A PIONEER COLONIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3958, 21 January 1930, Page 10

A PIONEER COLONIST.

MR W. T. SCRYMGEOUR.

FORMER OWNER OF TEVIOT STATION. \\ ith the death, in his iiinetv-first year, of Air William 1 indal Servmgeour, whose remains were recently interred in the Warwick Cemetery (says the Warwick Daily News. Queensland), Australia and New' Zealand have lost another of their early pioneer colonists. Mr Servmgeour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1839. and after some years’ experience in Scottish farming left his native land in a sailing ship for New Zealand, arriving there in 1802. when colonisation was in its infancy. From that date he threw himself wholeheartedly into pastoral pursuits, and by hard work and persistent energy took a full share in opening up and developing new country for sheep raising. After a short time his independent and restless spirit made him discontented to continue to work for other owners, and he made a start as an independent settler on a comparatively small holding, and as the years passed success rewarded his indefatigable efforts. He rapidly took up other and larger holdings and stations, becoming eventually one of the principal sheep ow’ners in New Zealand. Some of the sheep stations he owned at various times were Te Huredi, Te Akaterawa, and Teviot, on which latter property 40.000 sheep were pastured, and a high-class merino flock maintained. The fine wool from this clip topped the Dunedin sales on several occasions.

Later on, after disposing of these properties, he spent about a year viewing pastoral conditions in Argentina, and visiting Great Britain, returning, how ever, to New Zealand, where he trans ferred his pastoral activities to the North Island, acquiring the well-known Tuki Tuki sheep and cattle property, Hawke’s Bay, which he worked for several years, and then disposed of to come to Australia. After inspecting land and conditions in various Australian States, he, in conjunction with a partner, Mr H. M Ross, acquired Callandoon and Tarewinnabar, in the Goondiwindi district. Within two years this partnership was dissolved. Mr Servmgeour retaining Callandoon North and Tarewinnabar, which were for some time controlled and worked by himself, assisted by his two sons. James and William,

In 1920 he formed his pastoral interests into a limited liability company and whilst up to the time of his death he retained control as governing director of Scrymgeour, Ltd., he left the active management in the hands of his son William. Callandoon North has always been known as a high-class sheep breeding and cattle fattening freehold, carrying an exceptionally good merino flock of sheep and herd of Shorthorn cattle. The stock from this estate was eagerly sought after m the Homebush and Enoggera saleyards. Subsequently Boondandilla and Uranilla cattle runs were acquired by the company, as well as several freeholds in the Warwick district, which were consolidated and are now known and worked together as “ Carondale.” In 1926 Callandoon North was* sold to Mr Allan Waugh, and immediately after the sale Mr Scrymgeour came to reside at “ Aberfoyle.” Warwick, where the declining years of his active and eventful life were spent in semiretirement. Mr Scrymgeour was predeceased by his wife, Mary McGregor, who passed

away at Callandoon North in July, 1925. Mr Scrymgeour leaves two sons and two daughters. AN APPRECIATION. Writing in the Warwick Daily News, Queensland, " One Who Knew Him ” says that the death of Mr William Tindal Scrymgeour recalls to mind a fine old Scottish gentleman. Mr Scrymgeour had all the essential qualities of his race, and attained success by hard work ami attention to the details of his business Besides being a successful grazier, he was a great reader and lover of ait. His private library was probably unequalled in the State, and his collection of pictures by well-known artists was a delight to his friends. Those who knew him best liked him most.

The Scrymgeour family is oue of the oldest Scottish families extant, with an authentic history. The surname was first bestowed on Sir Alexander Carron, who in the first year of Alexander 1 (1107), signalised his valour against the northern rebels who attempted to murder the King, for which he had his name changed to Scrymgeour, or the Hardy I ighter. He had a grant from the King to himself and his heirs to be heredity standard bearers to the kings of Scotland, and had for his coat of arms a lion rampant, with sword in the dexter paw, and the Latin word, “ Dissipate,” for his motto. One of the heroic associates of Wallace was «Sir Alexander Scrymgeour, on whom he conferred the office of Constable of Dundee, and made it hereditary in the family. From then till the time of John Scrymgeour, Viscount Dudhope, and Earl of Dundee, thirteen of the family held the dual offices of standard bearer and constable in succession. One of the first to declare in favour of Robert the Bruce was the same Alexander Scrymgeour, who bore the royal standard at Bannockburn, as he had done, under Wallace, at Falkirk. This Sir Alexander is the first knight we read of in Scottish history. In 1641 Charles I created Sir John, Baron Scrymgeour of Inverkeithing, and Viscount of Dudhope. John, his grandson, was created Earl of Dundee in 1660. At all coronations since that of George 111 the office of royal standard bearer of Scotland has been claimed, for the purpose of a salvo jure, by the Scrymgeour family. 'I he family has been prominent in law, diplomacy, and theology, and has played a prominent part in the affairs of Scotland for the past 800