OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1922, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR FRANK PLUMTREE. The death of Mr. Frank S. Plumtree occurred last night at his residence at Fitzroy, after a long illness. Born in Shiels, Yorkshire, 46 years ago, the late Mr. Plumtree came to New Zealand and spent some years at Patea and Hawera, where he gained experience in the drapery trade. In 1895 he removed to Stratford, where he joined a drapery and clothier establishment, of which he became the proprietor in 15)04. Some years ago he came to-New Plymouth, taking over the business carried on by Messrs Goldwater Bros, in Devon Street, and remained in control of this business until ill-health recently forced his retirement. Well-known in the town, the late Mr. Plumtree was a keen supporter of sport and was an enthusiastic member of the. New Plymouth Bowling Club. He leaves a widow and young family.

DEATH OF A PIONEER.

We regret to record the death of Mr. Martin Molloy of Korito. The late Mr. Molloy was the oldest pioneer left on the Korito Road, having gone into the forest of the Upper Hua and Waiwakaiho district as a lad with his parents over 50 years ago, and on the death of hjs father took over the farm, which he worked up to the time of his death. Mr. Molloy, senr., was a member of the 57th (Middlesex) Regiment, “The Die Hards,” and his son/Martin, was a son of the regiment. It is most unusual in these days of change and unrest for a farm to remain in the hitnds of one family for 60 years, but it is fully thqt since the father of the late Mr. Molloy decided to take his discharge from the regiment and remain in New Zealand, receiving from the Provincial Government a free grant of 60 acres of forest land, which was at that time riad? as a protective measure against the Natives, for all soldiers remaining in Ne\. Zealand. Tile late Martin Molloy was one of those trained bushinen from, the then back-blocks of Taranaki, who we’re eagerly sought after by the surveyors of 40 years ago as the backbone of their parties, and like many of his neighbors in early life he was several years in the employ of the Government, pioneering and exploring through the rough forest hinterland of Taranaki, paving the way for the development of this prosperous province.

The loss of his son Wattie in France, during the war, followed soon afterwards by the tragic death of his wife at the Inglewood railway station, were blows from which he never seemed quite to recover. One who has known the late Mr. Molloy for half a century says that durir that time he has never heard anything but good of him and expressed the wish that there were more of his type in ou¥. midst.