THE LATE NATHAN SEDDON.

Kumara Times, Issue 2873, 18 December 1885, Page 2

THE LATE NATHAN SEDDON.

Last night, at the ripe age of 62 years, there passed away from our midst one of our oldest and most, respected citizens, Nathan Seddon, fourth son of Richard Seddon, farmer, of Barrownook Hall, Bikerstaffe, Lancashire, and uncle to Richard John Seddon, M H.R. The deceased Nathan Seddon,-or as he was most familiarly known " Uncle Nat," arrived at Auckland over 26 years ago and from'there went to Sydney, and followed the rushes in New South Wales, and was well known amongst the sturdy band that assembled on the Lachlan and Snowy River rushes. On gold being discovered in Otago, he was one of the foremost to start for the'.new El Dorado, and with others displaced the old order of things and snail-pace of the old identities of Otago. He worked on Wetherstone or Gabriel's Gully, the Dunstan, and Shotover diggings, and many a good story he has told of the tips and downs he and others experienced in the good old days of Otago. On the news reaching Otago in the latter end of 1864 that gold had been discovered here, on the Wesjb Coast, he immediately struck tent, and, with four others, started overland en route for what was then known as Okitiki. After enduring great hardships, hair-breadth escapes in crossing the many rivers, and experiencing many thrilling adventures that none except those who traveled overland can know, the party arrived at their destination in the month of February, 1865, and immediately started up the Waimea Creek, and, after prospecting for a short time, struck fair gold on what was subsequently known as the Right-Hand Branch diggings. One of the first water-rights granted hi the Waimea district bears the name of Nathan Seddon, as one of M'Masters and party. They constructed the Band of Hope Dam, the christening of which by Commissioner or " King " Sale was one of the red letter days in the history of the old Waimea, or Six-mile diggings. At the latter end of 1875 Houlaban and party's gold getting got whispered abroad, and in January, 1876,. the Houlahan's Flat, or what was subsequently called the I Kumara rush, set in. N"at was no laggard; and, like the old war-horse at the sound of the bugle, was soon on the march. After prospecting in the vicinity of Cashman's dam for awhile, gold was got beyond the Break, and he did bis last diggings on the Larrikins Flat. In 1878 he was appointed working overseer of the Borough, and faithfully he did his duty. Two years ago the Westland County Council gave him charge of the Kurnara-Dilltnan's section of the Christchurch road; which position he held to the time of his death. Of the deceased it may truly be said that he was a thorough specimen of the English yeoman—upright, honest, and independent. His maxim was "Do unto others as ye would wish they should do unto you;" hence he has passed away to his last long home, loved and respected by all who knew him. He has lefc a _ wife and two sons to mourn his loss, and great sympathy is felt with them in their sad bereavement." His remains will be interred-by the side of bis two infant children in the grave at the Stafford Cemetery, on Sunday afternoon. The funeral will leave Kumara punctuaJly at 1 p.m. on that day.