OBITUARY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 93, 26 April 1910, Page 7

OBITUARY.

MR H. 0. JACOBSON.

JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR

[from our correspondent.] CHRISTCHURCH, April 25. Mr H. C. Jacobson, proprietor and editor of the Akaroa Mail, and a wellknown Peninsula resident, died at Akaroa yesterday after a somewhat lengthy illness. The late Mr Jacobson was born in Devonshire in lo<±l, and arrived in Wellington from England in 1859. He was for some years engaged in sheep-farming in the North Island, and in the year 1864 joined the staff of the Christchurch Press. He also took up teaching work, and was president of the first Schoolmasters' Association here. He bought the Ashburton Mail in 1878, the Akaroa Mail in 1881, and the Otaki Mail in 1886; and for some years edited and managed the three papers. The late Mr Jacobson was a member of various local bodies, and was chairman of the Akaroa High School

Board. He was the author of "Stories' of Banks Peninsula" and several other j publications. His "Stories of Banks Peninsula" is a most valuable contribution to the literature dealing with the early history of New Zea-, land, and is a work which will in-i crease in value with the lapse of! years, for those from whom Mr Jacob- | son received the information em- • bodies in his book are themselves gradually passing away. Mr Jacobson had also written a second volume of Peninsula stories, but the manuscript Avas unfortunately destroyed by : a fire which occurred in the Akaroa j Mail office some years ago. Mr Jacob-' son took a keen interest in native birds and shrubs, and it is largely owing to. his efforts that many bits of choice Peninsula bush were saved from the axe and the torch when the hillsides wore being cleared for further settlement. He leaves a widow and a grown-up family.