Obituary

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7240, 21 August 1933, Page 10

Obituary

ME. SAMUEL BOLTON. With a deep sense of very real loss it was learned on Saturday, that Mr. Bolton, at the age of 77 years, after a lifo fully filled with public activity, had died at his residence, “Oete,” Pahiatua, on Friday night. Deceased had attended the annual meeting of the Woodville District Jockey Club on Friday night, and was re-elected president, an office he had held for 33 years in succession. On the way homo he complained of not feeling well and although medical aid was summoned when he had reached his destination, ho passed peacefully away. The deceased was born on October 21, 1856, at Castlemilk, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Ho was educated at Rugby and as a young man, came to New Zealand on the sailing ship “High Flier,” landing at Dunedin where he remained for a time. He went then to the Wairarapa as representative of the firm of Murray Roberts, but after a while took up land in Hawke's Bay at Mangututu. At the end of six or seven years’ farming in the Bay he removed, in 1889, to Woodville and took over the “Oete” homestead at Kohinui, where ho had remained ever since. The deceased held a wonderful record of public service. Primarily he was known for his long and honourable association with tho Pahiatua County Council, first of all as a member for the Kohinui riding over the remarkable period of forty-odd years and then as its able chairman for fully thirty of those forty years. In May of this year, at its last annual meeting the late Mr. Bolton declined re-nomination as chairman of the Pahiatua County and accepted instead office as deputy to Cr. A. W. Bisset. Just prior to his demise he was the only surviving original member of the New Zealand Counties’ Association, which was instituted in about the year 1903. He was, in addition, honorary auditor for the association. Through his connection with the Pahiatua County Council the deceased was a member of the No. 10 District Highways Council, representing the Pahiatua County on that body since its inception. He was a member, too, for very many years of the Wairarapa Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on which he did great service for the district. He was, in fact, one of the Hospital Board’s original members. When the Tararua Electric Power Board was formed several years ago the late Mr. Bolton was elected as a member and had held office ever since. Since its inauguration the deceased had boon a member of tho Woodville District Jockey Club, and the popular president for the past 33 years. In addition, he was a member of the Pahiatua A, and P. Association, Pahitua branch of tho Farmers’ Union, Pahiatua Horticultural and Industrial Society; patron of the Mangatainoka Amateur Athletic Society, an original member and present patron of the Woodville A. and P. Association. For forty years now, ever since there was a school committee at Kohinui, the late Mr. Bolton had been its chairman and secretary. At the time of his death ho was patron of the Woodvillo Bowling Club and a vicepresident of various sporting and other organisations. For years he was chairman of directors of the North Tiraumea Dairy Co., having relinquished that position only a season or two ago. He still remained on the directorate. Ho was also the president of the Pahiatua Club Incorporated at the time of his passing. This grand old man was a stalwart of St. Mark’s Anglican Church at Mangatainoka and was vicar’s warden and treasurer for years. Ho held the rank of major in the Wellington East Coast Mounted Rifle Volunteers and was first captain of the Pahiatua Mounted Rifle Volunteers. He had been a director of Messrs. Abraham and Williams since it was first formed into a limited liability company thirty years ago and a director of the Cooperative Dairy Producers’ Freezing Co., Ltd. He was senior proprietor and managing-director of the Pahiatua Herald Co., Ltd., and esteemed as one of the kindliest and most considerate of employers. The deceased gentleman (who was a Justice of tho Peace) took a. keen interest in politics and was a staunch and generous supporter of the Reform party. He unsuccessfully contested tho Pahiatua seat himself on more than one occasion, the contests, however, being close. Tho late Mr. Bolton married Mary Susan, daiightor of the late Mr. J. Hindmarsh, of Napier, and is survived by the widow, two sons and nine daughters, forty-four grandchidren, and one great-grandchild. The sons are Messrs. Folix S. IT. Bolton, “Oete,” and Joseph Cheney Bolton, Woodville. The daughters, all of whom aro married, are: Mesdames A. Beetham (Masterton), Wilfred Turner (Pukctitiri, Hawke’s Bay), Harold Beetham (Masterton), Trevor Beetham (Masterton), G. Coghill (Wanganui), Noel Grant (Palmerston North), O. H. Druce (Kumeroa), D. C. McPhail (Western Australia), and C. H. Wells (Gisborne). There was a particularly large and representative attendance at the funeral yesterday afternoon, the interment taking place at. tho Woodvillo cemetery. There was no service prior to the cortege leaving the residence at “Oete,” but a fitting service at the graveside was conducted by Rev. P. Wiltshire, of St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Mangatainoka. Assisting him was the Rev. G. W. Davidson, of Woodvine. The pall-bearers were representatives of district local bodies, and comprised: Messrs. A. W. Bisset, H. R. Whitta, W. Britland (Pahiatua), M. O. Grainger, G. Peebles, and R. H. Morgan (Woodville). Among the numerous beautiful floral tributes were no fewer than 25 forwarded by local bodies from all over the North Island.