LOSS TO CITY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20298, 7 May 1934, Page 4

LOSS TO CITY.

Death of Sir Henry Wigram.

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. By the death of Sir Henry Wigram who passed away at his residence, Park Terrace, at an early hour yesterday morning, Christchurch lost one of its most patriotic and most generous citizens. Until his health failed a few years ago, he took an active part ir. every movement for the advancement of the country and of the City of Christchurch, rendering outstanding services to both, and winning for himself the high esteem of the whole Dominion. He was the first Mayor of Greater Christchurch, a member of the first Tramway Board and DeputyChairman of it. For twenty years he was a member of the Legislative Council. But his name will be remembered, above all else, for his energy and enthusiasm in the cause of aviation in New Zealand, for he established the first school of aviation in the Dominion and largely financed it, enabling the Dominion to send many pilots to Europe for service in the war, and when he induced the Government to take over the training of the pilots he presented £IO,OOO to the State towards the purchase of the magnificent aerodrome that had been created at Sockburn and subsequently added eightyfive acres to it at his own expense. He was knighted in 1926 in recognition cf his great service to the State. At the time of his death he was the pat r on both of the Canterbury Aero Club and of the New Zealand Aero Club. The Government aerodrome bears his name. Sir Henry Wigram was born in London on January 15, 1857, his father being William Knox Wigram. a barrister, who married Miss Pomeroy. The boy was educated at the famous public school of Harrow, and later joined the staff of the Bank of England. His health, however was not of Ihe best, and he came to New Zealand in search of a more kindly climate. After travelling through the Colony, he selected Christchurch as his place of residence, and it was indeed a fortunate choice as far as the city was concerned. Sir Henry arrived in Christchurch in 1883, and it was not long before he and his brother founded the firm of Wigram Brothers. Within two years of his making his home in Christchurch, Sir Henry and his brother had established brickworks and a malthouse at Heathcote. Early Neighbours. At this time Sir Henry, who had married Miss Agnes Vernon Sullivan, daughter of Mr Harry Eden Sullivan, was living at Upper Riccarton, where the new arrivals were delighted with the friendliness of the established colonists. Among the immediate neighbours of the young couple were the late Sir Charles Bowen, the Rev Croasdaile Bowen, Mr T. W. Maude and Mr H. P. Lance. His thriving business occupied most of Sir Henry's time during the next few years, but his kindly nature was manifest when he took a leading part in the organisation of patriotic efforts in connection with the departure of the New Zealand contingents for the South African War. These activities brought Sir Henry before a grateful public, and he was asked to take charge of the arrangements for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York (our present King and Queen) in 1901. The Royal visit was a complete success, largely due to the efforts of Sir Henry and the Mayor, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes. Christchurch was then divided into many small boroughs, and there was a] strong movement afoot for the absorption of these bodies into the city under the title of Greater Christchurch. Sir Henry was strong in support of the Greater Christchurch movement, and he was elected unopposed to the Mayoralty in 1902, in succession to Mr Rhodes. Mayor for Two Years. Sir Henry was Mayor for only two years, but they were years rich in civic attainment, for during his term he became the first Mayor of Greater Christchurch. They saw the amalgamation of St Albans, Linwood and Sydenham into the city and a consequent renaming of the belts after the four superintendents of Canterbury, the establishment of a tramway system and an unsuccessful first attempt to raise money to equip the city with a high-pressure water system. The poll for Greater Christchurch was taken on January 22, 1903. Sydenham came in following a further poll on February 4. Sir Henry was reelected Mayor in April. Another urgent question then before the municipality was the proposed inauguration of a system of electric tramways, and Sir Henry threw himself wholeheartedly into the negotiations. Success attended his efforts and the first tramway board was elected on January 22, 1903. oir Henry with the late Mr G. G. Stead and Mr W. Reece, was elected to represent Christchurch, Sydenham and St Albans. Sir Henry was deputy chairman of the board in 1903 and 1904. Another question to capture the interest of the Mayor was the provision of a high-pressure water system. Ratepayers however negatived a proposal to borrow £IOO,OOO for this object when a poll was taken on February 5, 1904. T he time was not yet ripe, but Sir Henry and his council had paved the way. Further honours were to come to Sir Henry, for in 1903 he was appointed to the Legislative Council, remaining a member until his retirement in 1923 for health reasons. In the business world, he was also successful and founded the Canterbury (N.Z.) Seed Co. He was president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce in 19111912, and during his term of office secured a reduction in the high freight and costs on the Lyttelton-Christehurch line. “ Lyttelton Times ” Chairman. More than forty years ago, on the death of Sir William Reeves, Sir Henry acquired a controlling interest in the Lyttelton Times Company, Limited, and became its chairman, a position he held for over thirty years. He used to say that few things in his life had given him greater pleasure than his association with the pioneer journel or the province of Canterbury. He became a close student of Can terburv history and insisted that tne “ Lyttelton Times ” should maintain at all times the high traditions that had

been established by its founders and by its early proprietors. He regarded it, he said, as essentially a part of the public service. His own life was govern ed by the conviction that every citizen was in duty bound to give a part of his time, and as large a part as possible, to the service of his country, but a newspaper was in duty bound to give its whole time to that service, and its success was to be measured not bv the profits it made but by the contribution it offered to the promotion of the welfare of the people. It was largely through his association with the ‘‘Lyttelton Times,” coupled with his friendship with many of the pioneers, that induced Sir Henry to undertake the research necessary for the preparation of his “Story of Christchurch,” published in 1916.

Sir Henry was also, at one time o another, chairman of directors of the Canterbury (N.Z.) Seed Co., the New. Zealand Refrigerating Co., Ltd., and Ward and Co., Ltd. To many, Sir Henry was best known as the father of aviation in this country. It was a well-earned distinction. He was one of the first in New Zealand to make an aeroplane flight, and during the war he was wholly instrumental in founding the Canterbury Aviation Company which erected hangars at Sockburn. Even before the war, Sir Henry ad vocated an aerial defence system for New Zealand. At the outbreak of war he urged the Minister of Defence tr establish an air force and when, through his generosity, Wigram Aero drome was established, ISO young pilots were trained there tor service overseas during the war. He presented New Zealand with its first fighting aeroplane, a single-seater GlosterGrebe. After the war, he started “re fresher” courses for pilots until the Government undertook the responsibility two or three years later. Sir Henry continued to take an active interest in flying and this was shown in a practical manner when he gave an area of about eighty-five acres adjacent to the original aerodrome in order that the Wigram site might be extended. He had thus enabled Christchurch to have the finest airport in New Zealand. Supporter of Sports. But these were not all Sir Henry’s interests. He was a keen supporter of sport and his name is perpetuated in the Wigram Shield competed for annually by life-saving teams. He was first president of the Canterbury Automobile Association and the Canterbriry head centre of the Royal Life-Saving Society. Other recreations were shooting, fishing, deer-stalking, billiards and racquets. Sir llenry J s keen interest in his city was further shown by his authorship of an informative and interesting history of the city. For the last few years Sir Henry had lived in retirement at his beautiful home in Park Terrace, enjoying the rest earned by an active and valuable life. Sir Henry is survived by his widow, Lady Agnes Wigram, a brother Mr W. A. Wigram (Suffolk), and two sisters, Miss Madeline Wigram (Tairnton) and Mrs Hughes-Gibb (Dorset).