OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11394, 3 October 1902, Page 5

OBITUARY.

MR WM. HENDERSON. Another prominent figure in agricultural and pastoral pursuite passed away yesterday in the person of Mr Wm. Henderson. Born a* Thureoj in Scotland, in 1830, Mr Henderson was apprenticed to the carpentry trade, and left for New Zealand with his family in the ship Tiptree in 1864. At that time Messrs Holmes and Co., the contractors for the Lvttelton tunnel, were engaged upon the work, and' Mr Henderson entered into employment with them, and* was subsequently engaged upon the erection of the first railway station aft Christcburch. like many other early arrivals, Mr Henderson was attracted to the goldfields, and at Hojritika, on the West Coast, !he spent some time in pToStable building operations. S?esing that there wa* money to be made »t thai time in stock dealing, especially with the demand from the go!dne!ds,*Mr Henderson, on returning to Christchurch. leased 100 acres where Sydenham now *t<-wjds, and entering into partnership -with Mr John Mcßeth, tha firm dealt lankly in cattle and sheep. Mr Henderson subquently took up the farm at Spreydon; where lie has resided ever since, the land having previously been occupied as part of the grazing ground cf the firm's stock. In 1880 the firm took over a butchering business in Sydenham, and it was carried on first by ti>e firm, th*n on Mr Mcßetih's retirement by Mr Henderson •himself, and subsequently hy his ton, Mr Wm. Hendcreor, junr. Always a busy man, Mr Henderson found time, nevertheless, for work on many public bodies. 'He was originally a member of the Heathcoto Road Boa.rd", and later on of the Spreydon Eoad Board. Mr Henderson was a warm and enthusiastic supporter of the frozen meat industry, and twenty years ago, on the occasion of the inception of tie Canterbury Frown Meat Company, he, with his partner, Mr Mcßeth, was amongst the original shareholders. He was also one of the promoters of the AddiiWon Sakvnn's fVrp-nnrv. a concern in which he took a keen interest. He was a director for many years, and aJso chairman of the Board oi Directors for sixteen years, a position which be held at the time of hie decease. Mr Henderson had also been for many years connected with the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, and was a director at the time of <hds death. In the work of tibe Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association the deceased gentleman took a warm personal interest. He was, up till very recently, one of the most, regular attendants at the meetings of the General Committee, of which he was a member for a great number of years. He was elected vice-preei dent in 1881, and became president in 1882. He had for a number of years served on the Ground Committee of the Association, a. portion of tie work of the General Committee for which he was specially fit•ledt. He was always on the alert to suggest ftmpapveenenis at the grounds, and during hie long connection with the Ground Committee he rendered valuable eeTvioe to the Association. He was a good practical man with stock, and his services in connection with judging, etc., have often been in request. Messrs Henderson and Mcßeth were frequent and successful ex*Mbetors cif stock, and Mr Henderson kept a stud flodk of Border Leicester cheep, with, representatives of which, together with fat sheep, he won many prizes. Mr Hend'eison was a prominent member of the congregation of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and ■was a liberal supporter of the idburdi and its organisations. He was much liked and respected by all who knew him, for his honestly and integrity, and for his fcand and genial manners. He had been in faffing health for some time past, and in Asigust last contemplated a visit to Sydney, where one of hie sons represents the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association. Mr Henderson leaves a grown-up family of six eons and two daughters.

MR ALFRED RHODES. The late Mr Alfred Rhodes, of Ledthfield, who died at his residence at Amberley at a late hour last night, cub the advanced age of eighty-four years, was on© of the pioneer settlers of the colony, and arrivecl in Wellington in tine early fortaee. Hβ came south to Camterbuay with a small schooner in 1845, bringing Messrs Greenwood Bros, to Purau and Motonau, aleo Messra Prebbtß Bros (who gave •their name to PrebTbleton) to Lytteiton. He also conveyed stores from Wellington, in the Saaah Jane, a vessel ownedi by Mr Fitzherbert, for the first surveyora in Otego. His was the pioneer -craft that entered the MoJynenx rirer. Some time afterwards Mr Rhodes came to Lytteiton, where, by direction of Captain Thomas, who was practically the Governor of Lytteiton in those days he was cent wiih a large sealing boat to the Woamakariri, and future site of Kaiapm, with stores for the Canterbury Association's surveyors, of whom Mr J. C- Boys was tlbe chief, and Mr Alfred Weston and the late Mr dies. Denby, were assistants. Jlr Rhodes and his crew of four ascended the Kaiapoi river about six moles, finding it navigable all the way, and were able to sail for most of the distimoe. The Maoris witnessed ifoa progress up the river witih .great interest, and assisted in guiding the voyagers to tie survey party. Beyond tlhe open land, where Kaiapoi now stands, there was a dense bush of some thousand acres or more, and tEe sight was described by Mr Rhodes to the writer as a very picturesque one. The Heathcote river was likewise entered in the same manner, and near the subsequent site of the old Bricks Wharf the surveyors whare stood for many years. This was all before Mr J. R. Godley, the founder of Canterbury, an 3 the "pilgrims" of the first four ships, arrived. Mr Rhodes was a resident in Lytteiton for many years, and there he married his wife, who survives him, and who was a passenger by the ship Randolph. In 1850 the deceased was interested in the coasting vessels, City of London, Water Lily, and Annie. He was a constant visitor to Afcaroa in its early days, said recollected the arrival there of Mr Geo. Armstrong in 1846. At that time ?5e chief sport of Canterbury was pjg hunting in Papanui biish, where there is no longer the vestige of a large native tree, or even the stumps. Mr Rh"od!es was present in Lytteiton when the Maoris received the first part payment of land. He had lived on a farm at Leith&eld many years, and Mr W. H. Rhode*, of Amberley, is one of his sons. He a!?o leaves a number of daughters.