OBITUARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13958, 19 July 1909, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MR JOHN JACKSON. Another link in the chain of human lives winch connect tne early <j:i\s ot Canterbury witli those of to-day was severed in the early hours of Saturday morning, when Mr John Jackson, one of tho pioneer settlers of houtfi Canterbury, and one of its most prominent figures, passed away full of years and with a record of public usefulness that will long cause his name to be remembered and revered by those among whom he laboured so successfully and so long. He had only been ill a few weeks, it was but a few days ago that his illness took a serious turn and his death came as a i>ainful surprise to his numerous friends in all parts of the domiuion, as was evidenced by the many telegrams of sympathy which were received by his relatives here on Saturday from different parts of Nev Zealand. Having a wide business connection he was -known from Auckland to the Bluff and was highly respected by all who knew him. A man of irreproachable character, whose word was as good as his bond, and whose kindly disposition prompted him to do many acts for the assistance of his follows of which few others ever knew, ho was one of that type of. citiaen this world can ill afford to lose.

Born in Derbyshire, England, in 1837, Mr Jackson was early left an orphan and was brought up by his grandfather. As a boy he was brought Up to farming pursuits, and he had practical experience of what hard work and long hours meant. At the age of 13, he had'to he no every morning at 4 o'clock to milk - cows —this by way of preliminary to his day's work. The milking done, he had to walk two miles to the cotton mill in which he worked all day. A\ r ork in the mill started' at 5.30 in the morning and finished at .7.20 in the evening. His breakfast and tea had to be taken while at work, the mill only stopping for 40 minutes in the middlo of the day for dinner. Having received very little education up to this time, lie determined to improve himself by attending" night school which ho did after leaving the cotton mill at night, his school closing at 9.30 p.m. Mr Jackson educated himself sufficiently to be a teacher in • a night school at Home, taking as liis subjects geography and mental arithmetic. This was a school established at the time of what was known as the cotton panic at Home, when all or nearly all the mills were closed and much distress prevailed. , Tho cause was tho stoppage of cotton supplies through the anti-slavery war in America. A large sum of money was sent from New Zealand.to help to relieve the distress. A condition of this relief was that all persons, young or old, should attend school a "certain number of hours each day. There were in tho school over 700 scholars of ages ranging from thirteen to over 70 years gmte a number of grown-up men! several over 70 years, learned for the first time to read and write. Girls and women attended sewing and ordinary school lessons in other classes. Si*T I ?. ltself » credit to New Zealand and incidentally it led to Mr Jackson and quite a number of others ("ho, turned out successful business ?J $T S to New Zealand- .«..,! « .', ac '-' o »'Paiiic-d by Mr F-7 Timarn i„ man, w b(?f Ijo Jfift La m . ;ls i ]lro M lt( . h , d . *>* Timaru with. „ num ] Kr <)f j n , ni ™ '[! J"-st prior to the arrival of the" V & an I d t,,050 - Jn ti,e l"«cr boat were Riven the option of. going to North Canterbury but Mr Jackson decded to a„d at T„,,aru. Possessed of very | ttie in the shape of capital, but havli™ i ** ]lparfc ai,d a BOod constitution he at once yet to work- after landing here taking the first job offering, which happened to be gathering up tussocks and burning them in a paddock at Maori Hill, which tho owner wanted to grass down. His first permanent employment was at iiolnie Station, Pareora, then the property of Messrs Harris and Junes, but 1 later on of the late Air Edward Elworthy On the station .Mr Jackson usis what, was termed a boundary rider, his duty being to see that the sJieep kept within certain defined limits, there being no fences then to compel them-to do so. Possessed of strong commercial instincts, he. saw that better opportunities were offering for him in the town, and on leaving Pareora he took a Jio.use in Sophia street, opposite St. Mary's Church, and worked for Messrs Cain and Munro, coal and timber merchants. Ultimately he took over the business from his employers, and for some time carried on the coal business in a yard in Church street, where the offices of the Levels County Council now stand, taking into partnership the late Air Ben (jibson. This partnership was afterwards . dissolved, and finding more room a necessity, Mr Jackson leased a section in Stafford street (part of his present holding), and shortly afterwardfs leased Bruce's AA'aitangi jsawmills. On the expiry of this lease he purchased Mr J. Dow's section and hawinul, and some years after this ho remodelled and enlarged the mill. He gradually added to Jus property as his business expanded, until it assumed its proportions of to-day. For some years Mr Jackson dealt only in coal and timber, but later on, when the Belford neurmtll, adjoining liis timber yard, came on to the market, he bought this in'conjunction with two others. Mr Jackson subsequently bought his two partners out, and has since carried on successfully the three businesses named. One of the oldest, he was also one of the most active business men in Timaru, and it would be difficult to turn over a page of the industrial annals of tho town without observing his name. His enterprise grevv with th<> town, so that he was as prominent a figure right up to the time of his death as ho was thirty years ago. when the place was in its infancy. He remodelled his flourmill by the introduction of -.. he latest machinery, niul at the time of his death was erccting a new sawmill which, when finish ed, will probably be one of the best of its kind in the Dominion. It necessarily follows that ho provided employment for a large number of hands, and it should be added that he was a very considerate omnlnyor. His commercial activities were not confined to the land. JJo also had a good deal to do with shipping. Ho first owned the brig Moa, and afterwards tho schooner Young Dick, and the barquentine George Noble, all three being employed in tho intercolonial trade. He afterwards leased tho steamer Timaru, and subsequently owned in succession the schooners Horny and Glencairn and at the time of his death he owned the Lizzie Taylor. , , . .

Although busily engaged in his important enterprises Mr Jackson devoted a great deal of time to public affairs, and in this respect he perhaps has a longer record than anv other public man in Timaru. His round common sense and business aeupien were always brought to bear on tho business in "hand; he was content

to work without fee or reward, niitl the. value of his public; services would not. bo easy to estimate. For four years Jie was Mayor of Timaru, and was a member of the Borough Council for over 20 years, he and the late Captain Sutter rendering specially good service to the rate nay ers in. connection with the initiation of the waterworks scheme —an asset which to-day would more than repay every penny of the town's indebtedness. For very many years ho was a member of the South Canterbury Education Board. Some years ago ho was chairman, of this body, and after an interval during which Mr AY. B. Howell was chairman, Mr Jackson was again elected to the position on Mr Howell retiring—and he was chairman at the time Lis death. He was also chairman of the Board of Managers of the Timaru Technical School in which institution he took ; lively interest. For a very lengthened period Mr Jackson also occupied a seat on the Timaru High School" Board of Governors, a seat which lie never relinquished. He took a special interest in educational matters, and in the early days of Timaru ho was a member of the Main School Committee, and used to teach a night class (of men) in the old Mechanics' Institiite. His subject was arithmetic, he being specially smart at mental calculation. He served for years also as member and chairman on the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, resigning from this body about twelve years ago, when, with Mr Holdgatc, ho wont for a trip to Home and foreign lands. For 29 years Mr Jackson served on the Timaru Cemetery Board, and for the past 23 'years he has been chairman of it, Mr T. L. Harney being now the only survivor of tho original members of this body. Recognising the value to South Canterbury of the dairying industry Mr Jackson also accepted the position of chairman of tho South Canterbury Dairy Company, but resigned from this position a year or two ago, after assisting it in a way which very few men would bo prepared to do. Ho was tor some time a member or tne Timaru Harbour Board. He was a shareholder in the "Timaru Tost", and at the time of his decease was its chairman of directors. He was the first chairman of the original Timaru Building Soriety, a member of the Tiniaru Licensing Committee, and he was a director of the Timaru Gas Company, as well ajs of the Flour Millers'" Association during tlie live years of its existence. Ho was aiso a member'of tne Jioard of Governors of Canterbury College, but to attend the meetings of tins Board used tjb occupy three days, and Mr Jackson, finding himself unable to go to Christchurcli to attend all the meetings of the Board, resigned after serving on it for some time. In. the early days he was appointed a fire inspector in Timaru, and as such he was a member ol! ' the I'Jro Brigade. Though ho took no active part in blie brigade work of lato years, lie had some arduous duties to perform in the early days, it being his duty when a fire was or to direct the operations of the lire fighters. On two occasions, in discharging these duties, he mot with painful accidents, once injuring a leg rather severely while on another occasion he broke one of his arms. He also served his country as a Justice or the Peace, being the oldest J.P. in this district. Mr Jackson was nothing if not patriotic, evidence of which was given at the • time of the Russian scare, lie being among tho first to volunteer for service on the formation of the Timaru Rifles.

Mr Jackson was a strong man, 'of robust health, until he met with an accident about 17 years ago through falling down the hold of a shin on which he was inspecting a cargo of timber. It was dark when he went aboard the vessel, and he fell down the open hatchway—a dron of about 20 feet. He sustained such severe internal injuries that for a long time it was thought that he would never be able to get about again, and though he did rocovr, he has never been the same man since, his heart having been affected by the fall. Ho was a strenuous worker, and found his recreation in his work. He was also one of the mainstays of the AVpslcynn church, to which he subscribed liberally and often, and visiting ministers could always depend upon finding an open door and a welcome at bis homo. He was a trustee of the church .since its opening here, was for many years a circuit .steward, and on many occasions ho represented his church at its annual conference, when his sound judgment? was often a great help. Among other things (in conjunction with Mr J. Manchester, of AYaimato), he was a means of establishing the Methodist Church Fire Insurance Fund of New Zealand, which has been of great benefit to the church. One of his most munificent gifts to his church was the presentation of the site and donations (in all £1000) towards the erection, as a memorial to his wife, who died five years ago, of the handsome Wesley Sunday School, known as the Jackson memorial, in Church street. Through his death it may be said that South Canterbury has* lost one of its industrial leaders, and .many people .have lost a good friend — one who was always ready to assist them in time of genuine need, or to help on any cause which promised to make for the general good. Flags were flown at half-mast Jn Timaru and at the schoolhouse, Otaio, on Saturday as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased. The funeral will take place at 2 o'clock this afternoon.