DEATH OF MR. ROBERT GRAHAM, Senr.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5178, 27 May 1885, Page 3

DEATH OF MR. ROBERT GRAHAM, Senr.

'AN;:old and; enterprising "colonist - passed away yesterday,; in the person- ot 'Mr Robert and considering the. prominent part which the gentleman lias played in.the. history of the; Thames goldGeld, but, natural th'at the news should haye been receivod •by the com:munity .with' : manifestatipha: of 'sorrow 1 . The. deceased has, it appears,- been particularly attentive of late to hie ailing son (Mi , R. Graham, junr.), whose health has been in a precarious state for ■ many woeks,- and in his solicitude, rather incautiously exposed himself-last week. Ho was seized.with a seyere'cdld, which developed into bronchitis and'.pleurisy, and;.reduced him to a state of helplessness.- So critical was ■ his condition on Monday, that,his medical attendant,Dr Honeyinan, ; held a tiori' with four other, professibnai men, who , were unanimous in the opinion .that no hopes could bo entertained for his recovery, Their conclusion waa, as' wo have seen; only two well justified.- . Mr Graham's career affords ah interesting illustration of the stirring' adventures of the pioneer settlers of New Zealund. He was, we aro informed,'. bom : in the year 1820, near Glasgow, being the son of a farmeraud colliery-owner, and the third of a family of.;thirteen children. At an early age, lie superintended a part of' his father's business, and afterwards entered a wholesale warehouse, in which he remained for

six years. The glowing reports received from tho antipodes. flrod his youthful ambition, and he resolved to "seek his fortune in New Zealand, hoping to gain a competency there, and return to his nativo country. He accordingly embarked from Greonock in Juno, 1842, in tho ship Jane Gifford,, which, with the Duchess of Argyle;,.which/had sailed a week earlier, brought;tlio fjrst parties of immigrants direct to, Auckland. Tho.passengers by these vessels included; many persons now settled, in'the oity and at tho Thames (amongst whom may be mentiontd Mr W. K.Thorburn and Mrs A. Gillan), and it will be remembered that a gathoring of

the surviving passengers was held in Auckland-two years ago to commemorato the fortieth anniversary of their arrival in , tho colony. ; Tho two vessols roachod the ]Vaitoni.ata on tho'sarao day (October 9th,

1842), but tho Duchoss of Argylo struck on a sand-bank, near Eangitoto, and was consequently beaten in the passage up tho harbour, Mr Graham was soon ongaged in the trade between Auckland and tho Bay of Islands, in partnership with his brother, who had previously settled at Kprprareka. Being warned by Hone Hoke of'the impending war, Mr Graham removed all his goods to Auckland, find thus escaped, the subsequent pil'age of tho itpwn,- ' Ho afterwards dissolved partnership with bis brother, and opened business relations with California, where he lived forthfee yews. Returning to Auckland, be devoted Jiimgelf to the: improvement of his estate at Ellerslie, purchased the island of Motutapu, entered into other property speculations, the most noted being the acquirement offthe now celebrated Wai wera estate;; This he retained until a few months ago, expending: vast sums of money upon it, and raising it from a positipri'of; comparative ebacurit) to the great fashionable; watering';'place of New Zealand/ -and ono' of tho most piotu'reaquo spots in the colony. :•. When representative institutions were established, Mr Graham became' a member of the first Parliament, •aVposition in .which he displayed much originality and legislative ability. Hewas 'one oftho most resolute opponents., of tho removal of the seat of Government from ■Auckland tp-Wellington, nnd.took.alivqly 'interest in native;matters. "One q£ jij s achomes—for the appointment'of a Native 'Council;of. with the Governor in-all .matters Effecting the Maoris,—might have prevented many misunderstandings which, subsequently arose between the'two : races had it been adopted. Ho- was one of .the passengers, by the: \\U .which was wrecked :while-:conveying■■'• the' officials, -with' their belongings, to Wellington, and by! his coolness contributed largely■ towbrds Jsavingthe lives ofHhe passengers .'and crow, and their'Bucces9fiil;landing. : In the return; tripi'tp: Auckland he was again cast ashore on tho Taranaki coast, in a region .jnhabitod 1 by-.hostile natives. . He and his fellow-passengers went through many thrilling adventures amongst thefanatical Eaijiiaus, ■: \vhp 'on ; different oecaaiona threatened (o ..(omahawk every member of tho ; party,"which only Mr Graham's inand; his; remonstrances with the natives prevented them from carrying'into ;execuUon;;'-The; party,'which numbered abo^t.GO , persons-eventually reached.New Plymouth.-in safety, after .'.'encountering numerous perils Mr--Graham then returned, .to. Wiremu Eangi's settlement,- and with] the r; aid of a friendly.. Hauhau recovered a eafe containing £6000 worth of •gold "dust; - For -this deed, which was accomplished under particularly hazardous cJFCurnstancea,- he was. accorded a complimentary dinner by the military officers stationed in Taranaki, received numerous testimonials, and was awarded a gratuity of £1000 by the English insurance companies which held risks on the gold. On Mr Jolm 1 Williamson's resignation of the Super.intendency of the Auckland Province "Mr Graham became ; a'' candidate for the office, but though Mr Williamson altered his mind, and contested the seat against his political opponent, tho latter was returned, by a majority of more than 500 votes. During his three years' term of office' 1 many important public works were executed, amongst them boing tho commencement of tho Waikato railway and tho erection of tho Auckland Post-office, and Supreme." Court buildings. In 1872 he took a trip to England, and on his return, laid, out the Ellerslie gardens; and race-couieo. Mr Graham's identification witlvithe Thames district dates from the ■year 1868, when he acqnired from ; the native owners the town which now bears his name, and: also the : Tararirtownship and property at Puru. During his, long residence at; Tararu he took a prominent part in public affairs, held offices in tho highway boards, and subsequently was a member of the Thames Borough Council. .Of ,late. years his businees has been principally connected with his valuable properties at Ohinemutu-the resort of numbers of tourists from all parts of the world— and at.Waiwera, until the latter was disposed ,of a few months ago to an Auckland syndicate.- For the main fads in the above sketch we are largely indebtod to a lengthy memoir published by an Auckland contemporary about four years ago. An .account of the deceasedVeventf ul life would fill volumes. The most remarkable feature's, in his character were his daring enterprise in business speculations, and his singular, influence over the aborigines in whatever part of the colony he encountered them! .;' '"/'•. The ; deceased was twice: married, bis Becorid wife, , who, survives him, having been his neioe, Miss Home. He leaves ; : two married ■ daughters, and an: invalid son, : the children .of his first wife,.and three sons.of tender ago, the Pfflpnng of Ins second, marriage. Two of. his nieces (Mesdames J. Wilson and G. McCaul) are married to well-known and respected residents in our own community. The funeral will take plaoe in Auckland to-morrow afternoon, and wo understand that' several burgesses will be present to pay their final tribute of respeot.