Obituary

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 17, 21 January 1942, Page 3

Obituary

MR. R. S ABRAHAM With the passing of Mr. Richard Slingsby Abraham, at “Risby,” his' homo in Batt Street, in his 91st year j on Monday, 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 j into his business dealings and was much liked by his staff. Numbers of men who aro 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 tho man; and rarely did his judgment fail him. Mr. Abraham was the third son of . Rev. Canon Thomas Abraham, rector of Risby, and grandson of Lard Westbury, < one time Lord Chancellor of England, G their home being near Bury St. Ed- i munds, {Suffolk, where he was born in June, 1851. Mr. Abraham was educated at Haileybury and lveble College, Ox- : ford, and was destined for the Church. ; However, from tales of New Zealand . brought by an uncle, Bishop Abraham, • first Bishop of Wellington, sprang the 1 desire to seek his fortune in new lands' • and so he followed an older brother to these shores arriving is 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 four years after 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 of New Zealand, being stationed in turn at Auckland, Wellington and Masterton, finally being appointed manager at Bulls, where his married life began in the old bank building with barred windows, now replaced by a modern structure. In 18S4 Mr. Abraham left the service of the bank and bought out Mr. John Stevens from the firm of Messrs. Stevens and Gorton, removing to ' Palmerston North, to which rising centre they travelled by buggy through standing bush. The railway station was at that time in the middle of the Square. The principal buildings were the Bank of New Zealand, Royal Hotel, and iSnelson’s Auction Mart. Later Mr. Abraham took over the southern portion of the district and, taking Mr. A. Williams, of Hawke’s Bay, as his partner, established the firm of Messrs. Abraham and Williams. In 1923 he retired from tho position of general manager of the company. Mr. Abraham was chairman of the board of directors of Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., and a director of the firm of Wright,’ Stephenson and Coy., and of the Taupo-Totara Timber Coy. 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’ Assoication and was the founder also of the Manawatu and

West Coast Live-stock Auctioneers f 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 boys from England to settle on tho land in New Zealand, j The deceased gentleman was also a keen sportsman and gave active assistance to the Manawatu Racing Club ’ over the years, being one of tho meni- * bers behind the move to Awapuni which has been such an asset to the 'club. Polo claimed his ardent partisanj ship 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 has been an important factor in Palmerston North. With Mr. Mellsopp he. formed a company to take over what are now the golf 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 1940, 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 bushlaud 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. Sherriff, of Taihape. Two sons, Messrs. H. E. and R. P. Abraham, and the eldest daughter passed away some years ago.