DEATH OF PIONEER

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2558, 20 August 1931, Page 4

DEATH OF PIONEER

MR EDWIN ROBERTSON. WELL-KNOWN ROTOR UA IDENTITY. One of the early pioneers of the Rotorua district passed away at Rotorua on Tuesday morning in the person of Mr Edwin Robertson, father of Mrs L. Cupples, of Karapiro. The late Mr Robertson first arrived in the Rotorua district as a lad of 12 driving a string of pack-horses over unbroken country. Later he was engaged in packing the first coils of telegraph wire for the erection of a line from Makctu to Horahora. From then ho developed a coaching busines which was the fore-runner of the present Rotorua Mail Transport Company. When the railway was brought round from Cambridge to Tirau and Okoroire Mr Robertson established a coach service from Rotorua to the railhead.

Many were the hardships the late Mr. Robertson had to put up with, but. his true pioneering spirit stood him in g >o 1 stead. Sixty of the 74 years of bis eventful life was spent in the Ro:-.mia district. The late Mr Robertson is survived by a widow, two sons and a daughter. The latter are Messrs Eric Robertson, “Tirowai,” Rotorua, Edwin Robertson (Matamata), and Mrs Cupples (Cambridge).