DEATH OF PIONEER

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3212, 4 August 1932, Page 5

DEATH OF PIONEER

MR THOMAS HUNT, OF TE RAPA.

Another of Waikato's pioneers has passed away. Mr Thomas Hunt, whose name was associated w*th farming activities in the Te Awamutu district for a number of years, died at his late residence, Te Rapa, on Tuesday, at the age of 93 years. Born on the Greenwich Hospital Estate in Yorkshire, Mr Hunt had some experience on a Cumberland farm before the spirit of adventurecalled, and his brother and he sailed for New Zealand, arriving at Auckland after a tedious journey of 110 days. Mr Hunt was then 19 years of age. He joined his uncle at Whangarei, where he stayed for 11 months. With his brother he took up 500 acres .of land in the Oruru Valley, at Mangonui, half of which they broke in and farmed for 17 years. Mr Hunt then came to the Waikato, purchasing 150 acres at the Narrows, qlose to the present Narrows bridge. He cleared and fenced the farm and erected a house himself. He later accepted the .position of manager of a farm at Rangiaohia, near Te Awamutu, and after 151 years returned to his old property at the Narrows. After 20 years' residence there and at the age of 75 years he sold out and retired to live at Te Rapa, where he resided up to the time of his death. His wife predeceased him nearly four years ago. He is survived by three sons, Sydney Hunt (Otahuhu), Percy Hunt (Fencourt, Cambridge), and Irwin Hunt (Te Aroha), and four daughters, Mrs J. S. Fisher (Monavale, Cambridge), Mrs S. E. Dodd (Hamilton), Mrs J. Graham (Kaipaki), and Mrs H. C. Wallace (Tamahere).