OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 24834, 28 August 1942, Page 3

OBITUARY

MR E. C. GOVAN

Mr E. C. Govan, who died at Invercargill on Wednesday, was one of the best-known personalities in Southland and Otago. He was lessee of the Te Anau Hotel for many years and he was a prominent racehorse owner and breeder. Mr Govan was an Australian by birth. He came to New Zealand as a child 60 years ago and as a young man he was a fur trader in Otago. He took a lease of the Te Anau Hotel many years ago, and he was in charge of the lake steamer which conveyed tourists to and from the Te Anau end of the Milford Track. His lease expired in September 1939 and he continued to live in the district where he operated a motor service station. Mr Govan had much success at racing. He bred and raced Te Anau Lad, Salmo Salar and Milford and he won the Dunedin Cup last year with Doubleack (in partnership with Mr F. E. Gilligan). Mr Govan is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Edith Harrison, of Green Island, and family. His brothers are Messrs T. Govan (Alexandra), Horace and Herbert Govan (Christchurch) and Stanley Govan; his sisters are Mrs J. Hunter (Riverton), Mrs H. Todd and Mrs D. Russell (Dunedin) and Mrs J. Boldero (Whangarei). MR CHARLES COOK One of the few remaining early settlers of the Makarewa district, Mr Charles Cook, died recently at the age of 83. He was born at Greenock, Scotland, and at the age of 16 came to Bluff with his parents. A short stay in Invercargill was followed by occupancy of a slab hut with thatched roof at Seaward Downs. The family moved to Myross Bush and then Roslyn Bush, and father and son assisted in building the school and schoolhouse at Hedgehope. Mr Cook retired from the employment of the New Zealand Pine Company’s mill at Ryal Bush in 1930. Eight years ago Mr and Mrs Cook celebrated their golden wedding. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and four sons.