OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 22465, 9 October 1936, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR J. A. D. ADAMS FULL LIFE OF OTAQO PIONEER As a citizen in good standing during his very long life, one in whom the people trusted, Mr John Archibald Duncan Adams, who died at his residence, 236 Highgate, Roslyn, yesterday, in his ninety-third year, was entitled to a prominent place in the company of Otago’s senior pioneers, even if the bare facts as stated were all that could bo set forth in his honour. But they arc not all. All the early incomers under the Otago Settlement scheme had to largely depend upon themselves. Mr Adams was cast wholly upon his own resources. He began his colonial life without money, without any secondary education, without the least particle of influence, and by his natural ability and determination made his way from the ranks of the manual toilers to professional status, thus becoming in the absolute sense of the term a self-made man, gaining the highest prizes within his reach.

He was horn in Scotland on April 5, 1844, of a prominent North Country family, and when landing from the Blundell at Port Chalmers with his parents on September 21, 1848, was only four years of age. In those days there

was nothing' but laborious work before new arrivals. His father, Mr John J. Adams, a tailor by trade, found no chance of a living at tailoring, so he got a boat and rowed trips to and fro about the harbour to bring firewood to the township. So young John, after his early schooling was over, became a helper in that rough occupation, meanwhile attending night schools when that was possible, and steadily instructing himself with the aid of books and the encouragement he received at home. When about fifteen years of age he was associated with his father in a contract to clear bush nigh to Clyde and St. David streets so as to allow of new streets being formed. That contract finished, Mr Adams, sen., bought a farm at Taieri Mouth, and father and sol, proceeded there by whaleboat to prepare the way for the family. Joining in the rush to Gabriel’s Gully in 1861, the pair essayed gold digging, but had no luck, and so went back to the farm. In 1862 young John started on his own account for the Waitahuna diggings, taking with him a bullock-drawn sledge on which he carted firewood to camp, a distance of three miles, selling it at 4s a bundle. That was his first money-making job, and he was content to stay at it until his father called him once more to the farm to do the ploughing. That work being finished, he and his brother Robert Noble Adams went to Tuapeka with a sledge, setting up as carriers, and finding plenty of patronage in transporting provisions, tools, etc., to the outlying fields that miners were working. Before long the carriers were able to buy a disused and worn cart, which they repaired and used instead of the sledge, putting the bullock into the shafts. In those days the Tuapeka diggings were supplied from Lawrence, aiicl Lawrence received its heavy goods from Dunedin, these being carried as far as Waihola in the steamer Lady of the Lake, thence hauled by road. The brothers Adams entered upon that carrying and prospered, being able to buy” three more bullocks and another cart which was sold to them as a second-hand article by Mr Janies Smith, who then lived on the Tokomairiro Plain. About 1865 the brothers returned to Dunedin, the Taieri Mouth farm being given up as a failure. In Dunedin J.A.D. took any jobs that offered, and at one time drove an express. Then the father took a contract for ploughing in North Otago, and young John was employed as timekeeper, etc., in a wool shed somewhere about Windsor, after which be was employed at farm work by G. P. Atkinson. . , , While engaged at this work lie received a letter from his father stating that ho had arranged with Mr Wilfrid Wilson to take young John into his office on solicitor’s articles. He left the same night, walked fifteen miles or more to Otepopo, then caught the coach, and at once entered on his new duties. After a while Mr Wilson left for England and entrusted Mr Adams with the winding up of the business. Not long afterwards Mr Basil Sievwright advertised for a solicitor’s clerk. Mr Adams applied and was appointed, and was acting in that capacity, when Mr Robert Stout (afterwards Sir Robert) was taken in as a partner. On August 4, 1874, Mr Adams was admitted to the Bar by Mr Justice Chapman, father of Sir Frederick Chapman. In the same year the firm of Joyce and Adams was founded. Mr John Joyce retired from it in 1878 and became M.P. for Lyttelton. Mr Adams conducted the practice alone until 1884, when ho took in as junior partner his younger brother, Mr A S Adams, thus establishing the firm of Adams Brothers, which continues to this day. ~ , . n After years of service Mr J. A. U. Adams became a sleeping partner and went travelling to India and other countries. In recent years he spent a while in Perth, but as age began to tell he returned to Dunedin to enjoy the company of relatives and old friends. Mr Adams was ever an active opponent of the liquor traffic, and worked for its suppression untiringly. He was a member of various licensing committees in the days when such executives were empowered to determine licenses without any mandate from the electors. Mr Adams also served for three years in the ’eighties as a member of the Otago Harbour Board. He realised the value of preserving early records, and partly influenced the decision of a number of persons to form the Early Historv Society of Otago. In addition, he wrote a small volume of his personal experiences and observations, as well as several pamphlets of a religious character. These are now in the possession of the" Otago Parly Settlers’ Association. As a lesnlt of his death there is now only one surviving passenger of the ship

Blundell, this person residing else* where in the country. He was twice married and survived his second wife. One adopted daughter now represents the family. TEWFIK PASHA Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright ISTANBUL, October b. (Received October 9. at 10.10 a.ro.) The death is announced of Tewfik Pasha, the last of the Grand Viziers.