Obituary

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 344, 3 May 1928, Page 13

Obituary

MR. F. FRIENDSHIP VETERAN OF SUDAN Few men have had such an eventful career as the late Mr. Frederick Friendship, of Huntiy, who died in the Auckland Hospital last week-end. A native of Devonshire, he migrated to Australia when 28 years of age. Mr. Friendship was present at the relief of Khartoum in the summer of 1884, in the camel corps, and was right through the Sudan War, after enlisting under Wolsley in the early ’Bo’s. In the Coolgardie rush he was engaged in carrying water for the mines with camels, and he was a worker in copper smelting works at Cobar, in New South YV ales, and Chilago, in Queensland. Migrating to Canterbury, he was employed by the well-known Rutherford family as farm manager before coming North to Auckland to take up business as a carting contractor, a position he assumed in Huntiy about 25 years ago, and the mining town was his home from then till his death. His wife predeceased him. He leaves a daughter and several grandchildren. A brother with a large family resides at Gundagai, New South Wales. The late Mr. Friendship was buried at Waikumete on Tuesday in the presence of many friends. He had reached the. age of 68 years and was a patient sufferer for a long period. MR. J. •W. WALLER

Mr. James W. Waller, one of the bestknown early residents of Onehunga. died at his home at Belmont, Taka- i puna, yesterday at the age of 89. Born in Yorkshire. Mr. Waller ar- i rived at Christchurch in 1856. and was ! engaged in the Umber trade in Canter- ; bury. Going to the West Coast goldfields he later came to Auckland and { settled in Oneliunga, where he again I entered the timber trade. He owned j two sawmills at Manukau Heads, a j small finishing mill at Onehurign, and ! vessels trading out of both the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours, which carried timber as far as Australia. Mr. Waller was the second Mayor of Oneliunga and was also second chairman of Waitemata County Council. He guaranteed a bank overdraft of £ 500, as the security of Oneliunga was not considered sufficient, the money being utilised for metalling the road from the wharf to the borough boundary. He built the original Onehunga public ball and he also promoted the Onehunga Building Society. MR. WILLIAM THOMPSON On Wednesday morning one of the oldest residents of Birkenhead, Mr. William Thompson, died at Ihe age of 84. • Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, with three young children, arrived by the sailing ship Countess of Kintore in 1871, and settled at Birkenhead. They have lived there ever since, and in December last celebrated their diamond wedding. Mr. Thompson was born at Wakefield. Yorkshire, and relinquished the position of managing clerk to a firm of solicitors in "Stockport, Lancashire, to come to New Zealand. He had firsthand experience of the early days of Northcote and Birkenhead, and of the sruggles and trials of the early settlers. He took up 10 acres of land, and for many years was a prominent nurseryman. His activities included strawberry and general fruitgrowing. He later entered into a fruit preserving business. In this work he started one of his sons, thus becoming the founder of the present firm of Thompson and Hills, Ltd. For many years he was Northcote representative on the Diocesan Synod, and a member of the Waitemata County Council. He was also president of the Fruitgrowers’ Association. Mr. Thompson had over 80 descendants, and is survived by a widow and 10 sons and daughters. MR. J. T. HARCOURT The death has occurred at Wellington of Mr. John Bateman Harcourt, president of the Wellington Racing Club since 1900, at the age of 82. Mr. Harcourt was born in Learnington, England, the son of Dr. J. T. Harcourt. He was educated in Melbourne as a medical student, but finally entered Sargood, Son and Ewen’s Melbourne branch. In 1866 he came to Wellington, to the firm of A. P. Smart and Co., later becoming a partner and finally buying the firm out. In 1888 he started his present auctioneering business. He was a member of the Wellington City Club from 1889 to 1899.