THE PASSING OF A PIONEER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3696, 27 September 1927, Page 3

THE PASSING OF A PIONEER.

JOHN WRIGHT GOWER, AGED

93 YEARS

Brief mention was made in our last issue to the death of Mr. John Weight Gower, one of the pioneer settlers of this district, which took place at Ponsonby, Auckland,' on September 12th, at the advanced age of 93 years. His death removes another link /with the past and reduces the number of those stout-hearted pioneers who laid the foundations of settlement in this district. The late Mr. Gower arrived in New Zealand in the year 1858 and started farming in the Nelson district. He subsequently married Miss Gapper, of Nelson. In 1872 he came to this district to manage the Carnarvon estate of 7,000 acres, and the Moutoa estate of about 8,000 acres. These properties were owned by his uncle, the late Mr L. Larkworthy, who was at that time general manager of the Bank of New Zealand and the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Coy., London. The properties at that time were in their natural condition of swamp and bush. In 1878 Mr Gower bought land, then standing bush and flax swamp, near Foxton, which he converted into first-class farming land, and in 1880 he removed from .Carnarvon to take* up his residence in Foxton. In 1888, he purchased a block of bush land in Levin, which he improved and subsequently occupied. For a period of ten years from 1891 he resided at Levin, when he retired from active life and removed to Hastings,, where he spent some 15 years, finally settling in Auckland. When resident dn this district, the late Mr Gower took an interest in public affairs, and was one of the first members 'and subsequently chairman of the Manawatu County Council. He was also a member of the Foxton Borough Council when first constituted, and later Mayor. Among other public activities, lie was associated with the Methodist Church. He was esteemed throughout the countryside, not only as a sterling settler, but as a Christian gentleman. His wife predeceased him about 30 years ago. He leaves a family of four daughters (Mesdames Hammond, Benwiek and Robertson, of Auckland, and Mrs Powles, Lower Hutt) and three sons (Messrs B. G. Gower, Foxton, G. Gower, Auckland, and J. A. Gower, Taupiri) to mourn their loss.

The interment took place in Auckland.