OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 35

OBITUARY.

Advice has been received from Christchurch of the death of Mr Henry Broadhead, who, in the early nineties, occupied a responsible position n the firm of Kempthorne, l’rosser, and Co., in this city. Mr Broadhead came to New -ealand in 1896, and, after leaving the employ of Messrs Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co., lie occupied tho position of secretary to the Can terbury Employers’ Association for the succeeding 10 years. Having published “State Regulation of Labour and Labour Disputes in New Zealand," he left for England, but returned to the Dominion in 1917, and again took up his position with the Canterbury Employers’ Association. He resigned in 1919, and since hen had lived in retirement. Mr Broadhead is survived by his widow and three sons— Dr H. D. Broadhead (Canterbury College), Mr G. Broadhead (Lands and Survey Department), and Mr L. W. Broadhead —and one daugther. An old and respected resident of Waimate, Mr Robert Nicol, passed

awav on July 8 at the home of hia daughter in Motueta. The deceased, who was 79 years of age, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in October, 1846, and early in life entered the flourmilling industry (writes our Waimate correspondent). In 1865 he went to America, where he gained .urther experience in his trade, but in consequence of ill-health he returned to the laud of his birth. However, Mr Nicol decided once more tc try his fortune overseas, and left for New Zealand in the ship Auckland in 1875, lauding at Port Chalmers. He again engaged in flourmilling, being employed in various parts of Otago. He was the founder of the Mauiototo Cooperative Flourmill at Naseby. In 1891 Mr Nicol went north, settling in Waimate, where he resided up till the time of his death. The Empress Roller Flourmill was founded by him shortly after his arrival. .In 1895 he took Mr W. L. Scott into partnership, the firm carrying on till 1903, when Mr Scott withdrew. Until about eight years ago the mill was carried on under the name of Nicol and Son, after which it became the co-operative company known as the South Canterbury Flourmilling Company. In earlier years Mr Nicol took a keen interest in public affairs, and for a number of years was a member of the Waimate Borough Council, and occupied the mayoral chair for a term of two years. He was widely known as a bowler, and was one of the founders of the Waimate Bowling Club. His wife, who preceased her husband several years ago, was a daughter of the late Captain Robert Andrews. Four sons and three daughters survive—Messrs R. A. Nicol (Timaru), George Nicol (Dargaville), John Nicol (Coleridge), Harold Nicol (Wairoa), and Mrs M‘Kee (Motueka), Mrs Wilson (Gore), and Miss V. Nicol (Waimate). A well-known resident of the Alexandra district in the person of Mr W. Duncan passed away early on Saturday, July 10. The funeral took place at the Alexandra Cemetery on Monday week, when a large number of representative citizens paid a last tribute to the memory of the deceased. For a lengthy period Mr Duncan occupied the position of editor and manager of the Alexandra Herald, and for many years he was the Alexandra correspondent of the* Otago Dail Times. Mr W. Spence, who has been manager of the Invercargill branch of the Government Life Insurance Company for the past five years (reports our correspondent) . has been promoted to the position of district manager at Dunedin, and will take up his new duties shortly. He will hi* succeeded at Invercargill by Mr G. L. .Osborne, who is at present stationed at Greymouth.