OBITUARY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 January 1929, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR, T. H. JENKINS, OF ELTHAM

PIONEER, SETTLER AND PHILAN- ' THEORIST.

no is only a few weeks since Mr. Thomas Hunt oenkins, or rJ.tmami, co.em\uea ins eightieth butnioiay, anu >eoterctay arternoon, arter a snort. tniisi veteran colonist passed qua*.v v away at bus. home. His death, win i*. very widely regretted, for -lie was .. man whose name was Honourably as-iy-oiateai with tiie (Settlement ox (fine -amcnot, with the Maori War a.ndi spec-uv with, the history of the work of Lie salvation Army in Eiitham. it was ntvvno some yearn ago gave as a free ror all time to fine social work or tne Army the fine property on the Mangawhera Road so well k Tl °wn .since as- the mltha-inj Boys’ Home. From that institution, have 'been tsent out scores of’ orphan _boys educated and equipped to make their way in the worici.

Bom at Motueka just over eig yeans ago', the son or a Methodist missionary, Mr Jenkins shared all the naidsnips of the early cojonisto, anu. tsettiiiiiig in Taranaki in the war time, no as a youth of eighteen undertook on several occasions the hazard work o. despatch riding, braving the risk oi oeing shot by the Maoris and the cl get: of fording the nnbri-dged rivers, me also actea as stretcher-bearer in some of the most- famous ©ngagemeu.. with the Maoris.

The famity settled first in Wanganui and later in Bahaa. He later lived m the Hutt and Wairarapa. .districts-, a.na in 1881 took up land where fiitbam now stands. He built a small house, ana tlier© his family watsi born and reared. He took part in' surveying work witu Mr H. M. Sheet on the Mountain Road, and later held road contracts in the district, making the first roau,.. t-iirough the dense bush on the a. north to New Plymouth. His road contracts included the making of the rot, from- the Boylan Hoad to _Bltham. and lie worked in conjunction with Mr John and Mr Thomas, Twigg, then of Te iioti.

\ He was one of the eafiiiest dairy farmers who supplied the first dairy’ factory run by the late Air Chew Chong, whose store was managed by Mr O. A. Wilkinson. Throughout the whole of his long and adventurous life Air Jenkins was tilways a- hard and energetic worker, and right to the end he was an enthusiastic supporter and practical 'advocate ,of the Salvation Army. An_ instance of ' his thoroughness is shown by the fact that he cut and carted’ the* timber for the Home, he had given at Eltham to the Salvation Army. He named this institution" Alercy Home,” in memory of his first wife. Air. Jenkins was twice manned, and lie leavers five sons: Norman, builder, Melbourne; Le,stock, farmer, Waikato; Harry, ALP., for Parnell l .; Samuel and Stanley (twins) farmers, Bltliam. The late Airs H. de Lounay was ,a daughter.

His death will leave a gap in. the life of EHtham and in the history of the Army that will 1 be hard to fill!. The funeral will take place at Ell-ham on Sunday afternoon niext.