OBITUARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9504, 3 May 1911, Page 5

OBITUARY.

MR. E. J. RIDDIFORD,

■lt i 6 with deep regret that we have to announco the death of Mr E. J. Riddiford, which occurred at his Longburn residence at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Deceased had not been in the best of health for eomc time past, but lately had shown signs of improvement, and it was thought that lie was well on the mend. Yesterday, however, he took a sudden change for the worse, and death resulted from heart failure, due, no doubt, in a_ measure to shock, consequent upon hearing of the sudden demise of his grand-nephew,. Mr Basil Forster-Pratt, yesterday morning. Deoeased was exceptionally well known all over the Manawatu and Oroua districts, where he had extensive landed interests. During the years he has spent a. lot' of his time in this district, living at Longburn, where ho had. built; a. very lino residence.

'The deceased, who was sixty-eight years of age, was born at Lower Hutt, arid had the distinction of being the lirst child baptised in New Zealand by Bishop Selwyn, His father, the late Mr Daniel Riddiford, was prominently connected with llij settlement projects of the New Zealand Land Company, which resulted in the foundation of Wellington. Mr Riddiford, senior, arrived in the 'ship, Adelaide, in; 1839, bringing in sections the .first, house . erected at Pipitea Point. . :,■ .' Mr E. J. Riddiford's mother, it is recorded, used. to write the despatches for the New Zealand Land Company. Her son was educated at Wellington, and'''obtained his secondary education at Morrieon's College, Melbourne. lie was all his life a. station holder and closely concerned in . farming pursuits, owning, the Te Awaiti estate,-of about 60.000 acres on the East Coast,' beyond Cape Palliser,- and the Orongaronga. estate of 7600 acres, also . several; hundred acres in Hutt valley, .'en acres of which he devot : ed to his splendid residence ''Fern Glen.'' His. large holdings,of land; brought him under the higher classes, of; the'graduated; land tax, aiid he 1 was reported to be tho' biggest contributor to the revenue:under this heading in New Zealand. Mr Riddiford. married, in 1879, a. daughter of the late Mr Henry Bunny, who was, for", twejity years, member of the House of Representatives. He had his share of the responsibility and danger o£ early settlement, acting as lieutenant; of tho militia under. Colonel Gorton, lie, at a. latter date, took a minor part in local government, having served v'as.';a member of the Wairarapa County .Conn-, cil and in other public capacities. Of his. tlireo daughters, one is Mrs Lindsay,, of Hutt, and two are unmarried,,.. One.son; Lionel, predeceased him only a month ago, and the remaining members of his family are Mr Reginald Riddiford, ,of Lower Hutt, Mr "Daniel Riddiford, of. Martinborough, and Mr .Eiic L. ...Riddiford, of Orongaronga . .Quito a number of relatives reside.in this :■ district,. including his" sister.,■.■■ Mrs., Capt. Hewitt;' his nieces, Mrs Forst'ei;-; Pratt. Mre R. L. Levien, ami Mrs Nor-., mail Goriou (Feilding). and nephews Millar old Cooper and Dr Willis (Feilding)..,..