OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 32, 2 November 1942, Page 8

OBITUARY

Mr. A. Laing The death has occurred at Matamata of Air. Andrew Laing, who had resided in Now Zealand for over 70 years, and was well known throughout tlie country. Air. Laing, who was born at St. Andrews, Scotland, celebrated his ninetieth birthday a mouth ago. Coming to New Zealand as a young man in the ship Margaret Galbraith, lie . landed at lort Chalmers and made his way to the West Coast, aud from there to Nelson, in ms endeavour to make good in those pioneering days. Later, with his brother-in-law, the late Mr. George Younger, he took up bridge contracting in the North island, and some of the work they curried out stands to this day. This includes part of the bridge over the Tougariro River at the southern entance to Lake Taupo. Mr. Laing was also interested in farming, which he followed iu Hawke’s Bay, and he was afterward well ‘known as a hotelkejepcr in that dis* triet, ami in Taranaki. For a time he resided in the Rangitikei district. He was married iu tlie Presbyterian Church in Ghuznee Street. Wellington, over ba years ago. Latterly Air. Laing had been living in retirement in tlie Matamata district. Airs. Laing died about a year ago. On t-he occasion of their diamond wedding, celebrated in Stratford, they received coitgratulatory messages from the King. A sister of Air. Laing's, who died in Scotland a year ago, had been married for 76 years, and she and her husband had also received special congratulations from the King on the occasion of tlie celebration of their platinum wedding.

Mr. Liling is survived by six daughters, Afrs. 11. J. S. Rickard Wellington Airs. S. Hawke, Aiatamata, Airs. Newton Bird, Te Rapa, Mrs. AV. J. Huston, Melbourne, Airs. N. Sutherland, Hamilton, and Airs. L. Little, Aiatamata, and one son, Mr. Duncan Laing, Waitara.