OBITUARY

MR J. F. SCOTT The death of Mr J. F. Scott, which occurred yesterday morning at his home at Opawa, removes one of the most prominent figures in pastoral affairs in the province. He was born at Heathcote in 1876, and lived practically the whole of his active life in the district. He early developed a flair for pastoral farming, his father having been an employee of one of the early owners of the Mount Pleasant station, which originally marked the Cracroft-Wilson run on the east at St. Martins, and extended as far as the lighthouse. A little more than 30 years ago Mount Pleasant was subdivided into a number of grazing properties, and Mr Scott acquired the portion which included Butt’s and Avoca Valleys, He was not long in realising the potentiali-

ties of these valleys for tomato and general fruit growing, and subdividing them into small orchard areas, he started two settlements which probably are unexcelled in the Dominion for weight an acre and quality of tomato and small fruit production. Some years later he saw similar possibilities in the Bowen Valley. Chshmere, and subdividing the valley portion of the property, established another successful fruit farming settlement, now known as Bowenvale. He was a keen nurseryman.- and in addition to his pastoral activities for years conducted an extensive hothouse tomato industry at his home at Opawa. He had a keen eye for pastoral values and purchased several other properties in Canterbury at various times, most of which', he disposed of, but retained a hill block at Hoon Hay. He was frequently employed by financial organisations to advise in the control of properties which had become embarrassed through the bad times. . Mr Scott was regarded as a firstclass man with sheep, and he freauently topped the market at the Christchurch wool sales with his Mount Pleasant or Bowenvale clip. Sheep from these properties were also generally amongst the too priced lots at Addington market. His active life, however was not confined to, farming. He invested in the West Coast sawmillmff Industry, and for a number of years preceding his death was a director of United Sawmills, Ltd., which controls several Coast sawmills. Mr Scott took more than an ordinary share in public life. He was for 12 years a member of the Heathcote County Couficil. and represented that body on the Selwyn Plantation Board and the Christchurch Domains Board. He exerted boundless energy in his various activities—farming, speculative, and local body work. Surviving members of Mr Scott s family are his widow (formerly Miss Margaret Prosser, Opawa). and Messrs Alan (Hoon Hay). John S. (Heathcote). and Lawrence (medical student at Dunedin), and one daughter (Mrs J. Watling, Halswell). A second daughter died some years ago ’in London.