OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 168, 9 April 1908, Page 4

OBITUARY.

\ ;,', J .... ..' V .■'#•'. '■■ : ONE-OF ASHBURTON'S PIONEERS ■'.•'.• |)H. IttWaiiPn.rrSPKOIAI. i COIUtESPOXDENT.] Chrlstchuroh, April 8 ■ ' : News :of tho doath of Mr. David Thomas, ■:who : accompanied xlic ■bowling'team- to Aus-; //fev'i/tralia,; -has been .received;.' It caused " very'.' i . , . great regret in Ashburton and Chnstchurch. v:' ; > . l)ecoased, who was ono' of tho , Ashburton J- 'pioneers,'and'Oile^of tho'most respected resi- .. . ' . dents of - tho,county,, arrived,' tlicro, in; IS6G,, ,:;! .'-andstartccl as - a sKeop. drover.';,: After., manag-• ing a\ sheep • station for somo • years, ho S §oyer ;;tb; J Australia; ;- but;■'returned' to tho Dpminion -in' 1877 as ' manager ' and; -/ '•'•- auctioneer .for Mat-son and Co;, Christ-church. ; •'• /, > In, 1882.-'/ ho; cariibV back .to fAshburtoiv as'rre- ?' ';v '; /. ; v 'siding"partner'in; tt Cox, anil' Co., .and; .on that; firm 1 relinquishing .'its vt»usiiri. v.'i;.iiess: in/1887,/'; Mr- .Thomas ,tooic the; business; .\ ■ over; ' and; conducted it .very . successfully. ;..'• • ./.until ho 'sold -.it- to ,tho. National /Mortgage, ,and /'Ag&icy"'Co. "six.'montlis,''ago.i-'Deceased' Borough; Council -m! 1882,, and ... ' .was a member of that body at' tho time of,his ;iVP-fy'death, having also been; Mayor .'for two con-, 'fe'ftvi.' -wcutivo terms. •; Ho'/was >al|o:'cj]afri]i[ate : 'bfitho. :;lliih School Board at tho'timo of his death,' " andy.inaddition;' has'iioeh.'W.'mcmlierVof prac-. , . . tically all tho local bodies," except- t-hevCounty ! -Council, whilst ho;has,.always, takeu -'a- keen : ; interest; in . all classes itif sportj" ' being- )ircsi- ; \de*nt /of .:!the. l Amat^ur A ; Athletic/Cliib.and - the. 1 ;.Schools':, SportsAssociation,'.'-arid;an/ehthusir.i i>fy;/r!-'»stie' .^Tas'' : %iity-sis v ; . . years old at the, timo of his. death, .was' a : ".- . 'staunch member 'of/the AnglicaiuChurch.-i'He leaves'a-wife,'six'sons,'- and two daughters!!