MR BUTCHER FORMER FARMING LEADER

Press, 22 June 1979, Page 8

MR BUTCHER FORMER FARMING LEADER

Mr David Henry Butcher, of Broadfield, who died last week-end at the age of 75 years, was a former president of North Canterbury Federated Farmers and a life member of the province. He was a man of high principle, who was determined to do his best in all that he did and to carry on and not give in in spite ultimately of illhealth. When he was born his parents were farming in the Weka Pass district in North Canterbury and a major factor in their move to the Broadfield district in 1910 when Mr Butcher was only six years of age was to be able to send him to a handy primary school. He subsequently attended the Broadfield school and then the Lincoln High School. He spent virtually the whole of his life in the Broadfield district — some 69 years. He and a brother, Mr M. F. Butcher, at first farmed together. At that time Mr David Butcher had a Southdown stud and Mr Maurice Butcher an Ayrshire stud. <

In more recent years Mr Butcher has farmed with his two sons a property of 160 ha (400 acres) including the land originally taken up by his father. Up until his death he remained chairman of directors of the family farming company, Broadf:eld Farm, Ltd.

While ultimately largely confined to bed, he remained active until about a month before his death.

Nearly all of his life he was a member of Federated Fanners and its predecessor. the Farmers’ Union. He served as chairman of the local Springston branch and also became president of the North Canterbury province.

Through Federated Farmers he sat also on the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce’ and the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, two organisations which brought him into contact with people outside fanning.

In the business field he served for 21 years as a director of the Zealandia

Milling Company, Ltd, and for 17 years as a director of N.C.F. Kaiapoi. Ltd. Only about a month ago he presided over a meeting of the Kaiapoi board in the absence of the chairman.

Only recently did he feel that he could no longer fulfil his duties in these two organisations adequately and tendered his resignation. Representatives of both companies came to his home only last week to make him presentations and honour him.

Interested in match ploughing he ploughed with both horses and tractors in earlier days. In his home area he served on the Broadfield School Committee and he was also a member of the Druids Lodge. His great hobby was growing daffodils and he showed these widely in-

eluding in the North Island. He also judged in many parts of the country and also in. Australia and for two years served as national president of the New Zealand Daffodil Society. His church was also a central interest of his life. Earlier he was a lay preacher in the Springston circuit of the Methodist Church and latterly was an elder of the Lincoln Union Church. In earlier days he was a familiar figure at the Methodist Easter Bible Class camp at Amberley, which he rarely missed.

Mr Butcher is survived by his wife and two caughters, Marie, who is Mrs J. R. Lavender, of Oamaru, and Colleen, who is Mrs F. McGrail, of Christchurch, and two sons, Messrs Gordon and John Butcher, of Broadfield.