Mr. J. H. Perrett Passes

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 160, 10 July 1939, Page 6

Mr. J. H. Perrett Passes

PIONEER SETTLER’S LIFE OF SERVICE The death, which occurred yesterday morning at a private hospital in Palmerston North, of Air. John Henry Perrett, of Sandon, removed one of the best known and most highly esteemed pioneer residents of the Manawatu district. The lato Air. Perrett was so prominently and so continuous!' associated with the activities of the Alanawatu district in general and Bandon in particular that to name in detail his multifarious interests would be to catalogue almost every movement for the welfare and recreation of his district for nearly half a century. Born in Wilts., England, in 1868, Air. Perrett arrived in Sandon while still in his teens, and for over 50 years lived aud laboured in that district, sharing the privations nad pleasures of his pioneer comrades and by his upright and genial personality building for himself a unique place in the affections of tho settlers of the district. Among his numerous interests were long membership of the Alanawatu County Council and the Alanawatu and Fcilding A. and P. Associations, both of which honoured him with the office president. Air. Perrett also took a keen interest in racing. ll*c was the Wanganui district representative on the New Zealand Racing Conference ami only missed his first annual meeting of that body on Friday iu 31 years. Prominent in Alasonic circles he was a Grand Alaster of Lodge Ruapehu. While recognising the seriousness of the illness which necessitated Air. Perrett'a going to a private hospital oil Wednesday last, none of his numerous friends realised that the end was so near, and the news of his passing yesterday came as a great shock, Sandon residents realising that they had suffered an irreparublc loss in the death of a valued and beloved fellowcitizen.

TRIBUTES AT SANDON YESTERDAY At the annual Service of Remembrance conductea by the Sandon Ole Boys’ Association yesterday, the president, Air. W. J. Croueher, made feeling reference to the great loss that had so recently befallen the village und district by the deaths of several of the oldest residents of that centre whose passing had already been made public. Wc are meeting here to-day, he said, under the shadow of a great grief, and, as though our cup of sorrow was not already full to overflowing, it was his painful duty to make the first public announcement of yet another severo blow that had stricken the community. Only a few hours previously the rad tidings had been brought to him thut their esteemed townsman and fellowworker, Mr. J. U. Perrett, had failed to rally from his recent illness and had passed away that morning. In a few heartfelt sentences, the speaker made touching reference to the private and public life of his departed colleague over the long period of 55 years of unbroken friendship. The lite and work of Air. Perrett, said Air. Croueher, needed no eulogy from him. He had come to this country as a youth, and in all the manifold activities of his life —as husband, parent, friend, citizen and public benefactor, he had shown, by word and deed, a standard of conduct well worthy of emulation. Their hearts went out that day, said the president, to their old school companion, Mrs. Perrett, and her sorrowing family and relatives in their hour of trial and affliction. Supplementary words of condolence were spoken by Mr. H. J. Fagan, another life-long friend aud near neighbour of Mr. Perrett over the past 35 years. During that long period of intimacy, Air. Fagan had never known his friend to harbour an unkind thought or be guilty of a dishonest action, and, apart from his public work over a wide sphere, Air. Perrett had been intimately bound up with and had given his wise counsel to every known local activity. At the conclusion the large gathering stood in reverent silence as a tribute of respect and remembrance to all their recently departed friends. Subsequently, Rev. N. S. Burnett, in his main addrets, made eloquent reference to the great and noble work ot pioneers in the past, who had left beI hind them a splendid and inspiring 'heritage of Jove, honesty and spirituality which found the highest expression in the lives and actions of such men and women whose memory was that day heinp* honoured.