OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19620, 26 April 1927, Page 14

OBITUARY.

MR. R. H. ABBOTT, WELL-KNOWN BUSINESS MAN. The death of Mr. R. H. Abbott, founder of the firm of R. H. Abbott and Company, Ltd., occurred on Saturday evening. • Mr. Abbott, who was 66 years of age, was born at North - Molton, Devonshire, in 1861. At the age of 15 he was apprenticed to a large soft goods housa in the City of London. Four years later he took up studies at King's College, London, and entered the Civil Service in the Ad' miralty Department. He resigned this appointment after 18 months, and proceeded on a tour of adventure round the world in 1882, visiting France, Spain, Portugal, and Rio de Janiero, remaining there for 12 months. He then visited South Africa and Australia, and arrived in New Zealand in 1884. The late Mr. Abbott commenced his business career in Auckland in 1885, being at first in the retail soft goods business for six years, when he organised the firm of Abbott, Oram and Company, operating exclusively as warehousemen and wholesale merchants. Some years later he founded the firm of R. H. Abbott and Company, Ltd., wholesale warehousemen. He retired from business in 1911, and devoted his attention to development enterprises in the city and province of Auckland, including the erection of blocks of business premises in the leading thoroughfares of the city, and the drainage and improvement of country lands. He acted as chairman of directors of numerous companies devoted to thase enterprises. and was chairman of the Walatarua Drainage Board, which successfully drained the submerged land round Lake St. John by means of a tunnel, half a mile in length, through the hills. Mr. Abbott purchased 100 acres of the reclaimed area and presented it to the City of Auckland for the purpose of a sports* park. He was vice-president- of a number of sporting clubs in the city, and was a member of the Chess Association of New Zealand. • Mr. Abbott is survived by his widow and four sons, Mr. A. W. Abbott. Mr. F. A. Abbott, of London, Mr. CL H. Abbott, of Auckland, and Mr. A. R. Abbott, of Auckland. Mr.. Abbott also leaves one daughter, Mrs. Gordon Armstrong. He is also survived by two brothers. Mr. A. J. Abbott and Mr- J. W. Abbf't'i, of Wellington. The frneral will leave his late residence, 112, Remuera Road, at three o'clock this afternoon.