THE LATE MR JOSHUA BIRD. OBITUARY.

Colonist, Volume XLIV, Issue 10008, 17 January 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LATE MR JOSHUA BIRD.

OBITUARY.

At the Waimea County Council meeting on Jan. 3rd morning Cr Beuke rising before business was commenced, said that he could not commence work without first referring to the death of their late Chairman, Mr Joshua Bird. That gentleman had been long and intimately connected with the Council, and he was sure that each one of the members, as well as great numbers in the County, deeply regretted the death of Mr Bird. For himself, he had sat on the Council for sixteen years, and that was the first meeting which he had attended without Mr Bird being present. The late Chairman had been most helpful to all members., especially new Councilors, and he moved: "That this Council expresses its very deep regret at the loss it has sustained by the death of the late Mr Joshua Bird, and that the sympathy cf the members be conveyed to the relatives of the deceased. Also, that this Council records its high appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the County by the late Mr Bird, who was a member of the Council for 24 years, during which term he was Chairman and Treasurer for 16 years." Cr Kidson seconded the motion, stating that he was aware that unpleasant things were being said of the action at the previous meeting, but they were undeserved. They were relying upon Mr Bird's experience to greatly assist the Council and the new Chairman during the year. Cr Macmabon supported the motion, considering that it was only fit that the Council should make some recognition of the long and valuable services of Mr Bird. Cr Best endorsed what had been said as to Mr Bird's useful career as Chairman, and said that his loss would be very much felt. For his own part, he would like to see an enlarged photograph of Mr Bird hung in the Council room. ■ Cr Bate briefly supported the resolution. The Chairman said that nothing but good could be said of the late chairman. Mr Bird had for a long time been a personal friend of his own, and he (Cr Wastney) had to bow to the opinion of the majority in occupying the position he was then holding. He thought ii would be a graceful and fitting act on their part to carry out the suggestion of Cr Best and have in the meeting room a lasting memorial of the late Chairman. , The motion was unanimously earned. The Council then . agreed to, at their personal expense, procure and hangin the room an enlarged photo of Mi- Bird, subject to the consent of the relatives.

THOMAS JOHN THOMPSON.

The late Mr Thomas John Thompson, whose death we recorded recently, was born at Gibraltar, on March aOthj 1814, where his father, Colonel George Forbes Thompson, K.E., resided for 17 years ; his mother was the daughter of Nicolas Plink, and was of Spanish and German descend. her father holding the position of Hanoverian Consul at Malaga. A considerable part of MvThomp-soh-s life was spent at Malaga, where his uncle, Thomas Kirkpn trick was British Consul. At the age of 13 he went with his family to Ireland, liviHg for some time at Clonmel and the West of Ireland ; from thence they went to England in prder that their son might enter a course of University sections. He studied mathemetics under Professor De Morgan (with whose family he formed a life-long friendship), and chemistry under Professor Graham. After "ompleting his studies, he spent some time in travelling through Switzerland. His father intended that he should join the Royal Engineers, but he preferred the civil branch oi the profession and on his return to fingland. studied for three years under Sir Al. Brunei ; he was stationed on the Bristol and Exeter Railway, and while engaged upon this work he made the acquaintance of Mr Carpenter, well-known in con* nection with School work. He then went to Cornwall, and there met Mr J. W; Barnicoat, with whom he left England in the ship "Lord Auckland" (one of the first Sour vessels chartered for New Zealand), and landed at Nelson on February 28tb, 1842. He was appointed a land purchaser under the New Zealand Company, but soon after his arrival he was asked by the Chief Surveyor, Mr Tuckett, to take the contract for surveying the Waimea East district, which he did in partnership with Mr Barnicoat, and they afterwards surveyed the land in the Moutere Valley and later on at the Tuamarina, Wairau. It was here, just upon the completion of their contract that the natives beoame troublesome, and sigoified their opposition by removing the survey pegs. Mr Thompson then decided to walk through to Nelson in order to report the matter to the Chief Surveyor, fle started with a few of his men (one of whom was Mr David Hammond) and spent the first night at the camp of another surveyor (Mr Cotterell) at what is now known as Spring Creek, thence he proceeded up the Wairau Valley to Tophouse, and from three he had to blaze a track through what was afterwards known as Big Bush. Here he unfortunately injured his foot, which caused a, delay of three days, which reduced their already scanty supply of provisions so much that by the time they reached the head of the Wai-iti Valley, they were in a very exhausted condition. They, however, succeeded in reaching a survey camp (Mr Musgrave's), but finding the party absent, they foraged for food, and were delighted to find some wild pork and Maori greens, which they considered sumptious fare after their privations. On arrival at Nelson they found that the Chief Surveyor - was away, and not expected back for some time, so MiThompson decided after a short rest, to return to the Wairau, where Mr Barnicoat was awaiting his return. He got as far as Manuka Island (Wairau Valley), when he met some survivors of the Wairau Massacre, who told him of that sad affair, and after a consultation the whole party decided to turn back and convey the news to Nelson. Soon after this Mr Thompson decided to settle at Waimea West, but after residing there for a time, and finding the soil unsuitable for farming, he went to Eichrnond, and took up the property on which he lived until the time of his decease, a period of 55 years. Mr Thompson was appointed superintendent of works for the New Zealand Company, and about 350 men were engaged by the Company to carry out the work, but failing in their engagement, the men claimed compensation for breach of contract, and the matter was referred to three commissioners appointed to enqaire into it, i.e., Mr Muller of Blenheim, Mr Samuel Kingdon, and Mr Thompson, of Nelson. Mr Thompson afterwards held the position of Surveyor to the Waimea Eoad Board, which he retained for 22 years ; he was also a member of the Provincial Council for eight years, and was reluctantly compelled to resign his seat owing to his affliction of deafness. He, however, continued to take a keen interest in many local institutions— amongst these may be mentioned the first Public Library — also the laying out and planting of the Eiehmond Cemetery. In 1846 he married a daughter of Mr Joseph Hargreaves of Leeds, Yorkshire, and in 189G they celebrated their golden wedding. Until the age of 83, he was wonderfully active and energetic, but about this time he had a paralytic stroke, and although he partially recovered from this, he was more or less an invalid till the time of his death, which occurred on Christmas morning, 1900, he being then nearly 87 years of age. His memory was remarkably clear till within a week of his death, and he could converse freely upon many interesting events in his long life. His diary which he kept from his boyhood until within a short time of his death is full of interest to his family. He leaves a widow and grown up family to mourn their loss and revere his memory, for he was to them the embodiment of all that was good, kind, and true.