Link With Pioneers

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28821, 16 February 1959, Page 9

Link With Pioneers

A. R. Guthrey and Co., Ltd., has an association with the earliest settlement of Christchurch through its purchase in 1957 of the old established business of J. M. Heywood and Co, Ltd.

Mr A. R. Guthrey founded his firm in 1944 when he returned from service in the Middle East, and began business as a customs agent with a staff of three. The next year the company branched out into the field of shipping, cartage, storage, and furniture removals—expanding: from year to year until today the firm has grown to the size where it operates a fleet of 30 trucks from its own freehold office and storage premises in Moorhouse avenue. But when the company bought the business of J. M. Heywood and Co. it bought the only carrying business in Canterbury which had continued since the earliest days of the settlement. J. M Heywood and Co., Ltd., was registered in June, 1851, and its first job was to carry the early settlers’ baggage over the Port Hills. Emulating this pioneering example A. R. Guthrey and Co. became the first firm to handle air freight in New Zealand and the first to charter freight aircraft. They were the first freight agents appointed by N.A.C. and their store was used as the original N.A.C. freight depot. They are today, the largest charterers of aircraft in the country, averaging two charter aircraft to the North Island each week.

Library Association Officers x

Officers selected at the annuel meeting of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Library Association recently were:—chairman. Mr O. C. Chandler: vicechairman, Mr R. C. Lamb; secre-tary-treasurer, Miss J. C. L. Macfarlane; committee, Messrs R. N. Erwin, F. C. Rainbow, O. L. Simmance and Miss B. E. Harris; branch correspondent, Mr Lamb; training secretary, Mr J. E. D. Stringieman