OBITUARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17283, 26 September 1916, Page 8

OBITUARY.

ROBERT MARSHALL CRESSWELL: Another of Canterbury's fast diniin-' ishing band of pioneers in the person of Mr Robert Marshall Cresswoll "passed away on Sunday at the residence of - his daughter, Mrs X. Jones, Ngaerej Taranaki, aged seventy-six. ; Mr Cresswell,. was born in London and came to New Zealand in the ship Sir George Seymour, one of the first .four' ships, .in 1830. Before leaving he attended the special service for the emigrants held in St Paul's ■ Cathedral and • also the. banquet given to-these who'sailed h* the first four ships. After arrival Mr< Cresswell was for many years engaged in cattle dealing and in supplying stockto the butchers of Christchurcb. W'hue, at this work ; he met with'many rough experiences in travelling about the country in the early days in the absence of roads or bridges. It was Mr Cresswell who, in conjunction With Mr Twentyman Hodgson, took the first) shipment of draught horses from New Zealand to Sydney, and they.6old.'the animals at very high prices. Later on Mr Cresswell was appointed manager of the Belfast. Freezing Works, and in consequenco']' of the careful' 'attention which lie paid to grading and other important details of the industry tho con« signments from Belfast soon commanded; tho highest price 011 the English mar* kct. At one period he rejected 3M sheep out of a draft of 250 because thes! d,id' not come up to his strict demands, and he stuck to his decision in spit# of a storm of protest from the director* ,; and shareholders. It was duo entirety, to him that tho term "Prime. Canterbury" became.the, universal British' term for the best quality of lamb from tho colony. After leaving. Belfast Mi Cresswell was engaged ; by the under* writers of New Zealand to inspect ana report upon the various freezing works of the colony, the treatment, of, stock before and after killing,'the methods of insulation and the manner of handling the frozen meat at the various ports. The directors of the Wahganui Freezing Works engaged him for "three years, to give their establishment .a . start/ and Messrs Nelson Bros, subsequently civ. gaged him to manage'their works at Hornby and to grade their meat for the English market. Mr Cresswell was for some time a member 'of the St- Albans Borough Council, was chairman of two out of three school committees onv which he served, and was a life trustee of the Papanui Domain-Board, and a very enthusiastic member of the Old Colonists' Association., As a member of the Wesleyan Church he held nearly all the offices opeja to) a layman and ; represented/ his'church' at'.several conferences. Mr Cresswell'married tho eldest; daughter of the late,Mr Joseph Pattrick, and ,had fourteen . children* Mrs Cresswell died about fdur years ago, and since her. death Mr Cresswell lived in Rangiora, v and then with members of his fahiily in: Taranaki. Of hie sons; Mr Charles Cresswell is manager of the Wanganui..;'Freez|hg Company, Mr T. R'. Cresswell is head 'master or the Rangiora High School } ' Mr; W.. J. Cresswell, late partner .of his Honor Mi*. Justice Stringer, is now inEng* land, and Mr J,. B. Cresswell.is prao- ; tising dentistry in Rangiora. ; .•JSk last night's meeting' of the-Ran-; gioraY High School. Board :a< motion; was passed expressing sympathy • with the head master in the loss of his father, and appreciation of the late Mr Robert. Cresswell's sterling qualities'as a;coloriist and of his services to the Canter-: bury province, particularly in* the* frozen meat trade. I ■■'•'.'■ . .." ' • '•

A. A: STUART MENTEATH. [Pek Piikss Association.] 1 .

WELLINGTON, September 25. Mr A. A., Stuart Menteath," barria« ter and solicitor', president of the Moderate League,. and at one time manager of the National Bank at Reefton, afterwards member of Parliament, for Inangahua and for-Welling-ton, died to-day. after a long illness, aged sixty-five years. ' / .