NATURALIST'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1942, Page 9

NATURALIST'S DEATH

MR. W. W. SMITH

Born at Hawick, Scotland, in 1852 Mr. W, W. Smith, one of New Zealand's leading horticulturists and naturalists, died at the New Plymouth Public Hospital this week.

Mr. Smith, after gardening in Canterbury, was for a long period in charge of the Ashburton Domain, for the beauty of which he was largely responsible. His work there brought him under the particular notice of the Government of the day and the late Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon appointed him as a Commissioner to the Scenery De^ partment of the New Zealand Government. The Commission travelled throughout New Zealand and, as a result of their work, a large number of parks and reserves of natural beauty were dedicated for all time. This work occupied Mr. Smith for two years and was of incalculable value to the Dominion. Subsequently, Mr. Smith was, for a short period, in charge of the public gardens at Palmerston North. For 12 years, from 1906 to 1918, he was in charge of Pukekura Park, New Plymouth. Hp designed the general plan of the park and saw many of the present walks completed.

The late Mr. G. M. Thomson stated that, as a field naturalist, Mr. W, W' Smith was second to none in the Dominion in the accuracy and thoroughness of his observations. Almost any work, on botany, ornithology, or antomology published in; New Zealand makes reference to his work. Mr Smith's name is associated with those of Messrs. Thomson, F. W. Hutton, Sir J. Hector, Sir J. yon Haast, Professor Charles Chilton, and, overseas, Professors Newton, of Cambridge, Mr. Beddard, of London. Mr. McCoy, of Melbourne, and Sir John Lubbock, of Kent. All of these corresponded or conferred with him. Among over 20 papers contributed by him to the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute (now Royal Society) and including papers on ants, birds, earthworms, etc., that. on the "Exotic Plants Naturalised in the Ashburton County" is of outstanding importance. . .