OBITUARY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 19, 5 January 1923, Page 3

OBITUARY.

MR. H. H. BEETHAM

Mr. Hugh Horsley Beetham died at B rancepath, Masterton, on Wednesday, aged 81. He was born at Horncastle, Lincolnshire, and was the fourth son of William Beetham, of Frimly Hill, Surrey (who came of a Westmoreland family). He came to New Zealand with! his father in 1855, and the family settled at the Hutt, but before long made the first journey to Wairarapa. Eight or nine years after taking up Brancepeth Mr. Hugh Horsley, with his elder brothers, William and George, and brother-in-law, T. C. Williams, founded the firm of Williams and Beetham, a number of properties on which they established the well-known Hereford and Shorthorn herds and Southdown and Romney, and Lincoln flocks. For some years the partners did very well. In 1894 George retired from the firm and went to live in England. The other partners dissolved the association in 1905 and Hugh retained the Brancepeth homestead and 16,000 acres.

Mr. Beethanl was a sterling settler of a public spirited type. He was one of the 19 founders of the first Wairarapa Jackey Club of which he was steward in 1868, and subsequently judge. He was a justice of the peace and a member of the licensing commission under the old Act. Mr. Beetham’s life was almost wholly devoted to the agricultural and postoral industry, and more than one movement, notably the Wellington Meat Export Co., had in him a warm champion. He was president of the Wellington A. and P. Society and Wairarapa A. and P. Society, and for some time patron and president of the Masterton A. and P. Association. He.wai always, held in the highest esteem throughout the district, and will be long remembered for his personal kindness and unobstrusive generosity. Mr. Beetham married in 1879, Ruth, the third daughter of Mr. C. D. Bidwill, and had a family, of two sons and two daughters (Messrs. Ralph Beetham, Masterton, Orengard Horsley Beetham. of Morland, Mrs. M. Bethell, of Cui verden, and Mrs. Nicholls, Broglie, California). Of Mr. Beetham’s brothers and sisters, Mr. Richmond Beetham, for many years a stipendiary magistrate, Mr. Geo. Beetham, a member of Parliament from 1877 to 1890, Mr. Joshua Beetham (of Argentina), Mr Norman Beetham, Mrs T. C. Williams, and Mrs. Williams (Hawke’s Bay) are all dead. Mr. W. H. Beetham (Masterton), Mr. Charles Beetham (Opaki), and Mrs. C. A. Fitzroy (Hawke’s Bay) survive.