OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 61, 23 December 1935, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR JAMES KEIR. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The death occurred at his residence, Colombo Street South, on Saturday afternoon, of Mr James Keir, who haci been, until 1932, when he retired, connected with the firm of Messrs P. and D. Duncan, for 58 years, for the last of which he was managing director. Mr Keir, who was one of the best-known men in New Zealand in the manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery!, had many inventions to his credit. . Born in Scotland in 1856, Mr Keir came to New Zealand with his parents when he was seven years old, and was educated in North Canterbury, where his parents had a farm at Halfcett. He joined the stalf of Messrs E. and D. Duncan m Üb4, when the firm’s foundry was in Cashel street, on the pi esent site of Messrs Heath and Company, Ltd., and two years later he saw the transter of the business to its Duncan in 1874, when the firm’s fouiipresent site in Tuam Street, in 1881 ne went to Ashburton as the manager of the firm’s branch there, and remained in that position lor lb years. While he was in Ashburton he took a iceen interest in civic affairs and he was for some time a member of the Ashburton Borough Council. In IBib ne returned to Cnristcnurch to take up tne position of foreman of works, and after the death ot Messrs P. and D. Duncan, was appointed managingdirector in 19u9, a position which ne held until 1932, when he 1 retired. : In addition to his other inventions in'the perfecting of existing agricultural machinery or the designing of new plant, Mr Keir was considered one of tue Dominion’s greatest plough experts.

He was the originator of the allwood heavy waggon wheel, since adopted all over the Dominion, It was used to carry heavy machinery to Lake Coleridge for the hydro-electric power works. .Others of his inventions included a potato planter, working on the principle of a dough-nut machine, which proved very- successful. Mr Keir, whose wife died some years ago, is survived by three daughters and four sons—Mr Wallace Keir (Wliakatane, Bay of Plenty 7), Mrs Colin Monro (Wellington), Mrs G. M. Pottinger (Wellington), Mr D. S. Keir (Christchurch), Mrs Philip Jessup (Bay of Plenty!), and Messrs R. A. Keir and J. A. Keir (Christchurch).