Death of Mr, David Anderson, Sen., J.P.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 65, 18 March 1889, Page 2

Death of Mr, David Anderson, Sen., J.P.

Another of our oldest and most respeotod settlers has just passed away in tho person of Mr. David Anderson, sen., who breathed his last at his residence in Nairn-street at half-past 1 yesterday morning at tho ripe age of 82. Mr. Anderson, before coming out to Now Zealand, was conneoted with the Commissariat Department of the British army for a period of 21 years, and on severing his connection with it he determined to spend the remainder of his days in the North of Ireland. In consequence, however, of the unsettled condition of that country consequent npon the failure of the potato crops, he abandonod the idea and deoided to come to New Zealand. Ho and his wife and family left for New Zealand in tho ship Pilgrim, intending to settle clown in Auokland, and arrived in Port Nicholson in 1849. Mr. Anderson, whoso family then consisted of threedaugters and three sonc, was, however, so much ntruck with tho appearance of this distriot that he abandoned his intention of going on to Auckland, and took up his residence hero. Premises on what was then the eea beach had just been erected by Mr. Rowland Davis, who was anxious to sell them in order to sottle in Canterbury, and that gentleman found a purchaser in Mr. Anderson, who at once commenced the business of a general merchant. The premises, it maybe explained, occupied the site ou whioh Mr. Edward Anderson's china warehouse in Willis-street now stands. Mr. Anderson carried on business with considerable success until 1872, when he retired on a competence, leaving the Willis-street business to his son Edward, and a branch establishment in Molesworthstreet to David, another son. After his retirement he continued to take an aotive part in the management of several companies in whioh he held shares, and at the time of his death he held large interests in several joint stock corporations. In one of these, the New Zealand Shipping Company, he possessed at the time of his decease no fewer than 1800 shares, representing an expenditure of about .£IO,OOO. He was one of the promoters of the company formed to rocover the wreck of the s.s. Taranaki in Tory Channel, and his business tact and energy contributed greatly to the success of this and othor conoerns in which ho was largely interested. He was a Justice of the Peace, but owing to increasing infirmities he was relieved from attendance at the Court during the last few years of his life. Death was the result of old age. Mr. Anderson only took to his bed about a woek ago, and died peacefully early yeßterday morning, leaving a widow and five sons and four daughters to mourn tho loss of a good husband and a kind parent. Four of tho eons — Edward, David, John, and Allan —are residing in Wellington, and the othor (William) is in England. The daughters are married to the Hon. J. Ballanoe, M.H.E., Mr. Foreman (Wanganui), Major Finnimore, and Mr. S. S. Griffiths.