OBITUARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 9979, 3 May 1911, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR E. J. RIDDIFORD.

WELLNGTON PROVINCE PIONEER. General regret will be felt at the news received in Masterton last night of the death of Mr E. J. Riddiford, tbe well known Wairarapa, Hntt and West Ooast station-holder, at tbe age of 69. Death was due to heart failure, and accelerated by the news of the death of a grand-nephew, Mr Basil Foster-Pratt from appendicitis after a short illness.

The following interesting details of his life are taken from the Cyclopedia of New Zealand :—Deceased was a son of the late Mr Dauiel Riddiford. who arrived iv Wellington by the ship Adelaide in 1831), bringing in sectious the first house that was erected at Pipitea Point. His mother used to write the despatches for the New Zealand Company. The deceased, who was born at the Lower Hutt in 1842, was the first child baptised by Bishop Selwyn in New Zealaud, and was educated primarily iv Wellington, and

secoudarily at Morrisou's Scotch College in Melbourne. Brought up to fanning pursuits, he never deserted his calling, and, at the time of his death, was the owner of the Te Awaite station of some 60,000 acres, in the Lower Valley, and several other estates on the West Coast, at the Lower Hutt and elsewhere. Ho was reputedly tho wealthiest man in New Zealand, aud paid au enormous sum annually in laud and income tax. He took a keen interest iv farming, aud managed his own estates until the last. Iv the earlier days he took au interest in local politics, and served for a time on the Wairarapa South County Council. He also took a part in defence matters, aud served as a lieutenant in the militia under the late Colonel Gorton. He took an active interest in the formation of tho now defunct Wellington Agricultural aud Pastoral Association, aud was one of its vice-presidents. As a breeder of cattle, he was one of the most successful in the Domiuion. Iv 1879 he was married to a daughter of the late Mr Heury Bunny, of the Wairarapa. He leaves a grown-up family of three sons and three daughters.

Mr A. R. Bunny, solicitor, Masterton, and Mr H. R. Bunny, of Ahiaruhe, are brothers-in-law of deceased, and Mr O. C. Cooper, of Mastertou, is a nephew. Mr A. Cooper, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Wellington,°aud Mr H. Cooper, solicitor, Palmerston North, are also nephews; and connections and-intimate friends of tbe family are scattered far aud wide throughout Australasia

The funeral take place at the Lower Hutt on Friday.