OBITUARY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 43, 20 January 1942, Page 2

OBITUARY

MR R. S. ABRAHAM. With the passing of Mr Richard Slingsby Abraham, at “Risby”, his home in Batt Street, in his 91st year yesterday, Palmerston North and the surrounding areas lose one who could claim an intimate connection with their progress. A man of considerable enterprise, Mr Abraham was very widely known for his integrity. He was a man who brought very humane qualities into his business dealings and was much liked by his staff. Numbers of men who are to-day among the district’s successful farmers owe their start in that life to Mr Abraham, who was always prepared to assist anybody in setting out on his own account, provided he was satisfied with the character of the man; and rarely did his judgment fail him.

Mr Abraham was the third son of Rev. Canon Thomas Abraham, rector of llisby, and grandson of Lord W’estbury, one time Lord Chancellor ot England, their home being near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where lie was born in June, 1851. Mr Abraham was educated at Haileybury and Keble College. Oxford, and was destined for the Church. However, from tales of New Zealand brought by an uncle, Bishop Abraham, first Bishop of Wellington, sprang the desire to seek his fortune in new lands and so lie followed an older brother to these shores, arriving in New Zealand in October, 1874, in the Zealandia. It is interesting to recall that Mr Abraham brought the first two fox-terriers to this country. For the first lour years alter his arrival he was engaged in farming in the rough bush country at Pukekohe with his brother Charles, but prospects did not seem very bright and he joined the service of the Bank ot New Zealand, being stationed in turn at Auckland, Wellington, and Masterton, finally being appointed manager •at Bulls, where bis married life began in the old bank building with barred windows, now replaced by a modern structure. In 1884 Mr Abraham left the service of the bank and bought out Mr Johu Stevens from the firm of Messrs Stevens and Gorton, removing to Palmerston North, to which rising centre they travelled by buggy through standing Push. The railway station was at that time in the middle ot the Square. The principal buildings were the Bank ol New Zealand, Royal Hotel, and Sneison’s Auction Mart. Later Mr Abraham took over the southern portion of the district and, taking Mr A- \\ illiams, of Hawke's Bay. as his partner, established the firm of Messrs Abraham and Williams. In 1923 he retired from the position of general manager of the company. Mr Abraham was chairman of tlie hoard of directors of Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., and a director o the firm of Wright. Stephenson and Cov., and of the Taupo-Totara iimhci Cov. He was a former member of the Palmerston North Borough Council and was a foundation member of the Chamber of Commerce He formed and was president of the New Zealand Livestock Auctioneers’ Association and was the founder also of the Manawntu and West Coast Live-stock Auctioneers Association. In other years he was the secretary of the Public Schools’ Old Boys’ Association, an organisation of former students of the public schools of England, and he instituted a scheme for bringing bo.ye from England to settle on the land in New Zealand The deceased gentleman was also a keen sportsman and gave active assistance to the Manawatu Racing Club over the years, being one of the members behind the move to Awapuni which has been such an asset to the club. Polo claimed his ardent partisanship and the Manawatu A. and P Association his full support. Mr Abraham was one of the founders of the Manawatu Club. He was also instrumental in forming the Manawatu Golf Club, which lias been an important factor in Palmerston North. With Mr Mellsopp he formed a company to take over what are now the goli links, for the purpose of establishing an athletic park for polo, golf and shooting. The Polo Club was formed with the assistance of Messrs Southey Baker and H. Gifford Moore. When polo died out the grounds were taken over by the Golf Club.

Mr and Mrs Abraham, who celebrated their diamond wedding in 1910, made their first home in Palmerston North in Park Road adjacent to that of the late Mr L. A. Abraham, where they lived for twenty years. Then they bought 17 acres of bushland at Tiritea which was soon transformed with a fine house and well-laid out grounds, where they remained for some 18 years. “Tiritea” was eventually sold to Mr P. A. McHardy, who in turn sold the land for the institution of Massey Agricultural College. Mr Abraham is survived by his widow and four daughters. Miss Ethel Abraham and Mrs A. N. Barraud, of Palmerston North, Mrs J. R. L. Stanford, of Marton, and Mrs L. A. P. Shcrriff, of Taihapc. Two sons, Messrs H. E. and R. P. Abraham, and the eldest daughter, Mrs F. Hewitt, passed away some years ago.