OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 31 July 1913, Page 45

OBITUARY

MR. FRANCOIS NARBEY, AKAROA. One of the earliest settlers on Banks Peninsula and a faithful «Catholic (writes our Christchurch correspondent), in the person of Mr. Francois Narbey, passed away on Sunday night, duly 20, at Akaroa, at the advanced age of eighty-four. Deceased was a native of Rouen, Normandy, and was born in 1829. As a youth he served three years in the French Navy, and on obtaining his discharge still kept to a seafaring life. In 1849 he came out to New Zealand in the ship Angeling, leaving it at Akaroa, where he worked in different capacities for four years. He then went to Australia, being attracted by the gold discoveries. After remaining there for about a year, he returned to Akaroa in 1854, and took up land, his first purchase being fifty acres at Long Bay. Later he made other purchases, until at his death he owned most of the land in that bay. In 1857 he married Miss Magee, and had a family of eighteen children, fourteen of whom are now living, eight sons and six daughters. Mrs. Narbey died about two years ago. Mr. Narbey at first went in extensively for cheesemaking, milking at one time upwards of 200 cows. , Later on the estate was devoted to . sheep and cattle raising. Though a large landowner, deceased never took part in any public life. He was noted for his kind hospitality, and he was a good friend and a genial neighbor. Some few years ago he gave up the management of his estate to. his sons and moved into Akaroa, where he passed the remaining years of his life. The. interment took place in Akaroa on Wednesday, July 23, the funeral being largely attended.—R.l.P. MR. DAVID ROCHE, INVERCARGILL. Mr. David Roche, one of Southland’s earliest pioneers, and one who has had a long connection with various public bodies in Invercargill, passed away at his residence, Gala street, Invercargill, on Sunday morning, July 20. Mr. Roche was born in County Kerry in 1836, and twenty years later, attracted by the reports of the discovery of gold, he emigrated to Victoria. As a goldminer he was fairly successful, but on hearing of the discoveries made by Gabriel Reid in New Zealand, he left for this country. After a few years at gold-mining he took .up a business at Athol, carting ail his goods with his own’ teams from Invercargill. , The pioneering life, with its perilous journeys in the days of primitive roads and unbridged rivers, was rough, but not unpleasant. For men in fair health, and with reasonable aptitude, there were many opportunities to better themselves. Mr. Roche made the best of these opportunities, and at Athol was very successful, so mud* so that he decided to come to the larger centre, Invercargill, there to open up a business in Dee street. This he did. And the business has been carried on ever since under his name. When he had been in Invercargill for a short time, he was elected a councillor, and for many years he retained that position, and gained Mayoral honors in the years 1886-87. Until two years ago, when he retired .from public life, Mr. Roche had on various occasions occupied a seat at the council table. Mr. Roche was also for many years a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and on several occasions acted as chairman of that body. He was. also for some time a Justice of the Peace and a visiting Justice of the Invercargill Gaol. He also took an active interest in the affairs of the Invercargill Racing Club and the Park School. The deceased is survived by his widow and eight of a family Mrs. L. Smith (Invercargill), Mrs. J. D. Todd (Heriot), Mrs. J. R. Brown (Ashburton), Sister Mary Agnes (St. Dominic’s Priory, Dunedin), Mrs. C. R. Green (Gore), Mr. T. Roche (jeweller, Invercargill), Mr. M. Roche (Winton), and Mr. John Roche (Sydney). The late Mr. Roche was a true son of Erin, and had all the humor and impulsive warmheartedness which is characteristic of the Irishman. His native wit used to brighten up many a prosaic discussion, and his native shrewdness made his judgment on affairs of public moment a valuable possession. He was an intensely patriotic Southlander, and it is no

mere formal tribute to say that he worthily played his part in the shaping of the destinies of the province. The deceased was attended in his illness by the Rev. Father Woods, and passed away - fortified by all the rites of the Church. The interment took place ; at the Eastern Cemetery. There was a large concourse' of mourners to pay their last tribute of respect to the memory of the deceased. All the local bodies to which he had given many years of his services were represented, and in addition to relatives, many friends travelled from a distance to attend the funeral.—-R.I.P. MR. P. M. GRIFFEN, GREYMOUTH; _ An old and esteemed resident of Greymouth has passed away in the person of Mr. Patrick Michael Britten, founder of the well-known firm of Griffen and Smith, merchants. The deceased was born in Waterford, Ireland, in 1835, and was therefore 78 years of age at the time of his death. He came out to Australia to try his fortune on the Australian goldfields. He spent some time -on the Victorian fields, and then came on to Otago, where he took part in the Dunstan rush. In 1865 he arrived in Greymouth, and established the business with which |ie has ever since been identified. The deceased was a very keen observer and a man of more than ordinary intellectual attainments. He was a Justice of the Peace, at one time a member of the Greymouth Borough Council, a director of the Greymouth Dispatch Foundry Company, and was always willing to assist anything that had for its object the betterment, of the town and cLs.rict. His nobility of character and upright business principles gained for him many friends, and he will be greatly missed by those having had the privilege of intimate acquaintance with him. He leaves a widow and family of three sons and four daughters. The sons are Mr. J. Patrick Griffen, who took his father’s place in the firm; Mr. Henry Griffen, of the Defence Department, Wellington; and Mr. Gerald Griffen, who is associated with his brother in the firm of Griffen and Smith. The daughters are Misses Elizabeth, Catherine, and , Ellen, all of whom are in Greymouth, and Theresa, who is a religious in the Convent of the Good Shepherd, Christchurch, and is known as Sister St. John the Baptist. The deceased was <ne of the most prominent Catholics on the West Coast, and had been closely identified with the progress of St. Patrick’s Church.. He was a member of the Church Committee for many years and always took a keen interest in anything Catholic. To the sorrowing relatives will be extended the heartfelt sympathy of a large circle of friends in their bereavement*^R.l.P. MRS. MARY O’BRIEN, GREYMOUTH. There passed away in Greymouth on July 9 a veryold and respected resident in the person of Mrs. Mary O’Brien, relict of the late Cornelius O’Brien, who predeceased her nine years ago. The deceased was noted for her piety, and was most zealous in everything connected with the progress of the Church. She was a woman of many sterling qualities, upright and honest in all her dealings, and a most exemplary wife and mother. Having arrived in Hokitika in 1866 to join her husband, she saw some stirring times. She leaves behind her to mourn their loss three sons— Edmund O’Brien (Te Araroa), Mr. Thos. O’Brien (of the firm of Carroll and O’Brien, Reefton), and William O Brien (of Casson and Co., Waima), and three daughters—Mrs. McGuire (Moana), Mrs. Sutton (Hope, Nelson), and Mrs. Carroll (Greymouth). She also leaves twenty-three grandchildren and one greatgrandchild (son of Mr. K. M. Hall, of the Cobden Hotel), and a sister (Mrs. Butler), who resides in Cobden.—R.l.P.