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The Maoris of the South Island

[newspaper clipping]

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The death occurred recently of the Rev Thomas Arthur Pybus, who for many years before his retirement was minister at Port Chalmers Methodist Church. Mr Pybus was 84.

Mr Pybus was born at Normanby, Yorkshire, and came to New Zealand in 1880, attending schools in Wellington and Masterton.

In 1896 he was appointed Methodist home missionary to Westport-Denniston and a year later he became assistant minister at Newtown, Wellington, for a year.

Then followed a ministry of 15 years at St Peter's Church, Invercargill. He was then appointed to the Dundas Portrait image of the author, Rev. T. A. Pybus, from a newspaper obituary. Street Church, Dunedin. Mr Pybus was there for two years before being appointed to Roslyn, where he was minister for eight years

His final appointment was to Port Chalmers, and during his 13 years there the Watkin-Creed Memorial Church was built. He retired to Ravensbourne in 1939.

Mr Pybus worked among the Maori people at Otakou during his retirement, and was instrumental in the building of the Memorial Church and hall there. In 1954 he published two books, “Maori Missionary” and “The Maoris of the South Island.”

He was commissioned as a chaplain in the army in 1912, and served with the Otago Mounted Rifles until this unit was disbanded. He attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel. During the Second World War he assisted as a chaplain to the National Reserve at Taiaroa Head.

He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

Sympathy to Mr Pybus's family was expressed at yesterday's meeting of the Otago-Southland Methodist Synod.

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