OBITUARY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 22, 2 June 1906, Page 22

OBITUARY.

DEATH OF MR. S. LUKE. ’There died at his residence suddenly on Monday Mr Samuel Luke, the respected chairman of the Auckland Education Board. The end came very suddenly. the deceased gentleman dying “in harness’’ at the age of 74 years.* He was at the unveiling of the Campbell Statue on Thursday, and was apparently in his usual health on Sunday morning when he attended the morning service at the Holy Trinity Church, Otahuhu. and, in his capacity as lay reader, read the lessons. Before the service was concluded he complained of feeling unwell, but remained to the close of the service, when he proceeded home and immediately went to bed. Mrs. Luke wished to send for a doctor, but Mr. Luke said that nothing serious was wrong, ami a medical man was not cafled in. loiter in the day he felt better, but at four o'clock Monday morning he took a sudden turn for the worse, and expired almost immediately, without pain. Drs. Owen and Bewe*. who have been in attendwance on him. stated that had they been called in they could have done nothig. death being due to heatr failure. Mr Luke has suffered from a weak heart for some limp, and as the doctors were able to certify to this effect, no inquest will l»e necessary.

The deceased gentleman was born at Royston, Hertfordshire. England. in 1832, and came, to New Zealand with his wife in the ship Annie Dongdon in 1857. Soon after hiv arrival hr bought a farm at Paerata. near Pukekohe, ami remained there until the exigencies of the Maori .war compelled him to seek safety nearer Auckland. • He then settled near Otahuhu, and has lived there ever since. During hi* wbnle life Mr. Luke took great interest in local affairs, and particularly in the cause of education. He

has occupied the position of member and chairman of the Otahuhu Rimkl Board, member ami chairman of the school committee. and member of the County Council and Licensing Committee. Besides being member and chaiimau of the Education Board, he was a member of the University College Council and the Board of Governors of the Auckland College and Grammar School. He was also a member of the Royal Commission on Education in 1901, and toured the colony on that Commission. He was a J.P., and was coroner for the district. He took a deep interest in church matters, being a member of the Synod and a lay reader of the Anglican Church. Mr. Luke has teen closely identified with the Auckland Education Board for very many years. He was frequently chosen as chairman, and occupied that position at the time of his death. He was first elected a member of the Board in 1878, upon the retirement of Mr Hugh Hart Lush. In 1884 Mr. Luke was first elected as chairman, which position lie held until August. 1885. Mr. Luke was again appointed chairman in 1888, again in 1892, 1897, 19'5, and 1906. From 1878 until the -present time Mr. Luke has been almost continuously a member of the Board, and had a better grasp of the details of management than any other gentleman, with the exception of the secretary, Mr. V. E. Rice, whose connection with the Board dates still further back. In July last year Mr. and Mrs. Luke celebrated their golden wedding, receiving congratulations from all parts of the colony. Mr. Luke was in every way a friend of the-poor; no one ever went away from him empty handed. He will he greatly missed, and his place will be difficult to fill. Mr. and Mrs. Luke had but one daughter. Mrs. Jas. Robb, of Onehunga. Mrs. Luke. Mrs. Robb, and her three children are thus the only surviving relatives.

THE LATE DR. PVRCHAS.

One of the most prominent figures in Auckland passed away at an early hour on Monday in the person of Dr. Arthus Guyon Purehas, who passed away at Hastings while' on a visit to the southern portion of this island. Dr. Purehas, who was in his Ssth year, left Auckland on Sunday week, being accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Seth-Smith, wife of Mr. SethSmith, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. Prior to leaving Dr. Purehas was in excellent health and spirits, but he caught a chill while travelling in the train between Wellington and Napier. He left the train at Hastings, and at midnight last night he was seized by acute bronchitis, and two hours later he expired, his daughter being present. For over 60 years Dr. Purehas has been associated with the history of Auckland as a clergyman and medical man, and his soldierly figure and kindly face have during that time been a part of the city itself, there being no more familiar citizen in Auckland than the worthy doctor. A man of most estimable qualities, he endeared himself to all with whom be came in contact. He was the friend of all. the enemy of none. Dr. Purehas was bom in 1821. at St. Arsans. in the valley of the Wye, Monmouthshire, and was the eldest son of Mr. R. W. Purehas. Dr. Purehas went to Guy's Hospital at the age of 18. and there became clinical clerk to Dr. Addison and a pupil of the celebrated Dr. Bright, who discovered the disease known by his name, and was there for three years, when he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and L.S.A. In 1843 he went to Liverpool to take charge as one of the resident surgeons of the Southern and Toxteth Hospital. now known as the Royal Southern Hospital. He had previously arranged to come to New Zealand to St. John's College. Auckland, but not hearing, as he expected, from Bishop Selwyn, he left in October, 1844. for New Zealand in the barque Slains Castle. Dr. Purehas being in medical charge. The Slains Castle arrived at Nelson on 26th January. 1845, The Slains Castle went on to Wellington. Taranaki, and Auckland, arriving in Auckland the day after the sacking of Kororareka. He returned to England at the end of the year. On arrival in England Mr. Gladstone, who was then Secretary for the Colonies, sent for him to Downing-street in order to give him all the information in his power concerning the Heke war and the condition of things in the colony. While in England Dr. Purehas got married at

Liverpool, and shortly afterwards, with Mrs. Purehas. left again for New Zealand by way of Sydney in the barque Penyard Park. On arrival in Auckland by the brig Mankin in October, 1846. Dr. Purehas went out to St. John’s College, where a hospital was built, of which he took charge for two or three years, after wliieh he went to Onehunga as resident clergyman, where he had not only to do clerical but also medical and engineering work. At Sir George Grey's request he undertook to see to the location of the natives of the Ngatimahuta tribe, under their old chief Te Wherowhero, afterwards known as Potatau, the King, on the land allotted to them by the Government. In 1860, when a Maori was killed at Patumahoe, a party of 400 Waikatos came down under .William Thompson, believing he had been murdered by the pakehas, and intended making a taua for utu. Dr. Purehas having ascertained, through native sources, that if the war party were left unmolested, there was no danger, succeeded in obtaining from the Government authority to induce the settlers who were leaving for Auckland to return to their homesteads. In 1863 Dr. Purehas, after the Kingites had seized the Government press at Te Awamutu, went up there at the joint request of Sir George Grey, Sir William Martin, and Bishop Selwyn, with a view of assisting Mr. Gorst in preventing the Waikato tribes from becoming involved in the general war which was then threatening. The step was taken too late, and all that could be done was to watch events and report for the information of the Government. Dr. Purehas warned Sir George Grey that the natives contemplated opening hostilities again in Taranaki, with a series of murders, according to native custom. A fortnight afterwards the event referred to took place. On leaving Te Awamutu, after sending away Mrs. Gorst and her children, Dr. Purehas left for Auckland, having with him Te Paca, the king's sister. On the way down lie called at Waahi. on the opposite side of the river from Huntly. where he had a talk with Tawhiao over the impending war. In passing through Rangiriri he noticed that the title pits were already dug. and the fortifications manned. The scowl-

ing faces of the natives showed him that but for tile -presence of Te Paea bn would probably not have been allowed* to pass through uns.-athed. The night before the natives n-tirvil fr<im Mange re, on the eve of the Waikato war, a number of the party came to say good-bye to Dr. Purehas, and admitted that they knew what would be the. issue of a struggle with the pakeha. but that they must go. and. as Tanwti Ngapora said,' *• die with their people.'" Dr. Purehas took an active interest in procuring a water supply for Auckland. He sent the first samples of coal from the colony —Waikato coal from Waahi to the Great Exhibition of 1851. In conjunction with Captain Ninnis, he patented a process for dressing flax, and built a mill at Waitangi, near Waiuku. destroyed by the natives during the Waikato war. In 1875 Dr. Purehas left Onehunga for Auckland, resigned active ministerial work, and resumed his medical practice, which lie has continued ever since. He has had 14 children, of whom four sons and six daughters are living. His sons are: Mr. Geo. Purehas, of Melbourne; Dr. A. Challiuor Purehas, of this city; Mr Claude Purchase, and Dr. Maurice Purehas, of New South Wales. Dr. Purehas was exceedingly active for Iris years, and was in active practice up to the time of bis death. He took a great interest in the Institute for the Blind, which he attended weekly in order to give inusie lessons. He was one of the founders of the Auckland Institute. and was president on many occasions. He was also prominent in the deliberations of the Auckland Synod, of which he was a member from its inception. The Scenery Preservation and other societies claimed a share of his attention. and in their discussions his counsel w ill be greatly missed. His was a truly noble life, and his death will be regretted by the whole city.