OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24227, 20 February 1940, Page 10

OBITUARY

MR G. W. CARRINGTON, SENR. The death of Mr George William Carrington at Napier last week has removed a well-known Otago teacher of earlier days, but one who is probably more widely known as an artist. Born in Gloucester in 1855 he was destined for a career in the world of art, but a change in the family fortunes found him, at the age of 20, schoolmaster on the emigrant ship Huranui, his sole assets being a public school education and a natural gift for art and music. On arrival in Otago he had perforce to turn to teaching for a livelihood, and entered on a brief course at the newly-established Training College. Among his earlier schools were Wangaloa, Tuapeka Mouth, Taieri Beach, Lower Harbour, and Arthurton, where older residents still recall his versatility as a singer of topical songs of his own composing. Later he was head teacher of the Pine Hill and St. Leonards Schools. He was an executive

member of the Otago branch of the Educational Institute for many years, filling the presidential chair in 1910. Mr Carrington is numbered among the very early members of the Otago Art Society, and continued as a working member until his departure to the North Island a few years ago, when he became a member of the Hawke’s Bay Art Society. For a considerable time he was a member of the council of the Otago Art Society. His sketches of Otago and Southland scenery number thousands, and few people knew so well our mountains, lakes and coastline in all of Nature’s moods. Some years ago one of his paintings was accepted for the permanent collection of the Dominion Academy of Fine Arts. His many friends found in him a rare conversationalist with a wellstored mind and an understanding personality, which could adapt itself to the interests of his particular companion. It gave him quiet pleasure to receive from old pupils evidence of their adult realisation that they had received their primary education at the hands of a gifted and cultured teacher. As he used his art as an avenue to portray his love of the beautiful in Nature, so he used poetry as a medium to express his best thoughts, and if all his verses and short poems could be collected they would reveal his knowledge of human nature, his rich humour and his unwavering faith in the eternal verities. An example of this is found in this verse, which he wrote on the flyleaf of H. V. Morton’s “In the Steps of the Master,” 12 months before the outbreak of the present war:—

The Master’s steps! And war will never cease Till in Those steps The world discovers peace,

It is typical of his nature that in the week in which he died, although in his eighty-fifth year, he had embarked upon a series of paintings for the new year, which would ultimately be given to his friends and relatives. He made light of his remarkable gifts and he has left behind him the gracious influence of the finest type of unassuming Christian English gentleman. He is survived by his widow, five sons (Messrs G. W. and A. H. Carrington, of Dunedin; E.E., of Napier; A.E., of Palmerston North; and C.P., of Peebles), and one daughter (Mrs H. G. Gilbert. St Andrew’s Manse, Hamilton) .

MR JAMES L. CLARKE The many friends of Mr James L. Clarke, of Pidgeon Flat, would learn with deep sorrow of his death on Tuesday at Dunedin. The second son of Mr and Mrs Edgar Scott Clarke, of Woodhaugh, Mr Clarke was born in Heckmondwike, England, on August 3, 1879, and in the following month left with his parents for New Zealand in the ship Taranaki. Mr Clarke was a farmer in the Leith Valley and Pidgeon Flat districts all his life except for a period during the Boer war. He had always taken an active interest in the Otago Hussars, and during the Boer War went to South Africa with the 6th Contingent. He was severely wounded while on active service. He was a Past Grand Master of the Loyal Valley Lodge, No. 6588. M.U.I.O.O.F., which he joined in 1899, and he was also keenly interested in the Leith Harriers, to whom he often acted as host at his Pidgeon Flat home. Mr Clarke was widely respected, particularly in the farming community, and he will be greatly missed at the Burnside stock sales, which he attended regularly for over 30 years. He is survived by his widow, three sons (Messrs Owen Clifford and Leith Clarke) and two daughters (Mrs J. E. Brunton and Miss Joyce Clarke).

MR TOM GILLER (Special to Daily Times) INVERCARGILL, Feb. 19. A resident of Southland for 77 years, Mr Tom Giller died on Sunday at the age of 86 years after three weeks of the only illness he had ever had. Mr Giller was born in Somersetshire, England, on September 4, 1853, and when he was nine years of age he sailed for New Zealand with his mother and other members of the family to join his father, who had landed here five years previously. He attended a private school for boys and later a night school, and at the age of only 16 years of age he set out to fend for himself. He moved from district to district, taking work where he could find it, and became an expert shearer. With money he saved while on a roadmaking contract at Dipton, he took up 200 acres near that township, and toiled early and late in making it a productive farm. In 1878 Mr Giller married Miss Parker. Besides attending to his own farm, he was kept busy as a woolclasser during the season. In 1886 he sold his Dipton farm and bought a property at Riverside, exchanging this later for 500 acres at Centre Bush. Five years later he gave up farming and started dealing in stock, but returned to the land as manager of a sheep station at Five Rivers. He settled down in retirement in Invercargill 10 years ago. His wife died in 1920, and he is survived by four daughters and two sons.

SIR CHARLES CAYZER, M.P.

LONDON, Feb. 18. (Received Feb. 19, at 7 p.m.) The death has occurred of Sir Charles Cayzer, M.P. Sir Charles, who was aged 44, had been M.P. for the City of Chester since 1922.