OBITUARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 November 1938, Page 8

OBITUARY

REV. ARTHUR HARDING. LOWER HUtT The Rev. Arthur Harding. Rarfrn road. Lower Hutt, died at a private hospital yesterday. Mr Harding was born in Ludlow, Shropshire, England, in 1863. He was the fourteenth child of a family of 10. As a young probationer of the Primitive Methodist Church he went to Queensland in 1881 and in 1894 Miss Hester Whittaker, of Yorkshire. England, went there to marry him. His circuit in the bush eoubtry of Queensland knew no boundaries and his life was adventurous. His only means of travel was on horse. On one occasion he visited a settlement a day and a half’s journey away. At night he camped in the bush and had to light a fire to keep the dingoes away. Arrived at the settlement, he conducted baptisms all the morning and wed* dings all the afternoon. It was three years since the place had been visited by a minister. In 1899 Mr and Mrs Harding went back to England, where Mr Harding had circuits in Warwickshire and Hampshire. In 1907 he came to New Zealand. where Mr Harding had circuits in the North and South Islands. He retired in 1923. but did work as a relieving minister in the following years. For many years Mr Harding, who was the official chaplain for the Methodist Church of the Porirua Mental Hospital and of prisons and hospitals, devoted his time to visiting these institutions and was tireless in organising concerts and entertainments for the inmates. He was in the Wellington Hospital for some weeks recently, but although confined to bed he organised concerts for the Porirua Mental Hospital. Mrs Harding died eight years ago. Mr Harding Is survived by one daughter. Miss Winifred Harding, 8.A., of the staff of the Levin High School.