OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 40, 21 October 1925, Page 31

OBITUARY

MR. JOHN MORRISS, WAIMATE. The death occurred recently of one of Waimat^’« : pioneer Catholics, in the person of Mr. Jphn- Morriss. The late Mi*. Morriss was born in., Co, Galway,-: Ireland, in, 1843,. and received his early education at the Christian Brothers’ School, at Headford. In ,1864 he arrived in,Lyttelton by the ship Ivanhoe and settled in .Christchurch. He was attracted to the West Coast... goldfields but returned to Canterbury eighteen months later and had several years experience of station life under Mr. C. Dampier-Crossley. He was farming at Temuka for eight years, and in April, 1881, bongilt 100 acres in the Waihao district, which he afterwards increased to 1100 acres. The late Mr. Morriss took an active interest in public affairs and served as a member of the Lower Waitaki Irrigation Board for several years, becoming chairman of. that Board in 1902. He was married at Lyttelton in 1874, to a daughter of the late Mr. E. Scully, of Co. Galway, Ireland, and leaves a family of two song and three daughters Messrs M. and J Morriss, Misses C. and M. Morriss, and Mrs. M. Leonard (Waimate)his wife and one son having predeceased him. The deceased was attended in his.last illness by Rev. Fathers O’Connor and Knight, and passed away in the presence of his family, fortified by the rites of Holy Clin —R.I.P. MR. JOHN SULLIVAN, NAPIER. (Contributed.) There passed away at the Napier Public Hospital on Wednesday, the 7th inst., Mr. John Sullivan, who was born at Skibbereen, Go. Cork, Ireland, on March 19, 1848. The late Mr. Sullivan, who arrived in Napier in 1876 by the ship Waitara, had spent all his days in New Zealand. in the Hawke’s Bay district. He worked as a farm laborer for some years after his arrival, then took up a bush section of 100 acres at Blackburn in this district, worked the same until some ten years ago when he retired to enjoy his well earned rest. He was a man of a very retiring disposition and, in what he considered deserving objects, of a charitable generous nature. He was a widower, his wife haying predeceased him some years ago. Under his ‘ will, the executors of which are Messrs. Edward - Troy and M. L. Gleeson, of Napier, practically the whole of his estate which amounts to over £3OOO is left for the cause of Catholic education. The sum of £SOO is bequeathed to the Marist Brothers’ Juniorate, at Tuakau Auckland; £IOO to the Marist Brothers’ School at Napier; £IOO to the Home of Compassion, Island Bay; £IOO to the Little Sisters of'the Poor, Ponsonby; Auckland £IOO to the Far East Mission Fund; £IOO each is left to the Convent'Schools St Port AHnriri, Hastings, and Whip aw a, Hawke’s Bay. The remainder of his estate, amounting to about £ISOO, is left to the Sisters at Napier towards the erection of a new wing of the convent . which is to be erected in the near future. Until a few months ago, when old age prevented him from so doing, he was a. regular attend-

ant at early Mass and also at any evening''; devotions that were being held. He was a man of sterling and upright character and his great consolation in life was his.church: f. He was attended in his last, illness, which was of about ten days duration, by the Rev. Father Seymour, S.M., and died peacefully, fortified by r the last Sacraments of the Church. The funeral left Saint Patrick’s Church, Napier, for the Parke Island Cemetery, on Friday afternoon, the • 9th inst., ! the Rev. Father Seymour, S.M., officiating at the church and graveside.—R.l.P.

MR. JOHN FLEMING, CROMWELL.

There passed away at his residence Achil Street, Cromwell, on October 4, at the advanced age of 87 years, one of the fine sturdy pioneers of the district in the person of Mr. John Fleming. Born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1838,- he came to Victoria in 1860, and the following year came over to New Zealand, where the remainder of his life was spent. In his early manhood he followed mining on the Old-Man Range, * Hartley and Riley, Macetown, and Skippers. When mining was booming he conducted an hotel at Kawar.au Gorge, but as far back as 1867 turned his attention to the land and took up an area at Kawarau Gorge which, with the aid of a water right from Lowburn Creek he successfully farmed until he? disposed of it to the Cromwell Development : Company some 12 years ago. It is now widely known as Ripponvale. After that he lived a retired life in Cromwell. He was the pioneer of .irrigation in that district, having discovered the value of it as far back as 1867. | In his younger days the late Sir. Fleming? took a keen interest in many organisationsS for the welfare of the dsitrict, and among his many admirable attributes was the generous hospitality extended by himself and his late wife to the clergy. He was a supporter;! of the N'eic Zealand Tablet since its inception.- On the land, deceased was industriousS and enterprising and in all walks of life was one of nature’s gentlemen, well-known for ' bis honesty and integrity. His wife predeceased him some five years ago; and he leaves a grown-up family of one son and four - daughters to mourn their loss. To these - the deepest sympathy of all goes out in the passing of a fine old pioneer. During his illness the deceased was constantly and devotedly attended by the Rev. Father Scanlan, and passed peacefully away fortified by if all the rites of Holy Church. His remains were removed to the . Church of the Irish Martyrs on the morning of October 6, where? Requiem Mass was celebrated by Fathers. Scania who also officiated at the intermen t—the funeral taking place in the afternoon. —R.I.P. ..