OBITUARY.

Shannon News, 10 March 1925, Page 3

OBITUARY.

MR A. MACPHERSON. There passed a\yay an Friday night one of t/he few remaining pioneers of Shannon, in the person of Mr Archibald Macphea'sqn, aged 81 years. The deceased had been confined to his bed lor some months and the end was

not unexpected. The late Mr Macpherson was born at Greenock, on the river Clyde, in Scotland, where he served ihis apprenticship as a draper. In 1864 he sailed for New Zealand in the sailing ship Albion, landing at ■Dunedin, in which town he entered into business, afterwards trying his luck on the Otago goldfields. He remained in Dunedin until 1875, in which year he was married and had he survived until October of this year he would have celebrated his golden wedding. Shortly after his marriage ■ he and Mrs Macphersom removed to Wellington where he took up a farm property between Khandallah and Johnsonville,. at the saime time taking over the management of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Clothing Factory. He remained in Wellington for twelve years, coming to Shannon in .1888. The bush in the township had then just been felled, but not cleaerd, and Mr Macpherson immediately set to work to make a home, Mrs Macpherson remaining in Wellington. He built a temperance boardinghouse which was destined later to become known as the Albion Hotel. The boarding house was named bv Mr Macpherson after the sailing ship “Albion”' by which he had journeyed to New Zealand. He also ran a store and post office in conjuction with the boardinghouse, the latter at that time being the rendezvous for pigeon-shoot-.eirs who used tq visit Shannon. He also took up land at Buckley, the property now owned by Mr Bowler, and when he had got the land particleared and a house built, he leased the boardinghoiuse to a Mr Bradley for a term of ten years, and went to reside on the farm. It was Mr Bradley, during his possession, whq got a license for the house. At the end of Mr Bradley’s lease, Mr Macpherson took over the hotel himself, as he would not give' another lease, and ran it for a few months when he sold the freehold to Mr Milner. The store was removed'from the hotel and opened where the Bank of New Zealand now stands. He con-

ducted it for some years, afterwards selling to Mr Powell, who ultimately sold to Mr W. H. Gunning. During this time Mr Macpherson had the honour of being Shannon’s first postmaster (without salary). In 1900 Mr and Mrs Macpherson visited the Old-Coun-trv and Australia, and on their return to" New Zealand took up their residence in Palmerston North, returning to Shannon in 1900 where they halve lived in retirement ever since. The deceased, who was well read and a keen business man, was fond of a joke and always saw the humorous side of tilings. He took a keen interest in all local affairs in Shannon and was one of the prime movers in petitioning the Government for a grant for a school in Shannon, which was'successful in securing the sum of £SO, thus enabling the settlers to erect a one-roomi building, the late Mr Voysey Being appointed teacher. Mr Macpherson was chairman of the School Committee for some years. He was also prominent in the forming of a branch of the Oddfellows’ Lodge, which is mow defunct; also a founder of file local Presbyterian Church, in | which both he and Mrs Macpherson \ always took an active interest and been staunch supporters. Mr Macpherson had been a ruling elder .since June, 1909,' and their generous gifts from time to time have done much towards helping the church. Deceased is survived by his wife only, there being no children, and the deepest sympathy is extended to Mrs Macpherson in her bereavement. { The funeral took place yesterday afternoon, a large number of resi-1 dents paying their last respects. a j short service was held at the Presbyterian Church which was conducted bv Rev. A. F. Stewart, assisted by Rev. ■McColl, and at the conclusion the "Dead March”- was played by Miss Agnes Aim, A.T.C.L. The cortege then proceeded to the cemetery where the burial service was read by Rev. A. rStewart. The pall bearers were Messrs .7. -Whyte (Tokomaru), A. Mitchell (T.evin) J. Ryrie and W. Brown (Shannon). A large number of floral emblems were placed on the casket as a tribute to deceased’s memory.