OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 8, 5 October 1943, Page 6

OBITUARY

Dr. C. J. Reakes, C.B.E.

The death occurred on Sunday at his residence at Lower Hutt of Dr. Charles John Reakes, C.8.E.. AI.R.C.A .8., D.V.Sc., former DirectoMleneral ot Agriculture. He was aged 78. Dr. Reakes arrived in New Zeauind from England in 1897, and joined tne department as a veterinary surgeon. At that time the stall of the department numbered only 10b. When lie retired it totalled 529. In 1901 he was appointed assistant chief veterinarian, and on the chief .veterinarian, Dr. J. A. Uiivntn, leaving to take up an appointment in Australia in 1909, Dr. Reakes was appointed his successor, and also director of veterinary services in the Deteiice Department. In 1910 he was granted the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Science by the University of Melbourne. A reorganization of the Department ot ARi’iculture was carried out later in JJOJ b.V its head, Mr. F. S. Pope, and the live stock division, among others, was created. Dr. Reakes being made director of the. division, a position which he held till 1918, when be became Director-General of the department. In his capacity as director of veterinary services, Dr Keakes during the Great War controlled the purchase of remounts for the New Zealand troops and supervised fodder supplies, transport arrangements from the standpoint of animal hygiene, and the care of horses during training in camp. Later m the war he was associated with the requisitions of meat, wool, dairy produce and other supplies carried out by arrangement with the British Government. In 1919 he was created C.B.E. (Alilitary Division).

During his service with the Government Dr. Reakes twice visited Great Britain officially—the first time in 1908, when he made inquiry into the inspection and export of frozen meat. The second visit was in 1927, when he attended the agricultural research conference in London called by the British Government, where the foundations were laid for the present system of Empire co-ordination of research. He retired iu 1936 after heing nearly 40 years in the Department ot Agriculture and 18 years its head. Dr. Reakes’s wife-died in IJ3J. He leaves a sister, Aliss Reakes, Lower Huit, and a brother. Air. T. J. Reakes, Eltham. Mr. W. Brooke Taylor

Air. Walter Brooke Taylor died at the residence of his daughter. Mrs. H. '• Batten, Roseneath, on Sunday in Ins 92nd year. Air. Brooke Taylor was horn in Norwich. England, in 1852. and came with his parents to New Zealand when he was six years old. He later entered the service of the Telegraph Department and early in his experience in that employ was transferred from M cllington t-> the cable station at White’s Bay. where he was one of the officers who received the first news of the Franco-Prussian AVar of 1870. In 1877 Air. Brooke Taylor joined the staff of the Union Bank ot Australia at Auckland, and was employed at its Dunedin. Hastings and Wellington branches. While iu Dunedin in 1886 he married Miss Annie Loxley, daughter of a man who subsequently became well-known in commercial circles in Wellington. Early in the century he was employed aS accountant b.v the .ate Mr. William McLean, Wellington, who was the chairman of directors of a financial company, and secretary ot the old " ellington Opera House Company, among other interests. On the death of Air. McLean the Opera House Coraoany appointed Air. Brooke Taylor secretary and he carried on in that capacity till the property was acquired by J. G. Williamson, Ltd.' Air. Brooke Taylor still remained in the employ of the firm till his retirement in 1939. Apart from the world ot figures. Mr. Taylor’s chief interest was in yachting. He owned and sailed the yacht Amni for some years, and for many years acted as honorary- auditor to the Royal tort Nicholson Yacht Club, of which Cino tie was subsequently made vice-president and a life member. Air. Brooke Taylor leaves two sons, Walter and Erie, and one daughter. Mrs. H. V. Batten. Roseneath. Mr. J. C. Cooper

The death has occurred, after an illness of some months, of Mr. James Christopher Cooper. Worksop Road. Masterton. formerly managing director ot the Wellington Farmers’ -Meat Co., and superintendent of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Masterton. Born at Oney. Buckinghamshire. England 73 years ago, Mr. Cooper came Io Now Zealand with his parents when he was two years old. The family settled at Harewood. Canterbury, aiid took up farming. Educated nt the Boys High School. Christchurch, and at Canterbury College. Mr. Cooper associated himself wilh the Pioneer Farm Homestead. Association, of which he was chairman, formed in Canterbury to take up land m the. North Island. He was one of three selected to choose kind for settleniPTit. the area selected being the Mt. Baker block. Mangamnhoe. Mr. Cooper, with a number of other Canterbury young men. took up hush sections about 1890 in this block, which extended to the Ihnrnua Valley. , , ~ Mr. Cooper was elected to the Mauriceville Countv Council on its formation in 1898. and was for a period chairman serving on the council till he sold his property about. 1909. I[e had a long and active association with the I-armors Union. He joined the Mauriceville branch of the union in 1899, was chairman- in the following year; became, a member of the Wellington Provincial Executive in 1001, and was a member for the Wnirarapa Provincial Executive for many vears till the time of his death. Mr. Cooper was a foundation member of the .Dominion executive of the banners Union and a member of its advisory hoard. For some years be took an active part in the organization sot up to tight the L.T.P. land tenure of the Seddon administration, and in furtherance of this campaign for the freehold he unsuccessfully contested, as a supporter of Mr. W. F. Massey, (he Pahiatna and the Masterton seats, in the lattor case against the late Hon. A. W. Hogg. . For some years Mr. Cooper was chairman of the lb ti ran a School Commit tee. After selling his property at Ihuraua. he purchased a farm at Bideford. on which he was actively engaged till six months ago, . In 1910 Mr. Cooper organized and formed the Wellington Farmers’ Meht Co., with works at Waingawa. and became managing director. He was manager of the company till he retired in 1923. . While holding this position, he paid several visits to England in furtherance of the interests of the industry. Soon after establishing the works at Waingawa. Mr. Cooper, trom his own experience. saw the need of a first aid organization to attend to accident cases, and about 1912 he formed the Masterton branch of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.. E-ver since he had maintained his interest in the brigade ami was for man' years its superintendent. lie rendered yeoman service during the influenza epidemic of 1918. The King conferred on him the honour of a serving Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and in July of this year Mr. Cooper was presented with the long service ribbon of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Mr. Cooper took a prominent, part in the establishment of hydro-electric works in the Wairarapa, being chairman of the investigating committee which . inspected sites for the proposed undertaking in the district. Ho organized the Wairarapa Electric Power Board and was its first chairman. For a numbp’’ ol years he was president of the M sterton (.’ha inner of Commerce, Mr. Cooper is survived by his wife (a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. Corrigan,

Canterbury), two sons. Messrs. Frank (Bidcford) and Desmond (Amper (serving with the New Zealand forces overseas), and two daughters, Mrs. (I. Hales (Weber) ami’Miss Cooper (Masterton). Mr. D. McCaskill ’’The youngest old man on the Kelhui’b gre«m” is the way a bowh r described the late Mr. Donald McCaskill, formerly senior inspector ot schools, who died ch his 651 h birthday al bis residence. 99 Upland Bond. Kelbtirn. on Sunday Mr McCaskill. who retired from the Public Service, three years ago, was for many years associated with ediicativiml administration in this country, having beea 4G years in the Education Depart men!. During the final seven years ot his career as a teacher bv was headmaster of tn;! Waimataifai School, Timaru. De left that appointment to become an inspector of schools in the Westland district. Later on promolion lie went to Hawke’s Bay in a similar capacity, the last three of ’(he eight years m that province being as senior inspector. Eleven years ago he was brought to Wellington as senior inspector, and remained in that, position till he retired in 1910. Even after his long association with schools. Mr. McCaskill did noi lose interest in the work. Almost imim diaD’ly he secured a seat on the Wellington Education Board, am! held it till his death. His long experience and wide knowledge were of immense service to the board. IP I leaves :i widow, a son, ami a daugh ter.