OBITUARY Mr M. H. Johnston, pioneer of pre-lamb shearing

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32462, 24 November 1970, Page 20

OBITUARY Mr M. H. Johnston, pioneer of pre-lamb shearing

Mr Merrell Heathcote Johnston, of Oxford, who died recently, aged 67. is believed to have been the first man to introduce pre-lamb shearing of sheep to Canterbury in 1944. He got the idea when he was judging high country pastures in west Otago where sheep were being shorn before lambing. The first two gangs of shearers he asked to shear his sheep at this time of the year refused to do so, saying that it was the wrong time to shear and was cruel. Mr Johnston also had to get special permission to dip sheep after shearing at that time of the year. Mr Johnson was a great lover of trees and planted extensively on his Ashley Gorge property. He was a former president of the Canterbury (Central) Farm Forestry Association.

Bom in Perth, Western Australia, Mr Johnston came to New Zealand with his parents when he was about seven years old. He was educated at Christ’s College and Waitaki Boys’ High School and left school when his father, who was farming Waihopai Downs at Blenheim, was killed. When his father’s property was sold Mr' Johnston worked for a short time for the Canterbury Frozen Meat Com pany in its wool department and then as a farm cadet on Rydal Downs. He went to Ashley Gorge about 1923-1924 when his mother bought the property and after a short time took it over himself. The property originally of 1250 acres, has been .added to seven times ; and' is now 4500 acres and ! comprises both hill and flat country. Since 1962 Mr Johnston has ! farmed it in partnership with I his son, Mr R. H. M. Johnston. Mr Johnston was active in local affairs. He served as

president of the Oxford Collie Club. In his younger days he had some success in dog trials and for many years was time-keeper on the heading course at the local trials. He was also a former president of the Oxford Agricultural and Pastoral Association and a former chairman of the Oxford branch of Federated Farmers and represented the Oxford high country committee on the meat and wool section executive of North Canterbury Federated Farmers. He was also patron of the Oxford Young Farmers’ Club and was deputychairman of the Waimakariri Rabbit Board at the time of its formation. Mr Johnston also served as president of the Oxford Home and School Association, and for many years was a member of the Oxford Benevolent and Improvement League, including several years as president. He also served on the former Ashley Gorge Domain Board and was a member of the Canterbury Club and Heritage. In his younger days he rowed for the Canterbury Rowing Club. 8 Students taking the valuation and farm management course at Lincoln College re- « visited Mr Johnston’s etween 1938 and 1960, when numbers became too big for all the students to spend a night in the farm woolshed. More than 30 Lincoln students or young men doing their practical training before going to the college have worked on the farm. As well as his son, Mr Johnston is survived by his wife, who was formerly Miss Alice Corson, of Dunedin, and la daughter, Mrs Pamela WhitIney, of Cowra in New South Wales.