OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 11

OBITUARY.

MR C. A. CUNNINGHAM. In his 81st year, Mr Charles A very I Cunningham died ait. Ins residence iii | Ashl<\\- street Rangioia, on Monday I evening after a fan* week's' illness. Mr Cunningham was. born in. .Salford, Lancashire, England, in. 1344, and was educated at Cheltenham College. At tho s.'-ge of 1 1 years he came to New Zealand with his father, the late Mr A. 11. Cunningham, and tho 'other momhers of the family in tho ship Minerva, ..arriving in Lyttcltou in. July, 185. J. Mr Cunning ham, ten., had followed tho profession of a school teacher, but when he came to the colony ho discovered that a pastoral life would Tbo alike more congenial and' profitable, arid'''haying'capita! at his disposal ho entered into partnership with the late Mr T. S. Mannering, and they leased Mr G. Hart's'two runs, viz., Birch Hill and Snowdalo. Shortly afterwards they added Fernside to their holdings, till then occupied by tho late MrC.O. Torlesse. Mr Cunningham resided in the latter run, arid it was there Mr C. A. Cunningham grew to manhood and became- thoroughly trained in pastoral pursuits. One notable event in the history of the firm was the taking of the first, mob of sheep to the West Coast that passed over the ranges from Canterbury, This was about the year 1805 after the rush-, of gold seekers ,to the Coast "took place, and something like a-fresh meat famine existed. "Mr Cunningham, his'.father and the late Mr John O'Halloran- had charge, of the sheep, numbering 500, and all in fat condition. After a long and tedious Journey iofc. devoid oi' adventure, the party reached it's destination, Hokitika. Some cl-the sheep were disposed of en route to Mr Dobson for his road construction party, and the remainder found ready sale to the miners at about £5 per head. In 187-1 Mr Cunningham took a trip to England and there married, returning to New Zealand with' his wife by the ship Merope. He then, set tied at Loburn and in partnership with bis brother, Mr J. A. Cunningham, who predeceased him. continued farming pursuits there until 1885. Two years later he joined the Government service, and eventually was appointed Stock Inspector first - for the Ashburton district, and afterwards for North Canterbury, tilling the office until 1909,. when ho retired on superannuation. He afterwards undertook the duties of .secretary to the Rangiorai School. Committee and librarian of the Public Library, holding both offices 'im'til less -tbivn a month ago, when illness compelled him to relinquish them. He did r.bt take a very active part in public affairs, but when at Loburn he was chairman, of the School for a considerable time. " He was a staunch member of the Church of England and, wet or fine, his seat in the Parish.Church was never vacant. Quiet and unassuming. in manner, lie held the esteem of the townspeople, and very general regret was felt when death claimed him. He leaves a widow, two sons. Messrs J. A. Cunningham (Dannevirke), J. H. Cunningham . (Ciiristchurch), and four daughters. Mesdames F. S. Bowron ,'Okuku), J. M." Robertson (Dunedin). R. L. Walker ''(Chrisfchurch), . and Keith Hounsell (Wanganui). The. funeral is to ta-ke place this afternoon.

MB X. K. BOWDEX. One of the sturdy'pioneers of Canterbury passed away on Monday night in the person of Mr Nicholas Knight Bowden, at his residence, Lincoln road,. Addington. For a number of years Mr Bowden was a well-known figure in public affairs. For ten years he was a member of the Sydenham Borough Council, and held office as Mayor during that period. He was a member of the Council when th.e residents, in 1000, decided to amalgamate with the City of Christchurch. For about fifteen years he was a memb.er (and for some years chairman) of the South WaU makaviri River Board, now the Waimakariii Eivcr Trust. For some time. he was a member of the West Christchurch School Committee, and was, afterwards, for twenty years a member and for several wars chairman of the Addington School Qonunittce. Mr Bowden held a commission as a .Justice of the Peace, lie was a member of the Masonic craft, ami was at cue time Master of the Olivers .Lodge, of which he was for ten -years treasurer. Mr Bowden was a native of Bodmin, Corn wall, and came to Xew Zealand as a young man, landing a t Auckland in ISG2. He joiued the rush for gold m Otago. :md was on the Dunst.-iii field for some- time. Afterwards he came to Lyttelfon. where he resided for four years, taking sub-contracts in connexion with the construction of the Lyiteltou tunnel. He put in the last blast, and was the first man to crawl through the tuunel. Iu ISOS he started business as a grooer in Christchurch, in a shop iu Colombo street, between Lichiield and Tnam streets; later he moved 1.0 Addington. and carried on business in Lincoln road until he retired fifteen years ago. For the past three rears Mr Bowden has been in indifferent health, and last week his condition grew gradually worse. Ite was in his 80th year. Mrs Bowden predeceased him. He leaves a grown-up family of three

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sons and. four (laughters, all married, with the exception of one daughter. - The death is announced at Wakefield, Nelson, of Mr Francis Henry Baigent, at the ago of Gl years. Mr Baigent was bom at Wakefield, and with tiie exception of a few years' at Kiwaka, he lived most of his life in ihat locality. During the early part of his'life ho worked at the .\awnriliing business, and was at different,times jn eliargc of several sawmills owned by his uncle, Mr Henry Baigent, of Kelson. Latterly, he left sawmilling, and took up farming at Wakefield. Mr L. A. Bott, who died at Dune-din on Sunday, was a. native of Port Chalmers, where ho joined the Post and Telegraph Department as a,.lad. After several years' service he was transferred to Christchureh, and subsequently to the Telegraph Office at Wellington, where he remained for 36 years. In 190S he was promoted to the position of postmaster at Alexandra, where served for nine years. • He then received further promotion to Eltham, and afterwards to Tuakau, where he retired on superannuation in 1921, after 40 years' service. He had been in failing health for the last three years. He leaves a widow and ! one daughter.