NEW ZEALAND PIONEER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21742, 6 March 1934, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND PIONEER

DEATH IN CHRISTCHURCH

SIR ARTHUR DUDLEY DOBSON EARLY EXPLORATORY SURVEYS [BY TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT! CHRISTCHURCH, Monday Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson, a pioneer of Canterbury and an engineer and surveyor of wide experience, died this morning at the age of 92. He was one of the best known figures in Cantorbury. He had been ill for about three days and passed away in sleep at his homo in C'hristchurch.

Sir Arthur was born in London on September 9, 1841, and came to New Zealand in the barque Cressy in 1850 with his father, who had enrolled himself among the Canterbury pilgrims. They arrived at Lyttolton on December 27 of that year and were temporarily housed in barracks. Early the following year Sir Arthur and his brother were sent to Tasmania to live with their uncle while their father was engaged in making a home. They returned to Now Zealand in 1853, by which time their mother had arrived with the rest of the family, and their father had built two houses, one at Christchurch and one at Sumner. Arthur's Pass Discovered Leaving school in 1858, Sir Arthur was employed with his father on various public works, learning to be an engineer and surveyor. In 1859 and 1860 he was employed surveying at Lyttelton, where he took charge of the boring operations to ascertain the depth of the mud in the harbour. He took part in the survey of Evans Pass Road and also did much other survey work in North Canterbury. Early in. 1862 he wont with Dr. von Haast to survey the Mackenzie Country and later that year secured a contract to survey an unknown block on the. West Coast, extending from tho Grey River southward to Abut Heads, about 75 miles.

That first survey on the West Coast was most difficult and dangerous and several men were drowned. In the course of the survey Sir Arthur discovered Arthur's Pass, which has been named after him. By. 1864 he had finished his survey contract on the West Coast, and went to Nelson, where he engaged in further survey work on the goldfields. Later ho was appointed district engineer on the Nelson-West Coast goldfields. After some years in that position he joined his father, who was doing surveying and engineering work in Christchurch. Midland Railway Route In the late 'seventies the connection of Canterbury and the West Coast by rail was under consideration and surveys were made of the routes over all the well-known passes, and Sir Arthur surveyed the Hurunui Pass route. Arthur's Pass route was subsequently decided upon. After a visit to England in 1885 Sir Arthur went to Australia for experience and spent several years there. While there, he built the Warrnambool breakwater. At one stage diving operations were unsatisfactory and he donned a diver's suit and went below the surface, and found that the divers had been loafing and giving false reports. The incident was significant of his character. He was essentially a practical man.

Returning to New Zealand about 1898 he did general engineering and surveying work. In 1899 he reported on the proposed scheme to obtain power from the Waimakariri River for tho supply of electricity to Christ-church, a project which has been under consideration ever since. Well-made Roads At the age of 59 Sir Arthur was appointed Christchurch City engineer, a position he held until 1921, when ho retired at tho age of 80. While in that position ho laid the foundation of the permanent paving programmes that have later been carried out, and some of tho asphalt roads constructed aro still standing up to modern traffic conditions.

Sir Arthur was connected with 21 organisations in the city_ and abroad, and was knighted in 1931 in recognition of his outstanding services to the country and to science. Sir Arthur's wife died in 1930 at Christchurch. Of his sons, the eldest, Mr. Arthur George Dobson, a prominent engineer, died in 1905. Mr. Cecil Gordon Dobson, who was in business in Wellington, died in 1915, and Mr. Ernest Henry Dobson died in 1931. There is one son living, Mr. Charles Dudley Dobson, farmer, of Hurnnui, and three daughters, Miss E. E. Dobson, Mrs. Beatrice Scandall, of Fendalton, and Mrs. J. J. Ragg, of Fiji. A sister, Mrs. G. Hogben, lives at Island Bay, Wellington. She is the widow of a foiyncr director of education, Mr. G. Hogben. There are three brothers, Mr. E. H. Dobson, farmer, of Hawke's Bay, Mr. H. A. Dobson, engineer, of Gisborne,, and Mr. Collctt Dobson, Australia, whose stage career will bo remembered.