OBITUARY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue X, 7 September 1901, Page 448

OBITUARY.

MRS. SEFTON MOORHOUSE.

One by one the links that bind the little band of early colonists together are being severed, and the death of Mrs. Sefton Moorhouse removes one of the best-known and earliest settlers from our midst. Mrs. Moorhouse left England in 1852 in the ship Northfleet, to join Mr. Moorhouse, to whom she was engaged to be married, and who had preceded her to New Zealand, her marriage to that gentleman taking place in Wellington upon the arrival of the vessel there, the bride being given away by Captain Pentreath, the captain of the vessel, and the Rev. Mr. Cole, of Wellington, performing the marriage ceremony. Shortly after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Moorhouse left for Australia, where they remained some little time, after which they returned to New Zealand, first residing at. Lyttelton, and afterwards in Christchurch, where Mr. Moorhouse entered public life, and became superintendent of the province. During his long public career there Mrs. Moorhouse proved herself an invaluable helpmate, her wonderful charm of manner and unvarying sweetness of disposition winning all hearts, and although she took a keen and very intelligent interest in the welfare of the colony, by her own,and her husband’s wish, she invariably held herself aloof from politics, and from the personal canvassing at elections, which was so much indulged in by ladies in the early days of the colony* when political feeling ran so high. Her unostentatious charity and ready sympathy incurred constant demands upon her time and strength, which were always met with unfailing tact and cheerfulness, and both she and Mr. Moorhouse were the soul of hospitality, and were never so happy as when entertaining their many friends from all parts of the colony.

In 1860 Mrs, Moorhouse had the satisfaction of seeing her husband’s masterly conception of the tunnel through the port hills from Lyttelton to Christchurch successfully inaugurated, and she turned the first sod of the new railway during that year. She and Mrs. Edward Richardson, wife of the Hon. Edward Richardson (who was the engineer chosen by Mr. Moorhouse to carry out the work) being the first ladies to go through the tunnel, the journey being accomplished on a truck, lighted by tallow candles, one being presented to, and afterwards kept by Mrs. Moorhouse, as a cherished memento of the important event. When leaving Christchurch to reside in Wellington, after Mr. Moorhouse resigned the superintendency to become Registrar-Gene-ral of Lands there, her many Canterbury friends presented Mrs. Moorhouse. with a beautif ully f chased silver tea and coffee service and saber, as a small parting souvenir, the gift, being accompanied by many and genuine expressions of regret at her departure. During later years Mrs. Moorhouse has suffered from angina pectoris, a distressing- form of heart disease, which necessitated her almost complete retirement from social life, but she has always been the centre of a very large circle of friends, and bore her long illness with unfailing fortitude and cheerfulness. Having spent four or five, years in Paris finishing her education, Mrs. Moorhouse spoke French like a Parisian, and was in Paris during the Revolution of 1848, and had many most interesting reminiscences to tell of that eventful period of her life. Only three weeks ago, Mrs Moorhouse was attacked by influenza, which ended in congestion of the lungs, and despite al! that devoted nursing and medical skill could do, the attack ended fatally in a few days, and Mrs Moorhouse passed peacefully away in the presence of her family, in the 78th year of her age, at her residence on Wellington Terrace, and was privately interred in the Karori Cemetery. Mrs. Moorhouse leaves five children to mourn their loss—Mr. W. H. 8. Moorhouse (the well-known solicitor). Mrs Adams (wife of Dr. Adams), Mrs. W. Ferguson. Miss Moorhouse and Miss Hilda Moorhouse, all of .whom are now residing in Wellington, with the exception of Miss Hilda Moorhouse, who is at present in Europe.