South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 18 December 1897, page 7


THE LATE MR. WILLIAM FINLAYSON.—With deep regret we announce this morning the death at his residence, 'Helenholm,' Mitcham of Mr. William Finlayson, at

the age of eighty-four years. The deceased gentleman's condition had been critical for the previous two months, and he passed quietly away at 10 o'clock on Friday night. Mr. Finlayson was one of the earliest settlers in South Australia, having arrived in the colony in the John Renwick in February, 1837, soon after the proclamation of South Australia as a British province. His intention was to labour among the blacks as a missionary in connection with the Baptist Missionary Society of England. He therefore took a great interest in the aboriginals, and from the nature of his occupation he was brought very much in contact with them and had excellent opportunities, of which he availed himself, to benefit the native race. Shortly after his arrival here Mr. Finlayson entered the service of the South Australian Company, and experienced to the full the hardships attendant upon pioneering in a new country. In 1839 he formed one of the first party who went to Lake Alexandrina. This journey was looked upon as a feat almost as stupendous as that of crossing the continent at a later date by John McDouall Stuart because the territory was largely unknown, and people from England had the idea that the inhabitants of the country were wild. The leader of this party was Mr. Robert Cook, and they met with great obstacles in crossing Cox's Creek. Mr. Finlayson was one of the first to ascend Mount Barker and prove it to be an isolated hill. Shortly afterwards he went to Mitcham, where he took up land from the Company with the right of purchase, and from that time to the day of his death he remained in the locality, having ???? previously acquired the fee-simple of the property. Mr Finlayson was one of the original members of the first Congregational Church in South Australia, established by the late Mr. T. Q. Stow, and on the occasion of the jubilee of this Church, celebrated this year, the veteran ?? delighted the audience assembled in the Flinders-street building with reminiscences of the earlier Church life. For very many years Mr. Finlayson was actively engaged as Pastor of Zion Chapel. Mrs. Finlayson died in 1884. There were ten children, by the marriage. One son died in infancy. The sons living are Pastor R.K. Finlayson, Mr. William Finlayson, Mr. J. Harvey Finlayson, part proprietor and Editor of the Regsister, now in England, and Mr. Ebenezer Finlayson. The daughters were Mrs. Ambrose (deceased), Mrs. Hubert Nickels, Mrs. William Randall and the Misses Jane and Jessie Finlayson. The funeral of the deceased will take place at the Mitcham Cemetery at 3 o'clock to-morrow afternoon. The SrintEB Regatta.— The Summer .Re gatta, which, will be held on the Torrens Lake to-day under tbe auspices of the South Australian Sowing Association, promises to be highly successful. The entries wero ex tremely good, and quite a number of pre liminary heats had to Le decided on Tuesday, 'Wednesday, asd Thursday evenings. The xaees for the Webb Memorial Cup and T.^H?^ Challenge Shield promise to be close and ex citing. The crews left in both events are the Adelaides and she Commercials. There should also be some really good racing in the junior and maiden events. The S.P.S.C. and the Way College boy* mil Szbc out the Public Schools' Hacc. Thera aro also pair-oar, maiden sculls, and double-sculls events. The Adelaide -Kowin; Ctub are providing after noon tea as cLeir ahsd. aad rhsrc ia certain to be a large attendance, especially of the fair sex, in the vicinity of the metropolitans' shed. A. Stba5gei£ is WTsst AUEiams. — The Grote-strees Pabiie School, t ha pioneer city institution ol ila kind, Lt situated in West Adelaide, within a stone's throw of the Premier's residence, aad yet Mr. Kingston seems unknown fcy dome of the hundreds of scholars who daily attend there This fact was elicited during the visit yesterday of the Adelaide School Board of Advise and a Par liamentary party, including the Treasurer, tbw Minister of Education, Mr. Batchelor. sod Mr. (fMalie/. Tha Chairman, Mr. Soaytboa, asked all the boys and girls who knew the a&taes of the representatives of West Adelaide in the Assembly to pus thatc hands up. Two hand* were raised, and on one boy Doing aakad for the reply he said **Mr. Batehetar.' So far so good. The other scholar was requested to name Mr. Batcheiors colleague, and he piped out 'Mr. Carpenter,' ff and no one at the time could givo the ^ oorreck answer, elthoagh s Iittlo later en two of tiieta had solved the query. When Mr. CMalley addressed the children he said : — 'Fancy the Ripcc Hon. Charles Cameron Kingston, Premier oi 3ou:h Australia, con* sUntly howfirg that West Adelaide 13 the Blue Riband of Democracy, sod jet only two here knew of him. In Arcadia— Encounter Bay — any child or infaat would tell yon that Htng -? Matter sad Carpenter raprosented the district, aad is is becautt» Mr. Batehelor and the Premier fail to visit the Grote-stnet School that all of you are not able to «**M out

their names, xnough small to-day, next year you will bo democratic voters, and you will vote tor those who came and ruitad you.' Mr. Olfalley then claimed chat 'Home, sweet hoara.' waici h=4 been sung by the children, was written in London by an exiled American. Ht- advised the children when people talked badl7 of other people to see with their eaa and bear with their eyes, and not to repeat anything they heard. Suiting bis actions to his words, he told a story of a boy who was about to be attacked by a ^rezzly bear. Tim animal approached him ^rith open mouth, aad ths boy forced his hand down its throat; secured ahold of its tail, and turned it inside out.- The young people did not seem to understand much about de mocracy, but they were more at boms with grizzly bean. Mr. O'Malley had the tables turned on him at a school picnic- held' in the West Park Land* on tho easie day. He was surrounded Lv a srroup of girl*, and wherea» two children bad seord of tha Premier, not one of this Levy was proficient enough in geography to tell Mr: O'ilalley when he atked the Question where Arcadia was.