OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14343, 1 May 1912, Page 10

OBITUARY.

'MR C. HOOD "WILLIAMS.

Widespread regret was expressed in Christchurch and Lyttelton yesterday .at the death of Mr* C. Hocii Williams, who had for many years taken a deep interest in the v.effare of the Port. Flags on all tho Harbour Board? buildings and on the tujj Lyttolton and jho two dredges, as well as on other offices and shipping in the Port, were flown half-mast high, as a mark of respect. Diirius rcotnt years Mr Hood Williams has not enjoyed Rood health. Ho suffered from a severe illness a !<■•,» years ago. but made what was thought to be an excellent recovery. His general health, however, was inipairc.l by that- illness, and about a week .i£<i ho was again taken ill. It was not thought that tho illness was a- serious one. but, as it- happened, it ended fatally. The late Mr Hood Williams came of a Welsh family. He. was born in Edinburgh in "1844. and came out to the colony with his father. Mr David Theodore Williams, B.A- (Oxon), in 1850, in the shin Randolph, one of the famous "first four shin*" whose arrival at Lyttelton marked the beginning of the Canterbury settlement. He was educated at Christ's Collerro, Christchurch, being one of the first of five pupils to present themselves a! the orenins of {he College in 18?2. In 1859 he. commenced studying sheep farming at Pareora. Timaru, under bis brother-in-law, Mr Innos. but in ISGI he entered the TTnion Bank of Australlia. and, aft-er three years' service, ho left on account of ill health, and vthortlv afterwards entered tho Provincial Government service in Christehureh in 1864, under the late Hon. W. Rolleston, then Provincial Secretary. Ho subsequently held tho ot?:co of AssistantSecretary of Public Works from 1573 to 1?76, -when the abolit : on of the provinces was brought abont. In March. 1577, he was appointed secretary and treasurer to tho Lyttclton Harbour Board, and held that rosition nntil his death. He dischnrjicd tho duties of the office \v:th marked ability, and was recosmised quite as an authority on Harbour JV>ard administration and finance. His death will be a severe, loss to the Board. Mr Willinms wns an enthusiastic sportsman all his life, and it would bo hard to find a man who took a keener interest hi racing athletic, and sportinc matters generally. He was a member of tho Comnrttee of the Canterbury Jockey Club for over a quarter ™ « century. Ho joined tho club in 1*7 1, became a member of the Committee in.1882, and was a member of the Committee at the timo of bis death l< or a number of years, also, he was honorary timekeeper for tho club, but ™ hr !""/ e : 1c " tlla * Position six years ajro. Mr Wilhnms was also a member of tho Haemc Conference, and at tho time of v 1 wns tlie representative of the Aorth Canterbury Country Clubs on tho ronferenco. He also represented the \\ est Const country clubs at tho Conference for a number, of years on various occasions, and also acted as a dele*at£ for the C..T C. He made the Rules pt Jtac;ng a study, and was well versed in racing law. being frequently consuited by country clubs on such matters. Ho was also President of tho Christchurch Racing Club Uβ was also keenly interested in trotting, wae President of tho first Canterbury Trotting Association, and remained President for a few years. He was also President of the Cantenbur Amateur Athletic Club for some years, and was an enthusiastic member of tho Sports Protection League His earlier racing career 13 an interesting one. During tho early sixties, when at Pareora, ho had the management of the thoroughbreds of ♦I , * x Harn r s ' s stud, amongst them that greatest of all old New Zealand stud matrons, Spray, the dam of Stormbird and Belle of the Isle. He was present as a boy seven years old at the first race meeting held at Hacley Park in Canterbury, in 1851, wheu the late Mr R. S. Caverhill's Necromancer won the chief event. Ho was also present at the firet meeting held in tho Timaru district, at Orari, early i m April, 1859, where the, Geraldine Racing Club hold their meetings. There he rodo three winners out of j four mounts. In 1863 his horse Pasha, I ridden by Bob Ray. won the Hurdlo Race at Timaru. He was present at the Dunedin Meeting in 1863, when n? nn rP?$ woo s' s Lad y°i r <i won the £1000 Champion Raco ngafast the Victorian horse Mormon. In the 'eighties .Mr Williams owned and raced under the assumed name of "Mr H. Hammond," and had a few good horses, the best being Rocket, by Anteros, and Sultan, by Apromont. Both were good winners, the last-named especially, tho Dunedin Cup, St. Andrew's Handicap, and C.J.Cf. Summer Cup being amongst his wins. Mr Williams sold him to the late'Mr W. R. Wilson, of Broken Hill and racing fame, and then retired from ownership. His strict integrity on the Turf was well known, and while an owner enjoyed tho title of the 'Mr Hammond. , " The late Mr Williams was aloo keenly ; interested tho work of tho Royal j Humane Society, and was for many years a member of the Court of Directors of the Society. Ho tras .appointed a Justice of the .Peace many ■ years ago. and was a.familiar figure [on the Magisterial Bench. He wns married in 1873 to a daughter of Mr R. H. Allard, of Christchurch, and leaves a widow and family of one son and three daughters. • The funeral will take place to-morrow afternoon, the cortege leaving 68 Armagh street at 2 p.m. for the Bari hadoes street Cemetery.