A TARANAKI PIONEER.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1923, Page 4

A TARANAKI PIONEER.

DEATH OF MB. W. D. WEBSTER. LINK WITH EARLY DAYS. The death 'of Mr. William Dawson Webster, one of the oldest of the pioneer settlers in Taranaki, occurred at New Plymouth yesterday. Mr. Webster, who was in his 83rd. ypar, had been ailing for some time, and his end was not unexpected. The life history of Mr. Webster is closely bound up with the history and development of Taranaki itself. Mr. Webster was a son of Mr. James Webster, the first postmaster at New Plymouth, and was born on board the Amelia Thompson, which followed the Wil liam Bryon out from Plymouth, an I was the first immigrant ship to anchor in the New Plymouth roadstead. The Amelia Thompson arrived towards th? end of March, 1841. Mr. W’ebster’s early education was received at Mr. Beardsworth’s school, the first school established in New Plymouth. His schooldays finished, Mr. Webster commenced business with his brother, the late Mr. E. L. Webster, as commission agents and general merchants, trading under the style of Webster Bros., in premises situated on the site now occupied by the Union Bank. This business was carried on till 1870, when, in conjunction with the late Mr. W. KHulke, Mr. Webster built the Egmont flour mills, the premises being now occupied by the Farmers’ Co-operative Society, and later Mr. J. S. McKellar. an old resident of New Plymouth, joined the firm. Ten years later Mr. Webster went further afield in his operations, and built the Tawhiti flour mills at Hawera.

About 1888 the partnership was dis solved, Mr. Webster commencing business on his own account as shipping and general agent. Previously he bpd represented the Union Company, and, on commencing business on his own, ho became the first New Plymouth representative of the Northern Steam Ship Company’. He was also the first resi dent representative of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, and even in those days he impressed upon the head office the importance of having % branch of the company, in New Plymouth, being so assured of the future prospects of the province. In the early days of his business Waitara was a flourishing port, and a good deal of his attention was paid to that town. In the’ very early years of the settlement Mr. Webster owned and was interested in several small sailing schooners, and it is on record that on one occasion he took an 18-tbn steamer into the Urenui river to load a cargo of bricks, subse quently carrying on a small trade with sailing vessels. It is interesting to note that in those days Taranaki exported a very large quantity of cocksfoot and potatoes, the latter commodity to other parts of New Zealand, and even to Australia. At this time the 0r0u.% Downs, situated between Foxton and Palmerston North, were grassed in cocksfoot from a cargo sent down from New Plymouth by sailing vessel and unloaded in the Rangitikei River. Various other enterprises of a similar nature were undertaken hy Mr. Webster, who experienced all the trials and difficulties incidental to the establishment of settlement in a new land. On the outbreak of the native troubles. Mr Webster joined No. 1 Company of the Taranaki Rifle. Volunteers, under his brother, the late Captain F. L. Webster.

Mr. Webster married the only surviving daughter of the late Mr. John Watson, New Plymouth’s first harbor master, and leaves $ widow and family of seven sons and fonf daughters. The sons are Messrs. F. W., E. P., J. C., K. C.. L. 8., W. D.. and C. B. Webster, while the daughters are Mesdames H. B. Lusk, F. H. Robertson and J. Morton, and Miss Webster. The funeral will take place to-morrow afternoon.