OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16327, 17 January 1921, Page 6

OBITUARY.

MR WILLIAM WOOD. Air William Wood, principal ot the firm of William Wood and Co., Ltd., died on Saturday afternoon at his residence, -£ Madleigli,” Springfield Road, in his sixty-third year- Air Wood was characteristic of the very line English gentlemen who colonised Canterbury. His father, the late TV illiam Derisloy Wood, came out in the Randolph, one of the first four historic snips, and Mr William Wood was born on March 16,

1858, at Windmill Road, which took its name from the mill that liis father erected there in tlie days when other motive power was not easily available. Mr W- D. AVood was a Suffolk man, and bo went Home in 1850.. bringing out liis young wife, who Avas a Miss Anna Maria AVi Ison, of Hadleigli. Suffolk. Mr William Wood Avas their eldest son. lie attended one of the earliest Christchurch schools—Alr3 Alabaster’s—and from there Avent on to College, where ho completed his education. He spent two years in a. London office, where lie laid the foundations of the mercantile career to Avhich he applied himself so successfully in later j’ears. Returning to New Zealand in the early eighties, Tie went into business with his father in tlie firm of Wood, Shand and Co., but Avhen the firm was dissolved he took over one section of the business, which he o-reatlv under the name of W. Wood and Co. This business embraced chiefly the exporta • fion of frozen meat, basils, salted pelts, hemp. aa'ool , talloAv. cocksfoot and so on, and connected with it was the tannery at Wools ton, which was afterwards sold. For many years Air Wood wan a member of the committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and A\ r ns -president for two years from 1900 to 1902. He was also a member of tho Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and at the time of his death was chairman of directors of Ashby, Bergli and Co., Ltd. Air Wood Avas married in 1885 to Alary Theresa Loughnnn, a daughter of the late Judge Lough nan, R.E.1.C.5., and there Atere three children—Air B. B. AVood, who joined the firm of A\ r . AVood and Co-, Ltd., in 1909, Airs Dorothea Mary Andra© and Atiss Beatrice AVood. Airs Wood died in 1891, and Air Wood was married again in 1900 to Alias Grace Inna Alary AVilson, daughter o.f the late T. AV. Wilson, of HadJeigh, Buifolk, and Airs Wood surviA'es him. ATr Wood had five brothers—Alessrs Henry, Charles, AValcot, Derisley and Peter Wood—and one sister, the lat-e Airs George Bullock. Mr Wood was noted foT- his unswerving devotion to duty. He was a very pious man. and cleeplv interested in the work of tho Church. He was a churchwarden of fTis parish church. St AfattheAv’s. but he was also a great lover of tlie Cathedral and all it<; associations. He -was a nomher of the Canterbury Rowing Club, and tool- n great interest in thV' River Avon. He was fond of shooting, tennis and riding, but be Avas also a 10~ >r of music and art. As a golfer, ATr Wood took a keen interest in the Christchurch Golf Club’s course at drier. and was president of the club in 1919. He AA-ns also a member of the Canterbury Club. All* Wood's flaxmilling interests in the North Island were extensive, and among the millers there he avhs regarded as one of the best friends the industry possessed. Air William Ross, of Foxton, Avho is in Christchurch just iioav, said to a representative of this paper that no single individual in New Zealand had done more for the industry than Mr AVood had accomplished. No miller had ever applied to him for assistance, in reason, without meeting Avith a ready response. He was much interested in fibres of every description, and only about- two months ago Air Ross received a letter from him 1 regarding a report by the Government of Victoria, on Avhat was being done in regard to linseed fibre. Air AVood was then very anxious that something should be done in New Zealand in the direction of producing Irish lint fibre. Air Wood bad been connected with the flaxmilling industry in New Zealand for over thirty years, and his purchases of flax every year ran into many thousands of pounds His death, said Air Ross, would corne as a- blow to many men connected with the industry in the north. He was a man who had Avon the implicit confidence of those with Avliom he Avas associated in the* industry, and whose esteem he possessed in no ordinary measure.

The funeral will take place to-morrow morning, leaidng the residence at teno’clock for St Aln.t the Ay’s Church. The burial will take place at the Linwood Cemetery.