PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 February 1922, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Dr. Buck, of the Native Health Department, is in New Plymouth. A Sydney cable says that Mr. W. J. Jeffrey, managing editor of the Evening News, collapsed whilst at work in his office on Monday and died yesterday-.

“They were lovely in life, and in death they were not divided.” This may well be written of the late Mr. and Mrs. Menziee, of Wanganui, says the Chronicle. A most devoted couple, they were hardly ever seen save in each other’s company. About a month ago Mr. Menzies, full of years, passed away suddenly, and on Monday last his widow followed him.

The Egmont County Council yesterday passed a vote of sympathy with the relatives of the late Mr. Jas. Burgess, of New Plymouth, who died recently. While a resident of Warea he was fpr a number of years a member of the Egmont County Council, on wnich he did good work. In moving the resolution the chairman (Mr. S. Campbell) referred feelingly to the late Mr. Burgess’ many good qualities, remarking that he had always been a straightforward man and a good councillor.

The death ie reported of another pioneer settler in the person of Mr. Patrick McCarthy, who passed away at his residence at Harleyville on Saturday at the age of 84 years. Deceased came to the Dominion nearly 50 years ago. He first settled in the Turakina district, going to the Hurley Ville dis trict in the early eighties, when most of the land in the vicinity was virgin bush. He remained on his property to the last, farming with conspicuous success, though enduring all the hardships of the pioneer’s life. The deceased, who was of a retiring disposition, had a large circle of friends, and much, sympathy will be tendered to Mrs. McCarthy and the family of four sons and five daughters.

Word has been received of the death at “Widney Manor,” Knowle, Warwickshire, of Mr. Joseph Taunton, at the advanced age of 88 years. Mr. Taunton occupied an important position in the business world of Birmingham in the latter part of the last century, and played a useful and honorable part. Born at Bristol, the son of a merchant, in 1833, Mr. Taunon joined his elder brother and started what ' became the successful firm of Messrs./ J. and J. Taunton, bedstead and safe manufacturers, still carried on in Sherbourne Road, Birmingham. The deceased’s sons both predeceased him 14 years ago, and he is survived by an only grandson, Mr. Frank J. Taunton, now of the firm of Rook and Taunton, Waverley, and Mrs. William Hayward, of Fitzroy, is one of several grand-daughters They are the eldest son and daughter of Mrs. Charlie Street, Smart Road.

The late Mr. Thomas Larchin, whose death was reported in yesterday’s issue, was born in Richmond, England, about 87 yeats ago. He came to New Zealand in the early sixties and settled in New Plymouth. Being a brewer by profession he took over the brewery then owned by Seacomb Bros., and situated near the entrance of what is now Pukekura Park. Mr. Larchin used to tell stories of New Plymouth’s residents happenings in those far away days; >w beer for the rebel natives used to be placed on bullock drays and driven out to a certain point where the bullocks were removed and returned to town and the remainder of the delivery was completed by our friends the “enemy.” . Towards the seventies Mr. Larchin migrated to the Nelson province. There he turned his attention to educational matters and was for some years master of Waimea West School. About 1877 he joined the Customs service at Westport. In the year 1880, when the beer duty impost was inaugurated, on account of his technical knowledge of brewing he was appointed inspector of breweries. From that position he was in 1887 promoted to chief clerk of the Customs Department. He held this position for twenty-one years, retiring oh superannuation in 1908. Mr. Larchin was for many years a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a pastmaster under the English constitution. During’ his closing years he resided at Paraparaumu. He is survived by one daughter. His only son, who was an officer in the s.s. Albion Company, died some years ,ago. (