SIR WALTER BUCHANAN

Wairarapa Age, 21 July 1924, Page 5

SIR WALTER BUCHANAN

SUDDEN DEATH ON SATURDAY

AFTER MOTOR MISHAP

We regret to an; ..unce the death, which took place suddenly on Saturday evening, ci Sir Walter Buchanan, M.L.C. Sir Walter was motoring down from his residence during the storm when his car swerved off the road into the ditch. He was not injured and was able to telephone for assistance; htit before this arrived he died quietly from heart failure. Sir Walter was 86 years of age. The funeral will take place at Clarevllle to-morrow morning.

THE ACCIDENT. Sir Walter had agreed to meet tho Hou. A. D. McLeod st the railway station and motor him to the Masterton Club,' where he was to be entertained at supper. He always disliked keeping his chauffeur on duty late at night and insisted on driving his own ear, a four-seater Austin. Just as he left his house in Lansdowne a violent storm broke, with heavy rain, sleet and snow. As he approached the corner at the foot of the hill a gust loosened Sir Walter’s hat, and the motor ear veered to the ight, instead of turning to the left where there was a slight bend, a:.-; ran down into a deep ditch. The . larks on the bank and on the car show that the impact was not severe. The pace must have been quite slow. Sir Walter got out and walked quickly to Mr A . G. Danoch’s house in King Edward street, where he asked to use tho telephone. He rang up the Masterton Club, told of his mishap and asked that someone should come up for him, adding that he would be standing by the car. Mr A. G. Pilmer, who was in the

club, volunteered to take his ear up. He, too, found the storm violent, and he proceeded at a moderate pace up the hill. When Mr Pilmer approached the corner he saw the car in the ditch, hut nobody was visible. As he got nearer he saw a dark object- on the ground at the back of the ear, and on getting out found that it was Sir Walter ly> n ff fare down on tho ground. Turning him over, he spoke but got on reply. Mr Pilmer at once took the seat out of the car and rolled Sir Walter on to it off the drenched ground. At that moment Miss Knight, who lives in a neighbouring house, came up. Having a good knowledge of first aid, she assisted Mr Pilmer in the'effort to restore life. Mrs Darroch, who was uneasy about Sir Walter, then came along, and at Mr Pilmer's request returned to her home and rang up Dr. Hosking. Mr Webster also arrived and a few drops of stimulant were applied to Sir Walter’s lips. There wore, however, no signs of life, ami when Dr. Hosking arrived he was oply able to confirm the fears by stating that Sir Walter was dead. He had expired painlessly of heart failure.

The body was then taken to the Masterton Hospital, and yesterday morning it was removed to the residence in Lansdowne. THE FUNERAL. The funeral will take place at the Clareville cemetery to-morrow morning. to enable members of Parliament to be present. It will leave the residence at Lansdowne at 11 o’clock, and will arrive at Clareville about 12, thus enabling persons coming by the morning train from Wellington to attend. The procession will move at walking pace to the corner of Kenall and Queen streets, so that pedestrians will be able to follow. A LONG, FULL LIFE. Walter Clark Buchanan was born on June 20, 1838, at Glendaruel, in the Kyles of Bute, Argyllshire. He was the son of a well-to-do farmer, Donald Buehanan, whose title of ‘' Baron ’ ’ went, with the farm, Auehenbreek. His mother was a Miss Clark. There were four sons and one daughter in the family, and the father died when Sir Walter was a boy, leaving the title to the eldest boy, Duncan. Like most Scots boys, Walter went with his brothers to the parish school of Glendaruel, and later to the Greenock Academy. There he received the sound classical education that Scotland is famous for. His natural bent was for engineering, and he often remarked to his friends that that was the profession ho would have drifted into had things not gone otherwise. While Walter was still at school an viler brother, Donald, emigrated to Australia to seek his fortune, and Walter, when he reached the age of 18, followed him. Ho went out to the Hon. Neil Black, the owner of Glenonmiston station in Victoria, and remained with him for about 6 years in the capacity of a stoekman, acquiring a very thorough knowledge of cattle management. Tho gold diggings in Otago were ..then a powerful attraction to young ’-men in Australia, and Walter joined < stream across the Tasman Sea, arriving in Otago in 1863. He did not allow the allurements of gold to keep him for long from the more substantial callings in life, and in a year or two was working a leased farm in < onterbury. In conjunction with farming he entered into the lucrative business of cattle-dealing, purchasing catt- all over Canterbury, and even coming to the North Island for them, shipping them to Lyttelton and driving them across the mountains to tho Al Coast, where there was an active butchers’ market. In this business Mr Buchanan became closely associated v th John Morrison, afterwards of B'lirlogie station, and a friendship ■ U P which lasted throughout PURCHASE OF TUPURUPURU. Meanwhile Donald Buehanan had

come across from Australia, and in 1871 the two brothers came to the Wairarapa and took up together the original Tupurupuru run of 13,000 acres. Sir Walter had a keen eye for

good country, and he never found need to revise the selection he made more than 50 years ago of the fine healthy

limestone slopes near Gladstone. Tho brothers dissolved their partnership after a few years, and Donald went to Haw era, where he died about 14 years

There were many difficulties in the early days in breaking in the country and bringing it into profitable use, and the Buchanans were not immune from the troubles which all carry settlers had to face. They began on the sound basis of good stud stock, purchasing their first Lincolns in 1874 from Henry Duclding, of Riby Grove, Lincolnshire, who was selling rams 20 years ago for as much as 1000 guineas. The Lincolns thrived excellently on the warm limestone country of Tupurupuru. About 20 years ago an English Leicester stud was also established, and the flocks of Tupurupuru produced for many years some of the finest mutton ind lamb exported from the Wairarapa district. But Sir Walter was perhaps best known throughout the Dominion through his Shorthorn cattle, the herd being based on cows obtained from Mr Alex. McHardy and others about 1888, with infusions of good blood through the introduction of purebred bulls from Victoria. Right up to this year Tupurupuru Shorthorns have contested the championships with Hawkes Bay animals. Always cautious and thorough in his methods, Sir Walter took a prominent part in the campaign for the eradication of scab in New Zealand, and also for the extermination of rabbits. His opinions on the rabbit pest were very strongly expressed. He always took the sound view that severe repressive measures, though hard on the farmer for the moment, were for their good in the long run. He took the most thorough precautions on his own property. POLITICAL LIFE.

►Sir Walter Buchanan was for more than 40 years a conspicuous figure in Parliamentary life in New Zealand. Strongly conservative in his views, he was a stout advocate of all country interests and a valued member of the agricultural and pastoral committees in many Parliaments. It was in 1881, when this district was divided into two electorates, that Sir Walter first became member for Wairarapa South, which he represented until 1887. He continued to represent it under the title of “Wairarapa” until 1899. At the election of 1890 he was opposed by the late J. T. M. Hornsby, whom he defeated by 1940 votes to 1604. At the succeeding election Mr Hornsby won, only to be defeated by Sir Walter again in 1902 (by 2049 to 1983). At the following election again the tables were turned, Mr Hornsby winning by 2510 to 1979. The Liberal member was defeated again in 1908 by 2721 to 2585. Sir Walter retained his seat in 1911 against his old opponent by 125 votes, and in 1914 he was again defeated by the narrow margin of 60 votes.

When he first entered political life Sir Walter was a follower of Sir Harry Atkinson, but he differed from his leader on the tariff question. Being a farmer and a freetrader, he was opposed to the protective tariff, and, with Sir William Russell and others, he withdrew from the Party in 1888. He was one of the earliest associates of Mr Massey when the present Prime Minister entered Parliament in 1894, and was throughout his political life a stalwart advocate of farmers’ interests. Though he never held office in any Cabinet, his advice was often sought, and was always at the service of his party and the country. Sir Walter was called to tho Legislative Council in 1915 and re-appoint-ed in 1922.

Sir Walter was the Father of Parliament. He entered the House of Representatives in 1881, six years before the next oldest members, Sir Thomas Mackenzie and Sir James Carrol I.

“His speeches were dry matter-of-fact speeches. He always had voluminous notes at his disposal and bewildered his hearers with figures. If he made a statement from the platform it was invariably substantiated with figures. He was sincere in his convictions and never made rash promises.-’ This was the opinion of a Carterton resident who did not subscribe to Sir Walter’s political views. His political campaigns were always fought with an energy and enthusiasm that impregnated many of his supporters. PRODUCERS' ENTERPRISES. The services rendered to New Zealand by Sir Walter Buchanan outside the sphere of Parliament were much more important. He lent his influence and active assistance to every movement which could benefit the district or agriculture generally. He .was one of the first to recognise the great potentialities of refrigeration, and in 1881, the which the first site-

cessful experiments wore made, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the movement which culminated in the flotation of the Wellington Meat Export Company. He scoured the whole of the Wairarapa for support, urging tho vital necessity of the farmers having works of their own. He was not successful in getting the whole of the capital here, for many settlers who have since become substantial landowners were at that time still struggling against the difficulties of early settlement. Some of the capital, therefore, had to be obtained from commercial firms in Wellington. Mr Buchanan was first chairman of directors, and remained on the Board continuously until a few years ago. Sir Walter also took an early and active interest in dairying. He was chairman for many years of the factory at Clareville, and was first chairman of that at Grey town. Sir Walter took an interest, also, in the fruit-growing industry at Grey town, and was connected with the Grey town Fruitgrowing Co., Ltd., up to the time of his death. FREIGHTS AND CONTROL. Another of Sir Walter’s valuable activities in the interests of the producers of New Zealand was the socalled Freights Reduction Committee. This organisation originated about 1907 in Sir Walter’s determination that New Zealand wool-growers should not be compelled to pay higher freights than those of Australia. The first committee consisted of Sir Walter, Mr W. G. Foster and Mr H. G. Williams. In the first instance a Dunedin contractor was employed to load the ships, but in the following year Air Scales agreed to undertake the work in a private capacity. In course of time, the company known as G. H. Scales, Ltd., was floated to carry on the work. The saving to New Zealand wool-growers resulting from this organisation has run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Only a few months ago Sir Walter, with an energy which would have been creditable to a much younger man, travelled from end to end of New Zealand at his own expense addressing farmers with a view to securing a considerable amount of new capital for the company.

When the slump struck Now Zealand in 1920, and the outlook for producers was gloomy in the extreme, Sir Walter energetically seconded the efforts of the Meat Control Committee in Parliament and warmly supported tho Meat Control Board legislation. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. His latest activity in the interests of farming was the creation of a Chair of Agriculture at Victoria College. Profoundly impressed with the neglect of agricultural training, and the drift of young men towards the professions and the towns, Sir Walter offered a donation of £lO,OOO to endow a Chair of Agriculture at Victoria University College. He had tho satisfaction of seeing the first professor appointed and of discussing with him the development of tho scheme. Dr. Peren shared Sir Walter ’s contention that theoretical instruction should be given actually on the farm, and as a consequence proposals were made to the Prime Minister only a few days ago that the Taratahi Training Farm should be used for this purpose. When the matter was being discussed with the Prime Minister Sir Walter, commenting on the possibility that more money might be needed, remarked “I am not at the end of my tether yet.” “We sincerely hope not, Sir Walter,” replied Mr Massey, under the impression that he referred to his advanced age. Sir Walter corrected him: ‘‘l mean that I will give some further assistance ,in the shape of money to further what I have pointed out. ’ ’

WIDE DISTRICT INTERESTS. In local government Sir Walter took a prominent part up to the time when Parliamentary and other duties absorbed the bulk of his time. He was for many years a member of the Wairarapa South County Council, and was for 30 year's one of the Wairarapa members of the Wellington Education Board. He was appointed to the Commission of the Peace in 1885.

While living at Tupurupuru Sir Walter took a close interest in the welfare of Carterton, which was the centre of his electorate. He was president and patron of various societies and sports bodies, and right up to the end he attended their gatherings. Indeed, there was no more regular figure at all gatherings throughout tho Wairarapa and East Coast district.

Sir Walter’s chief agricultural interest of late years was the Wairarapa and Ejyst Coast P. and A. Society, of which he was a past-president, and latterly patron. He never failed to attend the regular meetings of the committee, and he took the greatest interest in the annual show.

He was a prominent member of the Council of Agriculture, taking an active part in the debates of that body right up to the end. He also supported very strongly the formation of the Royal Agricultural Society, and had looked forward with keen interest to the first Royal Show. He was on the executive of the N.Z. Sheepowners ’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund, :lnd took an interest in the establishment by that organisation of tho training farm which has just been opened at the Flock House Estate, Rangitikei/

Sir Walter lived at Tupurupuru until his homestead was destroyed by fire on June 26,- -1917. He then lived in Cornwall street, Masterton, until a few years ago, when he wont to reside with his nephew, Mr D. Buchanan, at Lansdowne. Another nephew, Mr J. W. Buehanan, also lives at Lansdowne. Mi Archibald Clark (Featherston) is a cousin of Sir Walter, and in his school days lived with the family at Glendaruel. Another cousin is Mrs Alexander Turner (Masterton). There are three nieces in Scotland, three in Australia and two in Hawera (sisters of Messis J. and D, Buchanan and daughters of Mr Donald Buchanan). There arc seven grandnephews and four grandnieces.

Sir Walter was knighted in 1912 iu recognition of much sterling public service rendered over a period of 30 years.

He was a foundation member of the Masterton Club, and became president about four years ago when Air W. H. Beetham was elected patron. Sir Walter was also president of the Wairarapa Rifle Association and a regular attendant at the meetings at Papawai. He was a consistent patron, also, of tho Wairarapa Racing Club. Though he never owned any horses he generally attended all the race meetings in the district and enjoyed the foregather ings of old settlers as much as the sport. He was Also patron of the Tara-tahi-Carterton Racing Club. A PRACTICAL STOCKMAN. Sir Walter firmly believed that the only place where a farmer could be made was on the farm itself. He came iu his later years to a full realisation of the value of science, and showed by his endowment of the chair at Victoria College that he was willing pay for his convictions, but he insisted that the theoretical portion of the training should be given close to the soil. He himself was a very sound practical farmer, or rather stockman, thanks to tho grounding that he received on the Victorian cattle station. He was especially particular about the treatment of animals, and had many controversies with stockmen of all descriptions on this topic. Any unnecessary damage or injury to animals annoyed him excessively. One of his hobbies in recent years was the dehorning of cattle, which he contended should be made compulsory. A SPARTAN CHARACTER. A trait that was very marked in Sir Walter’s character was his loyalty to old friendships and his admiration for the old settlers, who with him played their part in pioneering the country and creating the prosperity that it enjoys to-day. He knew practically everybody who had lived for any length of time in the Wairarapa, and was to be met with at every gathering in the district, no matter how small. He was not without prejudices, some of them very tenaciously hold. Ho had in many respects a Spartan taste that told of his Highland ancestry and upbringing. He believed firmly in the gospel of work, and that young people were none the better for having everything provided for them without a due amount of effort on their own part. But he did not spare himself. Up to the time of his death he was one of the most active men in the Wairarapa, never saving himself when the keeping of an appointment was in question, and working or travelling the clock round if it seemed to be necessary. CAUTION AND JUDGMENT. In public affairs Sir Walter’s attitude was always characterised by caution. He had very shrewd and definite opinions on political questions, and sound conservative principles in business. He regarded a mortgage as a means to an end; but he never lost sight of the end, which was the freehold itself. If he believed an object v to be a worthy one he lost no opportunity of promoting it and winning the support of others. _

Though well supplied with literature Sir Walter was in late years not a great reader apart from the newspapers; but he had a very reliable and retentive memory and took very methodical notes and clippings of anything that interested him. The loss that he felt most when the old homestead was burned was that of his letters and chronicles gathered during his long life. Like most Scotsmen, Sir Walter had a strict religious upbringing, the effects of which always remained with him. The people of Gladstone have to thank him for the fine brick church which stands on an elevated site in that community. Although a good Presbyterian, one of the conditions of the gift was that the church should be available for all denominations. The Laird of Tupurupuru, as he was sometimes called, was not ostentatious in his benefactions. Of his public donations something is known, since they include the Buchanan Home at Greytown and the Buchanan Chair of Agriculture; but there are many private individuals in the Wairarapa who could speak of acts of kindness and consideration by Sir Walter. The valuable reserve in Carterton known as the Carrington Park was presented to the town by Sir Walter and his friend, the late Mr W. Booth. He once owned the very valuable Ahiakouka property, and it was due to his forethought in erecting river protection work that Greytown became immune from flood. WAIRARAPA P. & A.

Sir Walter was the last remaining member of the original Wairarapa P. and A. Committee of 1877. Had he lived another three years he would have seen the jubilee of the society. He was the second president, holding office from 1880 to ’B6, again in 18991901, and was regarded as the “father of the society.” He was always a generous giver to the society’s funds, especially in any special appeals. It was only last year that he spent considerable time on the stock drive which, mainly through his efforts, raised almost £6OO. During the war he kept all soldiers’ subscriptions paid, and at one time, when he hold a mortgage over the showgrounds for £lOOO, ho accepted half payment in full settlement. On another occasion he made a present of the 12 months’ interest which was owing.

Tho president (Mr J. G. Oates) characterised Sir Walter’s death as a calamity, and stated that the Society’s vitality was due in great measure to him. Ho was always behind any forward movement. He was a man of genuine excellence in every station of life, of integrity, of high principles and sterling honesty of purpose, and commanded the spontaneous homage of those with whom he came in contact. It was natural to believe in such a man and to have confidence in him.

Tho last piece of solid advice by Sir Walter was at a meeting of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society on Satur-

day morning. The discussion revolved around the conditions of judging dairy eattle. His advice was not to divert from the existing conditions until they had ascertained if any other society had rules similar to those suggested. ‘‘lf you then get a growl,” said Sir Walter, ‘‘you have a precedent to refer to.”

IN THE CHURCHES Before beginning his sermon at the Lansdowne Presbyterian Church last night the Rev. G. King said: ‘‘Our community has suffered a great loss owing to the sudden death of Sir Walter Buehanan, who died last night. Sir Walter was one of the pioneers of the Dominion, and was for many years connected with and interested in the progress and welfare of the people. As representative of htc Wairarapa for many years in Parliament he rendered yeoman service. Among his many gifts to the community was the beautiful little church at Gladstone. His latest benefaction was the princely gift of £lO,OOO to Victoria University College fo endow tho Chair of Agriculture. The members of this congregation will join with me in extending to the sorrowing relations our deepest sympathy in their loss, and especially to Mrs D. Buchanan, one of the worshippers here, and absent from the Dominion nt the present time.” Appreciative reference to Sir Walter was also made in the Masterton Methodist Church. KOREBO ADJOURNED. On receipt of the news of Sir Walter’s death, the M'asterton Savage Club adjourned its fortnightly korerd out of respect to the deceased. MOTION OF CONDOLENCE. MR. MASSEY UNABLE TO ATTEND FUNERAL. (“The Age” Special.) Parliament Buildings, July 20.— When the House meets on Tuesday the Prime Minister will move a motion of condolence with Sir Walter Buchanan’s relatives, and an expression of appreciation of the deceased’s great public service. An adjournment will be taken until tho evening. As the funeral is fixed for Tuesday morning Mr Massey will bo unable to attend, but it is expected that there will bo a large representation of members from both branches of the Legislature.