Mr R. H. Meade to Retire From Service

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 174, 26 July 1935, Page 4

Mr R. H. Meade to Retire From Service

VETERINARIAN’S FINE WORK At the end of the month, Mr. B. H. .Meade, veterinarian attached to the Palmerston North branch of the Department of Agriculture, is to retire. He intends to continue his residence at Palmerston North where he has had his headquarters and given valuable service to the farming community.

Prior to coming to New Zealand, Mr. Meade travelled extensively. The son of a doctor in Bradford, lie desired to see some of the world before settling down. At tiie age of 20, in 1889, he went to Oregon, and after a little more than a year, continued to British Columbia, being on cattle ranches practically the whole of the time. About 1893 he visited Vancouver and soon afterwards returned to England and took a po.-u.uoa which carried with it th'e responsibility of superintending the care of a large horse stud. In 1898 the owner relinquished his interest in the stud and Mr. Meade embarked ou what was -to be his life work. After'attending the London Veterinary College and the Dublin Veterinary College, he qualified in 1904 and was for a time engaged in practice; in Ireland. Then came.the opportunity of going to the Sudan,' and in 1900 and 1907 he was employed in that'territory, much of his work being in combating cattle plague —rinderpest. For a period he was engaged near the border of Abyssinia and Eritrea, as much of the rinderpest came from Abyssinia.

Next followed a business trip to British Columbia and another period in Ireland before Mr. Meade came to New Zealand, in 1913. He entered the Government service soon after his arrival and his first post was at Waitara. Within a year or so he was transferred to Palmerston North to take charge of the district from Wellington to New Plymouth, including also the Wairarapa area and that portion of Hawke’s Baj as far as. Ormondvillc.