OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 107, 6 May 1926, Page 5

OBITUARY

MR. R. BARREE.

Mr. Eichard Barrer, J.P., one of the best known early residents of the Wairarapa, died last night in a private hospital. The late Mr. Barrer took an active part in public affairs, and for nine years represented Mungaraki Riding on the Wairarapa South County Council. He was a Justice of the Peace for 21 years, and for 12 years held the position of president and captain of Te Wharau Defence Rifle Club, of which lie was practically the founder. Ho was a great friend of the Maoris, and fifteen years ago he was appointed a chief of the Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa tribes, receiving the greenstone emblem as a token of chieftainship. The late Mr. Barrer was a keen deerstalker, his collection ol heads taken from the Hunter, Rakaia, Mount White, and Wairarapa districts being one of the best private collections in the Dominion. Born at Fermoy, Ireland, the late Mr. Barrer came to New Zealand with his parents 51 years ago, landing at Nelson, where he went to school and spent the early years of his boyhood. About five years ago, chiefly for health reasons, Mr. Barrer took up a property at Kaipara Flats, North Auckland, where he resided until a couple of months ago, when he came to Wellington to enter a private hospital for treatment. He leaves a widow, a mother, two sisters, and a brother, Mr. J. E. Barrer, all of whom reside at Kaipara Flats. He was also a brother of Mr. T. R. Barrer, a member of the Wellington Harbour Board, who was present with him during the fatal illness.