DEATH OF AN OLD IDENTITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 816, 24 February 1910, Page 3

DEATH OF AN OLD IDENTITY.

Mr R. A. Wakelin, a well-known builder and contractor died at Petone on Saturday, aged 65 years. Deceased, who had suffered from heart disease for some time, was a son of the flate Richard Wakelin, journalist, and was born in Coventry. He came to New Zealand when only five years old with his 'parents, and they landed at Nelson and subsequently resided in Wellington for several years. Later Mr Wakelin removed to Greytown, then a comparative wilderness, and while there he occupied the office of Mayor of the town and was a member of the Wairarapa County Council. At the time of the threatened outbreak Mr Wakelin was resident in Wairarapa, All the women and children were sent to Wellington, and for weeks men slept with rifles under their pillows, and deceased was Sergt.Major in the old Wairarapa Mounted Rifles and was with that corps when it acted as an escort to the Duke of Edinburgh from Wellington to Wairarapa. As a marksman, deceased distinguished himself. He won the Wairarapa Cup on three occasions with the old Snider rifle. It is about eight years since Mr Wakelin returned to Wellington district. Mr Wakelin was twice married, and he leaves a widow and a grown-up family of six sons and one daughter.