Mr. J. A. Shepherd, Albertland Pioneer

Northern Advocate, 30 September 1943, Page 2

Mr. J. A. Shepherd, Albertland Pioneer

OBITUARY j

The late Mr John Alfred Shepherd, who passed away at Auckland on Sepr tember 21, was born in Lincolnshire. England, 84 years ago. He came opt with his parents at the age of threef. They were Albertland settlers. Hi? was the last surviving male 'pioneer who settled at Port Albert. Mr Shepherd was a successful farmer and fruitgrower. Holding a progressive outlook, he was the first user and advocate of fertiliser on grasslands in the district, as far back as 1900. He also experimented successfully with arsenate of lead spray for codim moth when it was first introduced. Afterwards it became the universal codlin moth controller. Ho was chairman of the Rodney County Council for many years and a member of the original board of directors of the Port Albert (now Albertland) Dairy Co., and performed many other public duties. In his young days, Mr Shepherd was keenly interested in sport, especially cricket, and was an enthusiastic fisherman. All his life he was an ardent church worker, being a member of the Church of Christ. He was the eldest of a family of 12, of whom 10 are still living. His wife predeceased him six years. Of his nine children, he is survived by three daughters and two sons—Mrs E. Browne (Port Albert), Mrs J. Silich (Arkle’s Bay), Mrs N. Brookes (Wellsford), Mr Claude Shephed (Ruatangata) and Mr Leonard Shepherd (Port Albert). There are 39 grandchildren and 30 greatgrandchildren.