OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24985, 20 September 1946, Page 8

OBITUARY

MR JOHN MONTGOMERY

The death occurred yesterday at his residence, “Kilmead,” Riccarton road, of Mr John Montgomery, chairman of directors of the Christchurch Press Company, Ltd., proprietor of the seed merchant and exporting firm of J. Montgomery and Company, and a farmer of long standing on the Port Hills, Little River, ’hnd Eiffelton. Mr Montgomery, who was in his seventysecond year, had only a short illness, and his death was unexpected. The funeral, which will be private, has been arranged for this afternoon. Born in Christchurch in 1874, he was the second son of the Hon. William Montgomery, who settled in Canterbury in 1860, and who was a member of the Provincial Council and member

r Akaroa for many years in the □use of Representatives, being Collial Secretary and Minister of Edu-

cation in the Stout-Vogel Government. After attending school at Aldenham, England, Mr Montgomery returried to Christchurch in 1890, and entered Christ’s College. He completed his education at Canterbury University College, where he first studied law and graduated B.A, For the next 15 years he farmed with his r brother* Mr W. H. Montgomery, their father’s estate at Little River, for which riding he was-in 1899 elected a member of the Akaroa County Council. Then, as throughout his life, Mr Montgomery was an enthusiastic student of engineering. He was of practical' mind, and constructed and improved many pieces of farm machinery, as well as lighting the family residence with electric power. In 1910 he founded the present business of J. Montgomery and Company in Cashel street, specialising in the export of New Zealand seeds to ' all parts of the world. His early partners were Messrs R. C. and J. E. Todhunter; but the company was later reconstructed.

Twenty-eight years ago Mr Montgomery was elected to- the board of directors of the Christchurch Press Company, Ltd., and in 1921 he became managing director, a position he held until medical advice brought about his retirement. He remained on the board, and last year,was elected chairman. He was also chairman of the engineering firm of Andersons, Ltd., and took a leading part in the rebuilding of the works at Woolston.

Mr Montgomery had wide fanning interests, his properties including a sheep run on the Port Hills and a mixed farm, where he made a specialty of small seeds, in the Ashburton district He was a keen fisherman and shooter, and golf was another sport he followed. He was for a term president of the Christchurch Golf Club. ,He was one of the early motorists in Canterbury, and experimented with cars as part of his engineering hobby, which he actively pursued in a wellequipped workshop at his home. Hu n presented Canterbury as an Associa tion football full-back.- He was a keen supporter of hunting. The League for the Hard of Hearing had a great friend in Mr Montgomery, wfio was president of the Christchurch branch from its inauguration in 1938. It was largely through his generosity and efforts that rooms for the branch were established in “The Press” building, and his advice and assistance were always available to the league. He took an active interest in the provision of hearing aids and their performances, and in the supply of them to persons who needed them. He was anxious that any person who required an aid. should be enabled to buy one. The prevention of deafness was a subject he studied, and he was an advocate of audiomatic tests for all children, so that cases of deafness could be detected in their incipient stages and remedial measures taken at the earliest possible stage. Mr Montgomery is survived by Mrs Montgomery, who was formerly Miss Annie Rich, one daughter. Miss Diana

Montgomery, and two sons, Messrs John Campbell Montgomery and Hugh Alexander Montgomery.