PENINSULA NEWS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4125, 20 April 1949, Page 10

PENINSULA NEWS

PIONEER PASSES

MR WILLIAM HAMILTON GREAT WORK FOR DISTRICT MANY YEARS IN WHENUAKITE One of the best known and most highly respected residents of the district, Mr William Hamilton, of Whenuakite, died in the Coromandel hospital last week at the age of 82. He had been a patient in the hospital for several weeks. The experiences of Mr Hamilton as a Peninsula pioneer would fill a 'book. He has contributed numerous newspaper articles on the history of Whenuakite and parts of the surrounding district. The name of Hamilton is a by-word in the present prosperous Whenuakite district, where the diligence of the Hamilton family, with careful attention to scientific husbandry, has its monument today in acres of prosperous farm country from ex-bush soil. Mr Hamilton was born on March 16, 1867, at Mercury Bay, and with his parents moved from the Bay to Whenuakite in 1872. He began work in 1880 and took charge his father’s farm in 1883. Seven years later Mr Hamilton and his brother David bought the farm from their father and owned it jointly up to 1008. At that stage Mr Hamilton sold out to his •brother and bought his present property and was married. From 1893 until 1898 Mr Hamilton took interest in gold mining and worked and studied for his mine manager’s ticket. He found, though, that his eyesight was being impaired and he decided to give up mining. • Storekeeping and Farming Just after the turn of the century Mr Hamilton saw the need for a store in the district, and combined this venture with his farming, the post office and a gum-buying business. Of this period Mr Hamilton, in his own words; says: u It was a great education for me, and fortunately quite a good ’financial success.” Those were the days when kauri gum attracted hundreds of men to the Whenuakite district, and for 16 years the store was operated until, with the collapse of the gum market, business fell away. Full attention was again turned to farming, but following the end of the first World War, illness overtook Mr Hamilton and upon his recovery in 1922 he decided to go to Fiji. He left his sons to carry on the farm. Activity in Fiji Within one week he was appointed manager of the Tailevu dairy scheme for returned soldiers for the Fijian Government, but curtailment of expenditure by the Government there hampered his progressive policy, and he resigned. Following this, Mr Hamilton bought and operated a sawmill successfully for two years, but due to an accident he was compelled to sell, and he then returned home to Whenuakite. Since then, Mr Hamilton has been active in and about his home district. His interest in dairying activity was maintained, and it is significant of his attachment to this that although he retired in recent years from most local body, work he retained the chairmanship of the Mercury Bay Co-op. Dairy Company. Interest in Dairying The Mercury Bay Co-operative Dairy Company has had high priority on Mr Hamilton’s time. In 1969 he was appointed one of the two representatives of suppliers on the then proprietory company known as the Mercury Bay Dairy Company. Two years later the co-operative company was formed, and Mr Hamilton was appointed chairman of directors, and he held that position until 1922. Since his return from Fiji Mr Hamilton was again chairman, and in all he has given 31 years’ service. Work For Local Bodies Mr Hamilton has had long connections with numerous district local bodies. He was a member for the riding in which he lived of the Coromandel County Council, and retired at the time of the last local body election. He represented the Coromandel County, for a period, on the Thames Hospital Board, and took a keen interest in the development of the two hospitals in his district. Farmers’ activities also interested him greatly. He was actively associated with the Northern Thames subprovincial executive of Federated Farmers —formerly the Farmers’ Union—as well as with union activities in his own district. During the

war he gave valued service as a district representative on the Thames District Council of Primary Production. The golden wedding of Mr and Mrs Hamilton was celebrated on February 16, 1948. Mrs Hamilton was formerly Miss Alexander, whose parents were early residents of Panmure, her father being one of the militia. They received widespread congratulations from the whole district and many parts of New Zealand. Mr Hamilton is survived by his wife and 10 children.