OBITUARY

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3227, 1 November 1934, Page 4

OBITUARY

MR JOHN MORRESSEY The death occurred on Tuesday of another old Waikato pioneer in the person of Mr John Morrossey, of Hamilton, aged 71 years, who was formerly a resident of Cambridge. Horn in Dover, Kent, Mr Morressey

arrived at Auckland 60 years ago and spent his early years in the colony farming in the Cambridge and Hamilton districts. He joined the Railways Department some 40 years ago and was attached first to the permanent way branch and then the traffic branch, serving at Morrinsville, Otorohanga, Cambridge, Thames, Okoroire and Hamilton. About 10 years ago .he re-

tired to live in Hamilton. In 1884 at Dcvonport, Auckland, Mr Morressey married Miss Susan Willoughby, who came from Wexford, Ireland, and who came to New Zealand on the same ship as her future husband. The late Mr Morressey is survived by his wife and six daughters and four sons, Mcsdames J. Bankier (Auckland), R. F. Watkins and F. W. Haisey (Hamilton), K. Peterson and F. R. Pheldale (Okoroire), and A. Potter (Matamata), and Messrs M. Morressey (Queensland), John Morressey (Mangapeehi), W. Morressey (Auckland), and Allan Morressey (Okoroire). There are 35 grand-children.

MRS CAROLINE FORKERT The death occurred yesterday of Mrs Caroline Forkert, of Ohaupo, mother of Mr T.- Forkert,. of Leamington, at the age of 72 years,; -Mrs Forkert was born in Germany and came to New Zealand 60 years ago. Most of her life was spent at Ohaupo. Mr Forkert died 13 years ago. Mrs Forkert is survived by one daughter, Mrs H. H. Driver, of Auckland, and three sons, Messrs T. Forkert, of Leamington, M. Forkert, of Paterangi, and C. Forkert, of Frankton. MR STEPHEN J. WESTON The death occurred at Whangarei Hospital yesterday of Mr Stephen James Weston, aged 75 years. He was well-known in the Cambridge district, where he usually spent the summer months, staying at the National Hotel. He was a retired marine engineer.

LEADER OF WAIKATOS NOTED MAORI’S DEATH , A noted leading man or chief of the Ngati Paoa hapu of the Waikato Maoris, Pohutuliutu To Harare, died last week at the Hoe-o-taiiiui Maori settlement, 16 miles from Morrinsville, aged approximately 81 years. He was buried on Sunday in the presence of a gathering of about 200 Waikato Maoris the Rev. Canon Karaka, of Morrins- | ville, officiating. Well-known to the older generation ■of early Waikato settlers, Pohutuhutu was a man of extraordinarilv-kecn intellect and took a keen interest in the welfare of his people. He had only a slight knowledge of the English language, a fact not surprising when it is realised that ho was born in about 1853, and had spent all his life in one of the most secluded parts of the Waikato. He was a strong Ivingite, and among those present at his tangi were Ivoroki, the Maori king, and his staff. Pohutuhutu was a keen student of the Bible in the Maori language, and it is said that few of his generation wore more familiar with the Maori version of the Scriptures. He carried out the tenets of the Christian religon in his daily life, and was a powerful influence, for good among the Maoris j of the Hoe-o-tainui Valley, which lies between Morrinsville and Ohinewai.