OBITUARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17916, 21 October 1932, Page 12

OBITUARY

MR. J. R. REDSTONE A PIONEER OP BUSINESS WIDE TRANSPORT INTERESTS There passed away this morning in Gisborne, after an illness which had extended over many years, one of the most respected business men of a former generation in the person of Mr John Robert Redstone, aged 84 years. The late Air Redstone played a big part in the development of the district between Wairoa and the East Cape, and at one time his coaches carried on the mail and passenger services over an area which took days to traverse under the prevailing conditions. His pride was in the excellent personnel of his transport service, rather than in the material success which attended his efforts to serve the town and rural 'population of a district which in those days was but sparsely settled, and in his treatment of liis employees and in the standard of the horseflesh upon which to a large extent depended the character of his network of coach-lines. The late Mr. Redstone wqs born at Tavistock, Devonshire, England, and as a boy was apprenticed to .the trade of blacksmithing and forge-work, which 70 years ago was at the height of its development as la public utility. On completing his time, ho came to New Zealand with his brothers, and settled first at Wellington, where, still as a youth in his teens, he took up (employment with a well-known firm of founders. After two or three years, he decided to remove to Hawke’s Bay, and set up in business on his own there, with excellent prospects which he developed to their utmost. The quality of his work is vouched for by tho fact that he was engaged on a great deal of the ironwork for the early bridges in Hawke's Bay, including ,the old Moliaku bridge, which a few' years ago was burned. He later inaugurated and managed the Napier Bus (Company, and eventually removed to Gisborne, where he bought out trie livery and blacksmith business of Messrs. Little land Stevenson. Tho original forge of this company is still situated at tho corner of Read’s quay and Lowe street. SWIFT DEVELOPMENT In the course of a few years, Mr. Redstone built up this business considerably, and later entered the coaching business, with a route between Gisborne and Whatatutu. This was prior to the opening of the railway, and when the railway was commenced, he made the railhead one terminal of his coach run, until the route was reduced to about half its original length by the establishment of the railway as far as Puha. He then withdrew from the route, and bought out the olderestablished coaching and mail-con-tracting firm of McKinley’s, which worked the Coast and Wairoa districts; in turn he developed the business further as increasing traffic called for improvements and extensions of the service. • The entry of the motor into the business of public road transport sounded the death-knell of coaching, except on the more remote routes, and there was a gradual decline in the business of J. R. Redstone and Sons, Limited incorporated in 1912, until the sale of the mail contracts to the Wilkinson Motor Company, in 1919. Mr. Redstone, sen., retired from active business at this stage, and had devoted his attention to social and sporting interests until within recent years his health became bad. He had been a martyr to illhealth for some time prior to his death, which came as a happy release. SURVIVING RELATIONS The late Air. Redstone was married in Napier, and was predeceased by Airs. Redstone by some years. One of Jus brothers who came to New Zealand with him nearly 70 years ago is still living, in the person of Mr. W. E. Redstone, of Wellington. His own family comprised four daughters and six sons; one daughter, Airs. Gerald Crawford, died during the epidemic of 1918, and one son, Mr. Bernard Redstone, was killed in action during the Great War, while another son, Mr. Oswald Redstone, died recently in Gisborn,e. The surviving members of the family comprise Mesdames Wilcox, AI. Glasson, and R. 0. Bousefieid, of Auckland, Gore and Waipukurau respectively, and Messrs. Nolan and Lewis Redstone, Gisborne, Air. Ronald Redstone, Tolaga Bay, and Mr. Godfrey Redstone, of Dannevirke. There are 30 grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren living. Members of the Gisborne Bowling Club, tho Turanganui Masonic Lodge, the Foresters’ Lodge, and a number of other organisations in Gisborne will feel a personal loss in the death of their former colleague. Tho late Air. Redstone was ,a lifelong adherent of tho Presbyterian Church, and took a keen interest in the development of the church in this district. t The funeral will take place on Sunday afternoon, at Taruheru cemetery. MR. BINDLEY GARRISON (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) SEABRIGHT (N.J.), Oct. 20. Air. Lindlev Garrison, United States Secretary of Wav under Air. Woodrow Wilson, * died suddenly on Wednesday night; aged 68 years. The late Air. Garrison was called to the Bar at Philadelphia at the age of 252 years and subsequently practised in Jersey City and New York. Ho was viee-Ghancellor of New Jersey from 1904 to 1913, and was Secretary of War in tho Wilson Government from 1913 to 1916. MR. ANDREW McILWRAIIH (Received October 21, II a.m.) SYDNEY, Oct, 21. Advice has been received of the death in England of Mr. Andrew Mcllwraith, founder of tho shipping firm of Mcllwraith and McEachern, aged 89 years. MR. J. B. INGRAM Tho death occurred in Nelson on Octo-1 her 14 of Air. John B. Ingram, father of Airs. J. (S. Nugent, of Tokomaru Bay, a man held in high respect and esteem, not only in his own district, but in parts further afield. The funeral was one of tho largest over held in the district, over 130 cars forming a Jong cortege, and the procession was piped to tho graveside, a very beautiful lament being played at ,tho conclusion of the burial ceremony. The chief mourners were Mr. J. G. Ingram (s<?n), Alesclames 11. Ilaggit, J. S. Nugent, and (W. L. Hunter (daughters), and Mr. Alex. Ingram (brother). Fully 100 wreaths were laid on the grave, including .tributes from Masonic lodges, Nelson A. and P. Association, the staff of Ingram’s Motors, tho Vacuum Oil Pty., Company, Limited (Wellington), the staff of Alagnus Motors, limited (Wellington), Mossrs. John Chambers and Son (Wellington), Messrs. Cotton Bros. (Christchurch), and Messrs. Martin and Stevenson (Wellington). Tho Rev. F. J. Paynes, vicar of

Holy Trinity Church, Richmond, conducted tho burial service, and a /Masonic service also was carried out. At Holy Trinity Church in the evening tho Rev. Air. Baynes paid tribute to the late Mr. Ingram as a churchman and vestryman over a great number of years, and as a man of sterling character.

The death occurred at the Wairau Hospital of Air George Lewis Dodson, formerly of Spring Creek, at the age of 81 years. Air. Dodson was a son of tho late Mr George Dodson, one of tho Marlborough pioneers. A tribute to one of the pioneers of cricket in Auckland, and in New Zealand generally, was paid at the wockly meeting of tho Auckland Cricket Association executive, when members, before commencing business, stood in silence to mark the passing of Air A. AI. Beale, late of Waipiro Bay. Mr Beale was a regular player in Auckland in the early ’eighties, a representative player, and an enthusiast. From 1884 to 1887 lie was honorary secretary of tho Auckland Cricket Association. Ho was a brother of Mr E. C. Beale, now of Napier, who is well known as the 'promoter of touring cricket teams of colts from Auckland for a number i of years up to 1930.