OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 12

OBITUARY

MR ERNEST J. WATKINS

The death occurred recently of Mr Ernest John Watkins, of Greenpark, who was born in Akaroa in : 1866. Mr Watkins was a son of Mr Henry G. Watkins, a prominent early settler, and 'a grandson of Dr. Watkins. He was for some years a teacher, but after having been headmaster at the Pigeon Bay Main School for more than three ! years, he resigned from the service ! in 1890 to take up farming at Little River. In 1918 Mr Watkins moved to Greenpark, where he resided rill his death. He was always keenly interested in sport, particularly football and racing. Mr Watkins is survived by Mrs Watkins, who is a daughter of the late Mr John Topp, of Little River, and by four sons and four daughters. There are four grandchildren The funeral took ‘ place at the Springston cemetery. The pall-bearers were Messrs E. Watkins, O. Watkins (sons), w. Kearns, and T. Mora (sons-m-la\v). Among the wreaths were those from the Greenpark branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, Lincoln Football Club, Post and Telegraph Department at Greymoutb, and H. Matson and Co. MR J. H. KIRK Mr John Hobbs Kirk, whose death occurred on Monday at his residence, “Abberley,” St. Albans, was very weil known in business circles in New Zealand. He was 82 years of age. Born at Waikouaiti in 1856, Mr Kirk was a son of the Rev. William Kirk, who came to New Zealand in the brig Wesley Star in 1847. On his mother’s side, he was a grandson of the Rev. John Hobbs, one of the first missionaries in New Zealand. As a child, Mr Kirk lived with his parents'among the Maoris in the North Island during the Maori wars. On one occasion when the family was living in the upper reaches of the Wanganui river, a Maori rising caused some anxiety while Mr Kirk, sen., was absent in Wellington. A Government gunboat was sent up the river to evacuate his wife and children.

One of the early pupils of Christ’s College, Mr Kirk joined the Bank of New Zealand as a young man and served in various parts of the Dominion. He left the employ of the bank to establish the firm of J. H. Kirk and Company, Ltd., wool and skin merchants, of Invercargill and Dunedin. Mr Kirk retired from business about 35 years ago and settled at St. Albans.

Mr Kirk devoted a great deal of time to the encouragement of tennis and athletics. A keen player himself until a few weeks before his death, he was affectionately known in the city as “the old man of tennis.” He was a generous benefactor to the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association, which could not have established Wilding Park without his aid. For many years president of • the association, he was patron at the time of his death, and was also a past president of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association. He had also been associated with several tennis clubs in the city. He is survived by four daughters Misses Elsie and Vera Kirk and Mesdames Robert Wreaks and Hector Raphael, all of Christchurch. Mrs J Gar lick, of Wellington, and Miss Lina Kirk, of Auckland, are sisters.

MR A. H. WALLIS (PRESS AB3OCIATIOK TKtEGRAIt.) GISBORNE, September 13. The death occurred this morning at the age of 87, of Mr Arthur Henry Wallis, who came to New Zealand m 1868 in the ship Blue Jacket. After 15 years in Hawke’s Bay he went to Waipiro .Bay, and in subsequent years played an important part m the development of the East Coast his wife being the first European woman to venture into the district. At one time or another two hundred thousand acres of Coast land was under nis control and his homestead was the centre of Coast activities. He wa> largely responsible for the formation of the Waiapu County. He became the first chairman of the council, holding the post for many -years.