OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19180, 10 December 1927, Page 15

OBITUARY.

MR ROBERT ALLAN. Mr Robert Allen, who died on Thursday nt Whangarci, was Iwrn in Nclaou New Zealand, in 1546. His parents arrived in the Thomas Harrison nt that port in 1842. Tho samo ship brought tho Deans, Gebbies, and Mansons, who came on to Canterbury. Tho 'Allan family removed to Wellington, and after four years' residence there eamo on to Tort Ijovv in tinlittle cutter Supply, taking 14 day* on tho voyage. Arriving at Tort, Levy in January 1851, about a month after tho arrival of tho First Four Ships in I.yttolton. After residing about three years at Fort Levy tho family removed to Lyttolton and Robert Allan spent his boyhood there. He was educated first at tho Church of England School under tho late Georgo Mayo, and on the opening of the Scots School by tho Rev. J. D. Ferguson, ho was one of tho first to enter, and remained thero till he left to take service with the old lirni of J. T. Peacock and Company, to whom he was apprenticed at the ago of 1">. In iiis nineteenth year ho was sent. n» super-cargo of tho iron brig, Windover, to Valparaiso to buy wheat. Two cargoes wero purchased and brought to Lytteltou and tho young super-cargo weighed in every sack in Chilo and afterwards weighed them out again in Christchureh, one cargo going to Lane'.i Mill in Hereford street, and the other to AVood's, Iticcnrtou Mill.

On tho firm of J. T. Peacock and Co. opening a branch in Christchureh about the year 1864, Mr Allan removed there, and remained with the firijl and its successor, Mr C. W. Turner, for iv few years, and on leaving, ho, with tho late Mr M. Lightband, established tho firm of Lightband, Allan, and Co. They purchased the tannery sito and erected tho first building on what is now the Woolston Tannorics, Ltd., but it has, of course, been greatly extended Rinca that poriod. On tho closing of Lightband, Allan, and Co.'s business, Mr Allan became n partner, and subsequently one of the managing directors of the present firm of Skclton, Frost lek, and Co., Ltd. In the early days Mr Allan took a keen interest in rowing and boating, and was one of the earliest members of tho present Union lowing Club, and was a member of the Committee of Five, who decided on the name of tho Club, and became its first treasurer.

Mr Allan always took a koon interest in the advancement of local industries. He was ono of the original founders of the Industrial Association in 1880 and was its first president, and presided over tho first Industrial Exhibition hold in the old Drillshod grounds. Later on he was connected with sovoral Exhibitions, and was president of tho Canterbury Jubilee Exhibition in 1900, when the Canterbury Hall was opened, and the survivors of tho original pilgrims were entertained on the occasion. Later he was appointed by tho Scddon Government as Executive Commissioner, in conjunction with tho late Mr G. S. Munro, of the International Exhibition, held in Hagloy Park in 1906. Mr Allan was also appointed, with Sir Honry Wigram and tho late Mr G. G. Stead, an Honorary Reception Commissioner on the occasion of the visit of tho Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York.

Ho has also been connected with various enterprises, boing a member of the first Board of Directors of the Kniapoi Woollen Co., and ho assisted in Iho formation of the original company. Ho was also one of the promoters and first directors of the old Christchurch Steam and Tramway Company and was chairman of the company for two years. Mr Allan is the last survivor of the original promoters and directors. Ho was also one of the early members of the LyttoltOn Harbour Board and was on the Board during the building of the dock, and remaned a momber for nine years. He was also a momber of tho Heathcote Boad Board.

Mr Allan was for many yoars connected with various interests in the country. He built with the lato Mr R. H. Wood, the Terawera sawmill, LittU River. Mr Allan, who owned the i'roehold, cleared from the bush about 1500 acres in that valley, which was eventually gold and is now a Government settlement. Ho then purchased the Cattle Peaks block on' Glenmark, and on selling this property a tow years later ho bought two properties, in conjunction with his two sons, in North Auckland, one on tho Wairoa river, and the other in Whangarei County. These properties are now conducted by the surviving son, Mr R. 8. Allan, the youngest son, Jack, having died at the war.

Mr Allan. leaves five daughters:—• Mrs P. A.. Laurie, Mrs W. Irving Car* ney, Mrs J. 0. Newton, all in Morivale, and Mrs Harman Beeves, Dune* din, and Mrs George Kottlewcll, Mel* bourne, also his son, Mr E. S. Allan, North Auckland.