LATE SIR W. HERRIES

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 48, 26 February 1923, Page 7

LATE SIR W. HERRIES

BURIAL AT TE AROHA. (By Telegraph.— Special to "Star." - ) TE AROHA, this day. The funeral of the late Sir William Herries took place at Te Aroha this afternoon. On the arrival of the train, a special service was held in St. Mark's Church. The Rev. Archdeacon Cowie officiated at the graveside. The cortege was the largest ever seen in the district, while literally hundreds of wreaths were sent in by local bodies, general institutions and friends, the Priam Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentarians, and members of the Jocal bodies throughout the electorate. A feature of the assemblage was the large number of very old settlers who were paying last respects to one they claim did the district great service, and who was ever loyal to his electorate throughout. LONG OVERLAND TOUR. It is said that when the late Sir William Herries first came to this Dominion it -was his intention to settle in the Taranaki district, and just after his arrival he rode a good deal over it, being greatly impressed with the quality of the land and the good class of stock there. In the early eighties there was no through railway connection between New Plymouth and places south of Hawera. Mr. Herries, as betokened a man who knew a good horse, bought in New Plymouth one of the best roadsters for which the province was at that time noted. He was no light weight, even in those days when he had just entered manhood's estate, and was a very handsome man, with all the culture of the British College graduate about him. He rode with a companion right from New Plymouth to Opunake, stopping at Okato en route to view the old picturesque site of the blockhouse, which was one of the natural outlooks of the district, and where as superb a view can be got of the surrounding country as can be got from any other hill in the whole district. The lakes, a little inland, impressed him greatly, and an eelirig expedition was arranged for the young Britisher, when after a huge bonfire had been lighted huge eels were caught by the dozen, and a great evening's "sport indulged in. Next day he moved on down the coast along the Harriet Beach, and it was there that his first insight into the Maori troubles which had hindered the progress of Taranaki was got at first hand, for on the way down he passed Pirihaka, where Te Whiti and John were exercising a powerful influence over the native mind. The Maoris had been ploughing up the Pakeha's land, and that part of the country was in a state of unrest. The young Britisher decided to have a look at the Waikato district before doing anything else, and he continued his journey on horseback right down the coast. ' making friends -wherever he stopped. The rest of the story is well known. Sir William bought a big piece of land on the East Coast, where he lived so long, but, under other conditions, Taranaki would have claimed him as I one of her settlers.