Obituary

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 644, 22 April 1929, Page 11

Obituary

MR. EDWARD FITZPATRiCK A well-known resident of Pakuranga and an early pioneer of the district, Mr. Edward Fitzpatrick died on Saturday evening at the age of 82. Born at sea he was the son of one of the Imperial Fencibles who arrived at Howick with their wives and families in 1847. At the age of 15 Mr. Fitzpatrick joined the Howick militia and later Colonel Nixon’s light horse, seeing considerable service in the Maori Wars. He established a reputation as a “crack” shot and secured several prizes for shooting. For over 60 years he occupied a farm adjoining Pigeon Mountain and he took a keen interest in the welfare of tTie district. Mr. Fitzpatrick was chairman of the Pakuranga Domain Board for 45 years and was primarily instrumental in securing approximately 22 acres, including Pigeon Mountain, as a reserve for the district. He was a member of the local school committee for 21 years and also served for a long term on the Pakuranga Road Board prior to its merger with the Manukau County Council. He was a well-known cricketer in his younger days. Mr. Fitzpatrick is survived by his wife, five sons and one daughter. Two sons, Messrs. Joseph and Desmond Fitzpatrick, are unmarried and live at Pakuranga. The other children are Mrs. A. Forsman, of Ellerslie, and Mr. H. Fitzpatrick, of Hc%iderson, and Mr. J. Fitzpatrick, of Onehunga. MR. MATTHEW SIMS To have seen Auckland grow from a jumble of raupo whares to eight and ten storeyed warehouses; from Maori tracks to concrete streets; from bullock drays to airplanes, was the experience of Mr. Matthew Sims, who died on Friday last at Onehunga at the age of 90 years. He arrived in Auckland on October 10, 1842, with his parents, by tlie Diichess of Argyle, when he was four years of age, and was therefore one of the earliest settlers on the Waitemata. The only other living passenger by the Duchess of Argyle that Mr. Sims knew of was Mr. James Robertson, of Mangere, who is in his 95tli year. Mr. Sims could remember having seen bullock drays bogged in Queen Street, and often gathered tea-tree firewood on the slopes of Albert Street, Hobson Street and Albert Park. He received his education in a shanty situated on what was then known as Smail’s Point, a clay promontory to the westward of Queen Street, but which has since been obliterated to make way for buildings. In 1852 he was apprenticed to the late Mr. Henry Niccol as a boat bLiilder and shipwright, and served his time in Mechanics’ Bay, where Mr. Robertson’s father had established rope works. On the outbreak of the Maori War Mr. Sims set up a shipyard on his own account at Onehunga in 1867. Up till then Onehunga was merely a pensioner settlement, but soon became a busy port, from whence were dispatched all the stores and supplies for the troops in the Waikato, the small vessels going via the Manukau Heads into tlie Waikato River. Boats and light craft of all descriptions were then in strong demand, for there was no bridge over tlie Manukau to Mangere. Mr. Sims remembered the first wharf ever built at Onehunga. It Avas known as the coal wharf and was built on a spit near the Onehunga basin. In those days Mr. Sims was kept busy building cutters and small craft in his yards on the Manukau Beach at the fot of Princes Street. He continued in business until about ten years ago, when failing health caused him to retire. During the war lie served for a short period with the Militia and was stationed at Clevedon. Mr. Sims was born at Paisley, where his father was a weaver of the famous aPisley shawls. Fie married at 27, and had 11 children, of whom nine are living. His wife died about 12 years ago. He is survived, in addition to his children, by several grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, the majority of whom gathered at his residence in Albert Street, Onehunga. in October last, to celebrate his OOtli birthday. MR. A. G. NIGHTINGALE Mr. A. G. Nightingale, a prominent citizen of Nelson, and an ex-city councillor, formerly of Groymoutli and Hokitika, has died at Nelson.