DEATH OF MR. C. R. HOWDEN

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 44, 30 August 1928, Page 15

DEATH OF MR. C. R. HOWDEN

_—« (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Da}-. A sponsor of golf in New Zealand sixty years ago and a well-known figure iii commercial circles. in Dunedin for 'many- years, Mr. Charles Bitchie Howden, died at Auckland on Tuesday at the age of 90 years. Mr. Howden was born in Edinburgh, where his father was a merchant, and educated at the Eoyal Academy. He came to Now Zealand at the age of 23, and spent some time on sheep runs in Otago. Later, he entered the wine and'spirit business in Dunedin,' and • during" Sir Julius Vogel's Government he started the New Zealand Distillery Company, a firm which flourished for several years until it was closed by legislation, which provided for the payment of compensation. Mr. Howden was interested in sheep farming in South Canterbury for a time. In 1807 he married the only daughter of the late Hon. Captain Fraser, M.L.C., of Dunedin. Shortly afterwards he introduced golf into Dunedin and founded the Otago Golf Club. The game had a small following during the 'seventies and 'eighties. Another brother, the late Mr. D. B. Howden, who died last year, founded a club in Wellington. In 1881, Mr. Howden'returned to Great Britain with his family and remained for some years, his' wife dying there. About 42 years ago, ho returned to New Zealand to establish with a partner an agency in Dunedin for the Eoyal Exchange Assurance Company. Ho reth\cd from business about thirty years ago, following golf keenly for some ■ time afterwards. His last appearance on the links was at Middlcmoro during a visit to Auckland in 1910. Ho was a life member of the Otago Golf Club. Three years ago 1»j came to reside in Auckland. There is a family of five sons— Messrs. A. M. How-den, of Milford; T. F. Howden and A. F. Howdon, of Australia; Di\ P. M. Howdon, of Palmerston; and Dr. C. 10. Howden,: of AVaiuku —and two daughters (Mesdames 11. D. Stronach, of Dunedin, and J. C. Simmonds, of Auckland). There are 23 grandchildren.