ARCHDEACON HARPER

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1922, Page 4

ARCHDEACON HARPER

VETERAN CLERGYMAN DEAD. The Veil ~Areluleaoon Harper died on i January 22nd, .aged eighty-nine, . acj curding to a cable message from bon- j 1 | don. , , . • .j " ./.The late Venerable . Henry William jG Harper formerly Archdeacon of Timaru . and Westland, and vicar of St Mary’s / Timaru had been residing in London J for the last ten years. He had attained . the ago of eighty-nine. but. was still robust. He died under an operation. Archdeacon Harper’s “Letters From j New Zealand,” 'published after his re-j tirement, have been widely read and i appreciated. In Timaru and on the. West Coast he was held in high esteem, j both as a Churchman and a helper in j public affairs. His interest in athletics j and public welfare was actively ex- | pressed and gained him a. prominent place in the public esteem. . j

Archdeacon Harper was the eldest ( son of the late Bishop Harper, Pritaat-’ ; of New Zealand, and-was born at Eton, : Buckinghamshire, England in 1833. He ( began his education at Eton in 1843, : and left in 1852 for Oxford where he ; took his M.A. degree in 1856. He 0 ] studied for the church. About the end of 1856 he arrived with his father in New Zealand, and was ordained in 1857. In 1859 he was admitted to the priesthood in St Michael’s Church, Christchurch, by his father. The Archdeacon’s first cure was the Waimaknrit/i district, covering roughly nine hundred square miles, and extending from the Wnininknriri to the Ra-kain Rivers, and as far back into the mountains as his adventurous spirit chose to lead him. He lived in the saddle four or five days in every week, anti, in'his own words, “slept where he could eat, and ate what he could get.” In 1866 he was appointed Archdeacon of Westland and took up his duties at Hokitika in October of that year. The West Coast gold diggings lin'd recently broken out, and at the time of his/ arrival there was a population of over 30,000 goldminers, Hokitika having over 10,000 inhabitants. On the West Coast lie won the esteem and affection of the miners, and laboured among them until 1875, when he was appointed vicar of Timaru. He was made archdeacon of Timaru as well n-s of Westland. Tic did not lose his interest in his former charge, however aiid almost yearly he visited the West Coast. For thirv-six years he ministered in Timaru, and had the satisfaction of starting the building of Pt Mary’s, a particularly fine building, and just before his retirement witnessing its completion the.chancel and tower lieing then added. He J celebrated

his jubilee as priest in the Church at the same time as the late Canon Knowles, with whom he was ordained. In 1911 -ho resigned the cure, and enjoyed a- well-earned rest in London, after fifty-five years of /pioneer work in New Zealand. When li 0 left Timaru many expressions of appreciation of his services wore made, among them a. public meeting of citizens with the Mayor of Timaru, Mr James Craigie, in the chair. The heads of all the religious bodies in the town were present to hear testimony to the value of the Archdeacon’s work as a hrothor minister and citizen. Archdeacon Harper never married. Throughout his long life he enjoyed the best of health and was active tip to the last keeping up a continual correspondency with his friends in New Zealand. Two of his brothers are in Christchurch. Mr George. Harper, of Messrs Harper. Son and Pascoe. the leva! firm, and Dean Harper. Dr Gerald Harper has been residing in London since 1870. There are four . sisters—Mrs Blnkiston. of Oram'. Mrs Maling, and Mrs Percy Cox of Christchurch and Mrs Douglas who resides in England.