OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 16, 20 January 1942, Page 7

OBITUARY

MR. RICHARD S. ABRAHAM

A long and useful life ended with the death at Palmerston North yesterday at the age of 91 of Mr. Richard Slingsby Abraham, of Palmerston North. The late Mr. Abraham, who was the third son 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, Manawatu

Golf Club, Polo Club, and English Public Schools' Association of other years. In 1880 Mr. Abraham married a daughter of Dr. Philson, of Auckland, who survives him. They celebrated their diamond wedding in 1940. There were two sons, both of whom died some years ago. arid 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). j