Obituaries Australia

The following article and lines on the death of John Taylor, a native of Ginninderra, have been handed to us for publication, and are taken from the Tumut and Adelong Times:

"Taylor was brought up on the station of Mr Davis, of Gininderra, in the Queanbeyan district, where he remained till he was thirteen years of age. He then came to Tumut, and entered the service of Mr E. G. Brown, of Blowering, in whose employ he was till within a month of his death. He was well tended: but, like all his race, the moment sickness overtook him, his physical energies became paralysed—he had no power—did not even "make an effort to shake himself up," but quietly lay down and died. In a cattle muster, in a drafting-yard, or in travelling with stock he was perfectly at home, and his services always valuable. Besides, he was thoroughly trustworthy—so much so, indeed, that Mr Brown has frequently given him charge of a mob of cattle, and even empowered him to sell. In all athletic exercises he excelled; few could beat him in a foot-race, and he was the best all-round cricketer in the district. His funeral, which took place on Monday, was attended by fifty or sixty respectable people, not ashamed to pay the last tribute of respect to a fellow being, though his skin was black. Not the least affecting sight at the funeral was the solitary representative of the male Aboriginals in the district following as chief mourner. There was no deception about his grief; he could not hide it, and lacked the policy to feign it. The Rev. Mr Jones read the impressive funeral service. We hope to see a move among the townspeople to erect some simple memorial in the shape of a tombstone over his grave.'"