OBITUARY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 48, 2 July 1913, Page 5

OBITUARY.

WILLIAM SPEARMAN YOUNG. It is with deep regret we have to record the death of one of Taranaki’s most widely-esteemed and best known settlers, in the person of Mr W. S. Young, of “Riversdale,” Otakeho. Though never one to take a prominent part in public affairs-—probably by reason of the fact that for many years he was in the service of the Government, and in a Department where work rather than talk was expected—the late Mr Young’s many splendid qualities endeared him to a wide circle of friends, who will unite in extending fullest sympathy to Mrs Young and the members of her family in their bereavement. Possibly no family in Taranaki is better known, for in athletic circles the eight stalwart sons of the house have always been prominent, and from the earliest days of settlement at least one or two of them has, each year, done battle for the Province in the Rugby field in representative football. Several are also prominent men of business in these

parts, the eldest son—Mr W. H. H. Young—being head of the well-known auctioneering and agency firm of W. H. H. Young and Co. The late Mr \V. S. Young, who lias been in indifferent health for the past seven or eight months, passed peacefully away at 5 o’clock this morning in the presence of his wife and several members of the family. The late William Spearman Young was born in Auckland in 1842, his father, Mr Wm. Young, being Collector of Customs at the Bay of Islands at the time, and afterwards holding a similar position at the Port of Auckland. The late Mr Young was educated at the Wesleyan College, Auckland, and took up the profession of surveyor. He was one of that party of pioneers who did the first journey from Canterbury over the Southern Alps to the Grey, under Von Haast, and succeeded in getting across after Sir James Hector had failed in an earlier attempt, the pass being named after Von Haast Mr Young was in the service of the Canterbury Provincial Government and did a lot of important work in the early surveys, and in traversing rivers, especially on the boundary between Canterbury and Otago He was associated with Messrs Jolly, Cash and Hewling, amongst the principal surveyors at the time in Canterbury, Mr Jolly laying out the city of Christchurch. Retiring from the Government service Mr Young returned to the Auckland district and decided to go on.the land, taking up, ,in partnership with Dr Pollen, the South Heads run, Kaipara. Here lie continued to work successfully until the end of 1880, when he was attracted to Taranaki, and took up land on the Waimate Plains,where he had been farming ever since. Mr Young was married in 1867, in Auckland, to Miss Eliza Horne, who came to New Zealand from Glasgow with her father, Mr A. F. Horne. The late Mr Young is survived by eight sons and three daughters. The sons are: Messrs W. H. H. Young (Stratford), A. E. Young (Auckland), C. F. Young (Tariki), A. J. Young (Otakeho), J. E, Young (Puniwhakau), V. Young (Thames), E. H. Young (late of Stratford and now in Australia), and O. M. Young (Otakeho). Airs J. L. Rodgers (Eltliam), Mm W. J. Matthews (Inglewood), and Mrs A. C. Maude (Palmerston North) are the daughters. The interment will take place at Epsom, Auckland, in accordance with the desire of the late Mr Young, whose mother and father are buried there', and on Friday evening the remains of one who has proved himself a worthy New Zealander will he taken from his home in Taranaki to their last resting place in the North.