Obituaries Australia

There is nothing cheerful about having to write an obituary notice concerning one with whom the writer and scores of others have resided and worked for a long number of years. This is the case in having to record the above which took place at the Hotel Australia, Laverton, at 3 o'clock on Wednesday morning. During his last six months on earth the life of the late Mr McOmish from a health point of view had been precarious. After surviving an illness which lasted for several weeks he was about again, apparently the same old "Mac", as he was familiarly known, but his tenure of a free and unhampered life was but brief, as he had the misfortune to have his right arm broken by a kick from a young horse, which again necessitated his becoming an inmate of the local hospital. Whilst in the later institution making good progress with the injured limb he developed an ailment which was diagnosed as pleurisy. He was removed to Kalgoorlie, where he would have the attention of a doctor— the Laverton Hospital is at present without a doctor. He remained there a couple of weeks and returned home, but he never improved. On the other hand he gradually became worse, and it could be seen many days before he passed away there was no chance of his recovery. He in the pertinacity which characterised his nature was hopeful even until the finish when at the hour mentioned he passed peacefully away never to know more of the world's troubles. The immediate cause of death was hemorrhage, following what was apparently a general break up of the system.

The late Mr McOrmish was a Scotchman by birth, being a native of Neuthill, Perthshire. He came to Australia when he was 17 years of age and after spending a few years in the Mother State came to W.A. about 26 years ago and followed the avocation of a prospector. He traversed many parts of the goldfields with more or less sucesss. About the mid nineties he, with three others, discovered the British Flag mine, to which Laverton owes its birth, the name (Laverton) being prompted by the fact that the mine was taken over from them by Dr Laver. Some few years later deceased entered into the butchering and hotel business at Laverton, and his name is still connected with the Palace and Hotel Australia. He also launched out into pastoral pursuits, and within the last 12 months sold the Mt Weld Station, 12 miles from Laverton, to returned soldiers. Most of the money he made he invested in gold mining, and it must be said of him that he always had a desire to assist to develop the industry which had given him his start in life and had spent thousands of pounds in that direction. By his removal a pioneer and one of the oldest landmarks will be greatly missed. He leaves a widow and an only child, a son 18 years of age, to mourn the loss of a good husband and a fond father.

The funeral will take place this afternoon and a report of same will appear in next issue.