MR. W. G. FOSTER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 90, 19 April 1929, Page 10

MR. W. G. FOSTER

Mr. W. G. Foster, an old and respected resident' of Wellington, passed away at his home, 34. Tho Parade, Island Bay, last evening aftter a short illness, at the* advanced age of 83. Mr. Foster was one of New Zealand's very old colonists, having arrived in Canterbury from London about the year 1859 in the sailing ship Zealandia, which brought many of the earliest settlers to Canterbury in the 'fifties and 'sixties. This vessel was part-owned and commanded by his •father, ihe late Captain John Foster. Mr. Foster as a young man served under tho late Mr. Rhodes, one of the. founders of the Canterbury Province, and later on he managed tho Purau and Seadowns Lstate in South Canterbury. In the middle 'eighties he managed the late firm of Miles and Co., Christchurch, coming later to Wellington about 1888 .to take over the management of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile. . ,

.About 1890, when the Bank of New Zealand was in low water, Mr. Foster was appointed by the late Hon. B. J. Seddon aa manager of. the Assett. Realisation Board, which had for its purpose the liquidation the estates held by the bank in the North Island. On the successful completion of this work, Mr. Poster took over the management of the Wellington Meat Export Company, which position he held as managing director until his retirement in October, 1919. In 1913/ during the maritime strike, ho was appointed chairman of the Citizens and Farmers' Defence Committee, in which capacity he gave very valuable service. At the time of his death he still retained the position as chairman of the New Zealand Investment, Mortgage, and Deposit Company, also directorship of the-Welling-ton Woollen Company. . Mr. Foster lived in. Lower Hutt for many years, and from December, 1898, to March, 1900, was Mayor of Lower Hutt.

The late Mr. Foster was a man of outstanding personality, of the most

scrupulous honesty, and of very high mental ability. Those with whom he waa associated from time to, time became impressed with the extent of his business knowledge and the zeal with which he watched the interests of those companies with which ho was concerned. He was ever ready to help those in need of • advice. As a man he possessed a strong sense of numour, and was ever ready to joke at misfortune. Throughout his life he enjoyed remarkably good oealth and vigour. Honesty was the' essence of his life, and not the smallest deviation from the straight and narrow path of honesty would over be tolerated by him.

Mr. Foster is survived by his widow (a daughter of tho late Eichard Fleming, of Port Levy, Banks Peninsula), and a family of one son and five daughters. The son, Mr. William Foster, is farming in the Marlborough district: Mrs. Kdith Bennett (wife of a farmer of Whangarei), Mrs. Madeline Fulton (wife of the manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Ohakune); the remaining three daughters have been living at home with their parents. Mr. Frank Foster, the only surviving brother, is a retired farmer living in Picton. Captain P. J. Foster, marine superintendent of the Union Steam Ship Company, is his nephew. \