THE LATE MR M. DIXON.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9265, 16 November 1895, Page 5

THE LATE MR M. DIXON.

We have obtained the following furthet particulars concerning the life of the lata Mr Marinadeke Dixon, whose death was recorded in yesterday's issue. Ho was the third son of the late Mr J. G. Dixon, of Caistor, Lincolnshire. In the same County, and nob many miles away, was born the late Lord Tennyson ; and it may be mentioned that tho origiual of the "Northern Farmer" of the late laureate's well known poem, was an old farmer named Skipworth, who was the late Mr Dixon's uncle. The young man to whom the Northern Farmer addresses his advice married the sister of Mr Dixon's father. The latter was well known among the founders of the now popular Shorthorn breed of cattle. Old paintings of bulls, fathers of the herd, are now in the possession of the family. At the age of thirteen Mr Dixon weut to sea, Bailing as au apprentice under the lata firm ot Robert Brooks and Co. He remained in their service for seven years, duriug which time he obtained cuns-cutively third aud second mates, °.nd master's eeriifieates. His vessels traded mostly to Melbourne, and he has often boeti her.rd to make the proud boast that at one time there were 400 ships in Port Phillip harbour with scarce a man on board, having all deserted to go to the gohltislds, while hi* own meu remained loyal to their ship. His captain offered him money and opportunities to join in the general rush for gold that had just then set in, but he regarded himself as sacredly bound by his agreement with the owners to stick to tho ship, and in the height, of the gold lever he achieved the phenomenal task of bringing away lii< crew from Port Phillip, aud that despite the fact that they knew they would have to pump the cruzy old vessel all the way Home. His devotion to duty was such, however, that he had great influence with the officers as well as the men. An episode of his boyhood dayß brings to light other of his prominent! characteristics, those of courage, determination, fairnoss, and kiuduess, which were so frequently manifested throughout his after life. On his first v yage, at tho ago of fourteen, his ship was wrecked at Pernumbuco, and he, as midshipman, found himself in charge of a party of his own ship's crew returning to England by the celebrated clipper ship Swonirnh, under tho slill more famous martitißt captain of that day, Green. One dixy in the tropica Captain Gieun rope'a ended a small boy belonging to the ship, wrecked crew who-were travelling Home aa passengers. Ou hearing of it Mr Dixon, who it must be remembered was only fourteen years of age, called on to the deck the captain, crew, doctor, and all others ou board. Pulling off the boy's shirt, and showing it to those present, he told Captain Green he ought to be ashamed of himself, and would have to pay for what ho had done when he gob to England. Captain Green, thinking to bounce Mr Dixon called him a young blackguard, and said he would rope's-end him too. Mr Dixon replied, " You will have to pay a high prica for your ropes-ending, and when I get you to Liverpool I will take you before a Magistrate." The outoome of the affair was that the captain had to pay the boy £5 for the assault. After spending seven years at sea he saw that the opening for progress was not good enough for his liking, and he determined to come to New Zealand. Prior to leaving England he was offered the command of Bishop Selwyn'a yacht, the old Sunbeam, bub its departure being delayed he sailed to New Zealand onhis own account. He took up the run between the Waimakariri and Eyre rivers, occupied by him up to his death, and with characteristic regardlessness of personal inconvenience he placed his whare in the middle of the manuka scrub, with which the run ffas covered, ao as to be equi-dißt&ut from his Bheep on all sides. Many a time he carried a bucket of water in each hand four miles through the manuka. At this place, singlehanded, he dug his now-famous old well, some 84fb deep, without obtaining the reward he deserved for his patience and pluck. At thiß time he was in partnership with Sir John Hall, so far as the sheep .were concerned. After living in the manuka for five years he removed to the preaerioaiteof the Eyrewell homestead. In 1859 he went to England, where he was married to a daughter of the Rev. Richard Wood, of Wensaydale, Yorkshire. On his return he took to politics, and was a member of the old Provincial Council of Canterbury the whole time it was in existence, with the exception of one session. He took an active part in obtaining for the people of Canter* bury a large portion of the reserves for public parka and gardens which are now so highly valued. For eight years he held the Sosition of Chairman of three Road oards at the same time, his energy and ability always being at the service of the public. He also did a large amount of superintendence at the opening up and laying out of roads when the Ashley County was founded. For a number of years past, he however, devoted himself strictly to his private affairs, bub was always given more to the improving of his property than to the making of money. Some three years ago he took up a large piece of manuka oountry adjoining his freehold, with the object of improving ib by irrigation, but in his philanthropy and public spiritedness he did not meet with the co-operation and assistance be deserved, from the Government or otherwise, nob even from a Government professing to be the friends of the people and of progress, between the years 1891 an d 1893 he carried on a memorable battle with the local Water Supply Board. Having to be oat at all times and in all weathers, and Buffering disheartening breabmenb, undoubtedly laid the seeds of the disease which eventually caused bis death. Many a time when he ought to have been in bed taking care of himself ihe was out and occupied in carrying on a fight which he considered was a hundred times more in the interests of tho district than of himself. Being essentially a man of progress the Ibte Mr Dixon took an active interest in agricultural matters, and ia conjunction with Mr Thomas Pashby, h« assisted to found the Northern A. and P. Association. In those early days he recognised the advantage of a plough that would run without sole-plates, and gave a prize of £20 for a two-furrow plough made without them, and it was won by Mr Keetley, then of Kaiapoi. That was the design of the principle now universally adopted in plough construction of skew-wheels, now used on colonial and many English ploughs. In about the year 1866 he imported twelve three-furrow Howard ploughs nhiclt were used successfully on his own place and many otherß in North Canterbury, and for quality of work and. lightness of draught those ploughs have not been improved upon. Mi' Dixon was likewise one of the first men |in Canterbury to own a steam threshing machine, and also one of the first to demonstrate the possibility of shipping home wheat in corn sacks, it having previously i been exported in iron tanks. An implement, I which is now in general use in carrying oat all publio and private excavations in New Zealand—the common sccop plough—was ! introduced into Canterbury by Mr Dixon, who bad heard of their use in Australia, and to the best of his ability endeavoured to persuade the old Provincial Council to import two of them. After a great deal of persuasion, the Council agreed on the condition that if they were a failure Ml Dixon paid for them himself. The scoop? were imported and were voted an attet failure. One of them is still to be found on Mr Dixon's property; bub, strange to say, thousands of others are in use all over the country. Ia tbe death of Mr Marmaduke Dixon, Canterbury loses one cf her founders, a man whose sterling character has been a valuable example to the younger generations. He was of a most kindly disposition, and if he made an enemy, that enmity did nob last loDg, bac generally turned to warm friendship, so generous and fair was bis method of fighting. He leaves a widow and grown-up family of two sous and two daughters. His funeral will leave Mrs Rowan's, Durham street south, ab 11.30 a m. to-morrow, and will arrive at the Easb Eyretou Cemetery a' v'i.3op.m.