OBITUARY

Northern Advocate, 25 October 1935, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR J. R. PALMER 50 YEARS IN WHANGAREI . The funeral took place at the Kamo Cemetery yesterday of Mr.' John Robert Palmer, an old identity of-the Whangarei district. Deceased was born at Langholm, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, in 1868. Gn the death of his mother, the family went to Boston, Mass., U.S.A., but failing to make good there Mr. W. H. 'Palmer, the father, returned tc the North of England with all but two of his children.

Deceased farmed with an uncle in England for five years. In 1883 his father, who had been in New Zealand, returned to England, and, with his two sons, J. R. and J. Palmer, sailed, from London docks on September 23, 1883. The vessel was the New Zealand Shipping Company’s new steamer, the Tongariro, which, on, this, her maiden voyage, made what was then considered a good trip in 45 days from port to port. At Port Chalmers the Palmers transhipped on to the U.S.S. Company’s Ringaroonuu landing in . Auckland just before Christmas, 1883. ' After six months in Auckland, Mr. Palmer and his two sons moved' to Whangarei. Except for five years spent in Australia, deceased resided continuously in this district, following his trade of carpenter and building railway bridges when the line was extended North from Kamo. He finally settled on a small farm at Raumanga where his family was reared. The late Mr. Palmer was hard working and conscientious. He was very active, and shortly before his death, when visiting his daughter at Sandringham. Auckland, took a long bicycle ride. He was strongly advised against doing so, and shortly afterwards collapsed. He is survived by his wife, one son, two daughters and four grandchildren.