OLD IDENTITY PASSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 194, 17 December 1941, Page 4

OLD IDENTITY PASSES

LINK WITH "SWAMP" DAYS

THE LATE MRS LEES

Mrs Harriet Lees, of Matata, who died on Monday, December 7, was the second youngest of six children of the late Mr and Mrs H. R. Burt, being old pioneers. Mr Burt was born in Nelson in 1845, his people landed there in 1842. Mrs Burt came out with her mother in the Ernestina about 1863.

Mrs Lees was born in Madtytown (Paeroa) 62 years ago, and as a child she attended the Cambridge (Waikato) school with her brothers and sisters. In February, 1886, four months before Tarawera mountain erupted she came to Matata with her parents and the other five members of the family a/ul was there until her death, with the exception of a couple of years on the swamp. Iu 1902 she married the late A. Warbrick the well known foot J bailer and captain of the 1888 Native team that toured the O'ld try. Mr Warbrick had a block of two thousand acres of land where what, is called Thornton now. He was killed in the Waimanga eruption in 1903, there being one daughter. Mrs Lees was the first white woman to live on the now famous Rangitaiki Swamp. In 1911 she married the late Mr W. Lees who> was in business for some years in Matata. Later she took over the business and controlled it until recently, when her health failing, she handed it over to her sons. She was very fond of sport and was an exceptionally fine runner and won numerous trophies. In tennis for years she was the leading lady player in the Bay of Plenty. She leaves one daughter and three sons Mrs H. L. Anderson (Matata), R. R. (on final leave), and M. F. (the well known tennis and footballers), and Pilot Officer R. S. (Tcss) Lees (England) also a well known footballer he being a member of the successful Dominion Airmen's team in Canada; also three brothers H. W., F. J. and S. H. Burt of Matata and two sisters Mis" L. Christmas, of Ellerslie, Auckland, and Mrs M. Smart, Chritschurch.

She was buried at the Matata cemetery and many friends from Hamilton, Auckland and all parts of the Bay of Plenty being represented showing the high regard in which she was held by both Pakeha and Maori, who wiil never forget the many kindnesses shown by he* to both races, especially during the depression period. The Matata Maori comm&nity, wishing to pay their last tribute, requested that the casket should be taken to the pa for the appropriate ceremonies, and this having been done provided a Maori "korowai" with which the casket was covered during the service at the graveside, which was conducted by Father Zana. The many floral tributes which were received from far and wide were piled high as the last mourners left the Awakaponga cemetery.