OBITUARY.

Hutt News, Volume 7, Issue 20, 17 October 1934, Page 5

OBITUARY.

MR. E. V. RIDDIFORD. Widespread regret has been caused by news of the death at sea on October 11, of Mr. Edward Vivian Riddiford. He was returning from a trip to England accompanied by Mrs. Riddiford and his daughter Pamela. Mr. Riddiford, who was in his 55th year, was a son of Mr. E. J. Riddiford, and the grandson of Mr. Daniel Riddiford, one of the Dominion's pioneers, who arrived in Now Zealand in 1840 on the ship Adelaide (Captain Chaffers). Born at Lower Hutt in 1879, Mr. Vivian Riddiford was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, and commenced his sheep-farming career on his father's property "Te Awaiti," Wairarapa, and later managed his father's properties including "Longburn," "Cheltenham" and others, and on his father's death he took over "Gleuburn," a sheep and cattle run on the east coast, and "Tablelands," the Roniney Marsh stud in the Wairarapa. In 1908 he married Miss Zoe Thorne George, of Auckland, daughter of the Hon. Seymour Thome George. Mr. Riddiford resided in Lower Hutt,

and was one of the borough's greatest benefactors. A monument to his public spiritedness and generosity exists in the handsome Riddiford Baths. These were presented to the borough by the three Riddiford brothers, Vivian, Eric, and Daniel, at the time of the formation of what is now Riddiford Park, the area having previously been purchased by the borough council. But the late Mr. E. V. Riddiford was by nature of a retiring disposition. Seeking no reward in publicity he kept closely in touch with the affairs of t-h-3 district and unostentatiously lent a generous helping hand to many a worthy cause. Many an anonymous donation might have been traced to him. It was his practice, before leaving .for his travels overseas to placo to the credit of the Relief Committee a substantial sum of money for use at the committee's discretion in the event of any urgent case of distress in the Lower Hutt district. Although essentially a pastoralist, of late years Mr. Riddiford had turned his attention to the question of developing secondary industries. Before leaving on his last trip to England, he went very fully into the matter of suitable industries, and it is stated to have been his intention to make considerable capital available for their development on his return. In the lield of sport the late Mr. Riddiford had a wide reputation as a successful racehorse owner. Apart from racing, his recreations were golf and tennis, and he was a member of the Wellington and Hutt Golf Clubs. He is survived by his widow and two

daughters, Mrs. J. E. F* ogel of Lower Hutt and Miss Pamela Riddit'ord, and two brothers Messrs Daniel, of Wairarapa and Eric of Orongorongo. A very largely attended memorial service in honour of the late Mr. Riddiford, was conducted in St. James's Church on Monday afternoon by the vicar, Rev. H. E. K. Fry. ME. A. LIEBEZEIT. The death of Mr. Adolph Liebezeit, a prominent business man in the Hutt Valley, occurred on the 12th iust, at the age of (58 years. The late Mr. Liebezeit, who was born in Saxony, had some experience as a sailor in his early days. He came to New Zealand as a young man, having first been to Australia. He returned to Australia from New Zealand for a short period, but apart from this he lived in Petonc for more than forty years. After working in Wellington for a short time he started in business as a wicker worker in Sydney Street, Petone, afterwards moving to Jackson Street. He learnt the trade in Germany. He had to give up wicker working on account of his health, and commenced in the china and glassware business. The late Mr. Liebezeit was well known for his generosity and was a popular figure in both Lower Hutt and Petone. He was an elder of the Church of Christ. As a young man he was interested in school committee matters and was a vice-president of many sporting clubs. Ho was a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife predeceased him, and he is survived by his sons, Messrs August and Noel Liebezeit, and a daughter, Miss Olga Liebezeit.