OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 99, 21 January 1942, Page 10

OBITUARY

Mr. R. S. Abraham Mr. Richard Slingsby Abraham, chairman of directors of Abraham and Williams, Ltd., and a director of Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., and of the Taupo Totara Timber Co., Ltd., died at Palmerston North on Monday at the age of 91. Mr. Abraham, who was the third sou of an English clergyman, Canon James Abraham, Rector of Risby Suffolk, and a grandson of the Lord Chancellor Westbury, was educated at Haileybury and Keble College, Oxford, and came to New Zealand in 1874. He first took up farming but later joined the Bank of New Zealand as manager at Bulls. Subsequently he bought out Mr. John Stevens’s interest in the stock and station business of Stevens and Gorton, and when the business was divided retained the Palmerston North branch, which was carried on under the name of Abraham and Williams. When the business was converted into a limited ■liability company he became general manager, which position he eventually resigned to become chairman of the Board of Directors. The New Zealand Association of Stock and Station Agents throughout New Zealand was formed under his auspices. He was always closely associated with farming and financial business and was a member of the Manawatu-Wellington Rural Intermediate Credits Board. Mr. Abraham took a prominent part in public and social activities at Palmerston North. He was associated with the formation of the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association, the Manawatu Racing Club, the Manawatu Golf Club, the Manawatu Polo Club, and the English Public Schools’ Association? . , In 1880 MR Abraham married a daughter of Dr. Philson, Auckland, who survives him. They celebrated their diamond wedding in 1940. There were two sons, both of whom died some years ago, and five daughters, of whom the eldest, Mrs. Francis Hewitt, is also dead. The surviving daughters are Miss Ethel Abraham and Mesdames A. N. Barraud, Palmerston North, J. R. L. Stanford, Marton, and L. A. P. Sheriff, Taihape. Mr. W. T. Hicks, Opapa Mr. Wilfrid T. Hicks died suddenly at his home, Pukekura, Opapa. aged 48, states a “Dominion” Special Service message. For a number of years Mr. Hicks was associated with his brother, Mr, John Hicks, in a carrying and farm contracting business in Otane, and was for a period clerk to the Otane Town Board. He was a keen poultry fancier, his entries winning many prizes at poultry shows. In later years he acted as a judge. He was also an enthusiastic and successful horticulturist. He leaves a wife, three sons, two brothers and a sister. Mr. Robert Aplin The death has occurred after a short illness of Mr. Robert Aplin, Khandallah. Mr. Aplin was born at Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire, England, in 1851, and after ten years in the flour-milling trade, he came to New Zealand in 1872. His occupations were varied. Living first at Ngaio, he took road-making contracts, one of them being for the construction of the farm road from Wilton’s Bush toward Ngaio. He also cut the track for surveying the Ngaio Gorge road. After some years in Carterton, he returned to the Wellington district to join the service of the Manawatu Railway Company and later was employed by the Railways Department. Since 1912 he lived in comparative retirement. He was a kedn gardener till within a few weeks of his death. . He is survived by his widow, his daughter, Mrs. F. Gregory, Ngaio, his ' son, Mr. Albert Aplin, Auckland, six grandchildren, and nine great-grand- ‘ children. His first wife died in 1907. ‘ ( Mr. T. H. Talley j (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) , NEW YORK, January 19. | The death has occurred of Mr. Tru- j man Hughes Talley, aged 50, execu- . tive vice-president of Movietone News, j He was one of the leading figures ( of the newsreel and short subject branch of the movie industry. ,