OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 21509, 6 September 1933, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR R. S. CHARTERS As a sheep breeder and a judge at agricultural shows Mr Robert Shannon Charters was one of the foremost men in New Zealand, and his death in Dunedin on Monday night of this week will evoke many recollections of his ability and worth. He was born in the State of .Illinois, in 1857, the elder sou of Mr Robert Charters, who had emigrated to the United States from Kirkcudbrightshire. When the subject of this notice was five years old the family returned to Scotland, and from there set out for Otago, arriving in the ship .'Bombay in the early ’sixties. The father at once entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Sir John Sheunan, in a cattle station at Waipori, the property being that which is now held by Messrs Cotton Bros. After the disposal of this run Mr Charters acquired a property at East Taiori, which he named Ury Park, and he made it one of the best-managed properties on the Taieri Plain. It was renowned as a stud farm, and the reputation of its pure-bred Ayrshire cattle and Clydesdale horses was more than provincial. Young Robert was educated at the East Taieri and North Taieri Schools, and commenced his farm training under his father at Ury Park, where he remained until 1878, when he took over the management of tho Conical Hills Estate, a famous sheep farm. After two years at Conical Hills Mr Charters was appointed by his uncle, Mr Watson Shcnnan, to tho position of manager of Pnkotoi, one of the greatest pastoral stations of Otago at that time. Mr Charters spent eighteen years at Pukotoi before he became the owner of a very valuable property in the same district, a portion of the old Mamototo Station, which he purchased from Messrs Hambly Bros, He remained only two years on that property, disposing of it to the late Mr John Fenton, of Gimmerburn. Three years later be acquired from Mr J. A. MOjean the well-known Qreenvale Station, in the Wnikaia district, and there built up a renowned Corriedalo flock. In 1900 Mr Charters married Miss Annie Forsyth Mollison, third daughter of tho Into Mr Alexander Mollison. of Roslyn, who predeceased him several years ago. Ho leaves a family of two daughters (Mrs Stuart Scoular, of ISapicr. and Mrs Arthur L. Bennett, of Christchurch) and one son (Mr Robert Gordon Charters, of Glenlapa Station, near Preshfqrd, Southland).*