MATAWAI PIONEER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22511, 15 December 1947, Page 6

MATAWAI PIONEER

MR. HAROLD S. BRIANT. DEATH AT 80 YEARS One of the pioneering farmers of the Matawai district, Mr. Harold Stanley Briant, aged 80, died yesterday at the Cook Hospital after a lengthy illness. Mr. Briant was born and educated in London and came to New Zealand in his early twenties. For 10 years he settled in the Taranaki district and rapidly accustomed himself to New Zealand conditions in those early days. While in Taranaki he married Miss Minnie Josephine Limbrick. Apart from his farming interests in Taranaki, Mr. Briant took an active interest in local affairs and was the first chairman of the Egmont County Council. He was also a dairy factory manager and later became chairman of directors of one of the larger factories then operating. When Mr. Briant left Taranaki he was presented with an illuminated address in recognition of his sterling work in community interests in the district. At Matawai Mr. Briant took up a 2000-acre bush block and had to pack into his proposed homestead site all the materials for his home over a fivemile track leading from the road head. Thirty years ago he handed that property over to two of his sons and moved to the flats when he commenced farming at Patutahi. Mr. Briant retired from the land in 1932 and, with Mrs. Briant, came to live in town. He was the Matawai representative on the Farmers’ Union for a number of vears and a keen member of the P.B. Howling Club. Mr. Briant was predeceased by Mrs. Briant seven years ago and by his second son, the late Mr. F. C. Briant, 18 months ago. Sympathy will be extended to the remaining members of his family, Mrs. C. A. Smith, Gisborne, Mr. J. K. Briant, Matawai, and Mr. S D. Briant, Patutahi. There are 11 grand-children. After a service at Cochrane's chapel, William street, at 11 a.m. tomorrow the funeral will leave for the Taruheru cemetery.