes in jumping events, the late Mr Rutherford gained some prominence through his fondness for giving his horses political names. Female Franchise and Social Pest were two of his earliest efforts in this direction, while in later years Undesirable Bill, Graduated Tax, Agent-General, Daylight Bill and Taxpayer were among the horses to carry bis colours. On the administrative side of racing, he was a valuahle steAvard of the Canterbury Jockey Club. His interest in soldiering was given practical demonstration about the time of the Boer war, when Colonel R. A. Ghaffey and other residents of the district formed the Amuri Mounted Rifles, a corps which soon ranked as one of the most efficient, in the Volunteer force. Mr Rutherford gaA-e a cheque for £SOO to help in forming the corps, financed the erection of a drill hall at Culverden, and later on, when the Volunteers were disbanded, helped the Territorials in that part of Canterbury. The outbreak of the present war found him ready to take part in man.y movements. He had become possessed of a large area of land at Hanmer. In this """as the Lodge, built as an accommodation house for visitors to the spa. Soon after the beginning of hostilities, when means of treating returned soldiers were discussed, he. offered the. Lodge to the Government for the us e of convalescent men. The offer was accepted, and, with other residents of

Amuri, he maintained the institution until the Queen Mary's Hospital Avaa erected. Since that time, his generosity has been shown in many gifts. Amongst these is a verandah at the hospital, which he erected at a cost c£ about £2OO and furnished. He visited the hospital onoe a Avc-ek to inquire if tlie soldiers needed anything it was in his means to supply. The town hall erected on his property in the township was converted into a club for soldiers, to which they Avere admitted free. Ho also contributed liberally to local and provincial patriotic funds, notably the fund for the poor of Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom. He did not take any part in general politics, but was an active member of the Amuri County Council, of which he was chairman for many years. In soma instances, when workj. were urgently needed, and when the Government refused to attend to them, he took them in hand himself and paid for them out of his own pocket. He leaves a.widow, two sons (both of whom are at the front"), and four daughters. The funeral will leave Leslie Hills at 1 p.m. to-morroAv for the Waiau Cemetery. DEEP REGRET AT HANMER. The correspondent of tho "Star" at Hanmer Springs telegraphed- -." The i news of the sudden death of i Mr Duncan Rutherford Avas like] a family bereavement, Mr Rutherford has long been a father to Hanmer Springs. He took a lively interest in any movement for the advance- I ment of the township arid of the wel- ' fare of the residents., liberally support- j ing every worthy object, not only with ; his financial support, but also with his personal interest and sympathy. This ! was ft marked characteristic of the late I Mr Rutherford. He gave his best, in I influence, sympathy and personal over- j sight, "to his- Avorks of benevolence. ! His efforts for the Queen Mary's Hos--s>ital for returned soldiers is well known, -le was interested in everything which promoted the soldiers' happiness, health and well-being. In the spa. Ave feel that we have lost a personal friend. The church-bell Avas tolled as a mark of respect." MRS NEWNHAM. Another »f tho fast decreasing band of early settlers, in the person of Mrs AV. T. NoAvnha.m, passed away on Thursday morning at the residence of her son, Mr C. L. Newnham, Tennyson Street. The deceased lady Avill be remembered by Canterbury pioneers as the sixth daughter of the late Mr T. Coster, of Harewood Road, Papanvji, who, accompanied by his wife, one son and eight daughters, journeyed from Bristol in 1851 by tho ship Bangalore to Lyttelton, that ship being the first to make the passage via Cook Strait. Miss Eliza Coster, as she then Avas. avas confirmed by Bishop Sehvyn, and, at the age of twenty-three, was married bv Bishop Harper, in HareAvood Road Church, to Mr AV. T. Newhham, this being rhe first wedding celebrated in that building. After her marriage, she and her husband resided for a while in Lyttelton, later removing to Kaia-

poi, where Mr Newnham carried on a merchant's business until bis death, leaving his widoAV with five children to care for. Mrs NoAvnha.m shortly after removed to Papanui, subsequently taking up her residence in Oxford, where she has lived quietly for the last tAventy-five years In spite of her seventy-seven years, she enjoyed the full use of her faculties until the last, her accurate memory being a mine of information of the early doings of the province. Of strong personality, and a most kindly disposition, she was known and loved by a large circle of friends who with her children and grandchildren AA'ill acutely feel her loss.