Gave £60,000 Kauri Forest To State

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 671, 24 May 1929, Page 16

Gave £60,000 Kauri Forest To State

DEATH OF MR J. TROUNSON | great public benefactor I With 90 years of -well-spent life behind him, Mr. James Trounson, one of New Zealand’s greatest public benefactors, died at his home, Quinton Villa, Northcote, yesterday. His name will always be remembered in the Dominion as the donor of the magnificent kauri forest in the Kaibu Valley. which he presented to the nation in 1921. Born at Cambourne, Cornwall, in August, 1539, Mr. Trounson started life by walking two miles to work for fourpence a day in the mines. In 1862 he joined up with the Nonconformist settlers from the Midland counties, who emigrated to New Zealand, and with his wife, he left England in the 1,045-ton ship Hanover, arriving in the Waitemata on September 18, 1862. He did not remain at Albertland with the other settlers, but purchased 2.400 acres of land at Paparoa, where he cleared the land, put down grass, and resided for many years. Later he acquired large blocks cf virgin country, as well as heavilytimbered land in the Kaihu and adjacent districts, which he developed for grazing and milling purposes to such an extent that he found it necessary, about 45 years ago, to leave Paparoa, and make his home in the Wairoa district, where he had large and growing business Interests. In 1889 he took up land at Flaxmill, now Parore, and opened a butchery busines sat Dargaville and Te Kopuru, Prices for retail meat had been fivepence and sixpence a pound, but he sent his delivery cart round the downriver townships three times a week, and sold at from twopence to fivepence a pound. Later he purchased 3,400 acres of bush land at Maropiu, and erected a sawmill at Kaihu. At one time he was cutting 4,000,000 feet of kauri timber from his Wairoa bush, entailing a gigantic tramway system, which was the centre of interest to visitors. Though seriously hampered by floods at times, he persevered, and as the bush came off he converted the land Into farms. Subsequently he cut up his Maropiu and Mamarunui properties and sold them as dairy farms, which today supply a great proportion of cream to the Northern Wairoa factory. GIFT TO THE NATION A far-sighted and public-thinking man, Mr. Trounson was one of those who foresaw the extinction of the kauri, and, in order to preserve an area for all time, he presented a block of about 75 acres of his best bush to tha nation. The Government afterwards purchased all the surrounding area, and this, together with the area presented by Mr. Trounson, comprises about 1,100 acres, now known at Trounson Kauri Park, which is visited by thousands of visitors annually. The deeds for the piece presented were handed over by Mr. Trounson on November 29, 1921, under the largest tree in the forest, to the-then Governor-General, Earl Jellicoe, and Sir Francis Bell, representing the Government. The park is famed the world over, and is the crowning effort of Mr. Trounson’s life. It was estimated at the time that the monetary value of the gift was in the vicinity of £60,000, and other benefactions were made subsequently. At one time Mr. Trounson was a member of the Hobson County Council, when the county embraced the Paparoa district, and in the general elections of 1890 he stood for the Bay of Islands seat, which then reached as far south at Te Kopuru, being defeated by nine votes. He stood again at the next general election, but was again unsuccessful. He was elected a member of the Auckland Land Board in 1907, and held office for many years. A life-long advocate of temperance, he took a prominent part in the nolicence movement, and was for many years on the executive of the New Zealand Alliance, and a member of the Kaipara Licensing Committee. He was an ardent Methodist, and gave liberally to the church’s funds, being also a lay preacher of outstanding ability, and holding many important offices in the circuit, district and general conferences for in, any years. He had lived in Auckland for a number of years, but until recently made periodical visits to the northern district, where he still held large interests. He was also for some time a member of the Electoral Boundaries Commission. Mr. Trounson is survived by his wife, who is also a great age, and by two sons and four daughters. They are; Mr. Vivian Trounson, of Maropiu, who is chairman of the Hobson County Council; Mr. James Trounson, of Paparoa; Mrs. Ada Cliff, of Whangarei; Miss Mary Trounson, of Paparoa and Miss Annie Trounson and Miss Kathleen Trounson, both of Auckland. There are 22 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. The funeral takes place this afternoon. A short service will be held at the Pitt Street Methodist Church at 2.30, after which the interment will take place ait Purewa Cemetery.