DAIRY FOUNDER’S DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 723, 24 July 1929, Page 7

DAIRY FOUNDER’S DEATH

MR. STEPHEN J. AMBURY’S CAREER FIRST BUTTER EXPORTER No man has been more closely associated with the development of the dairying industry in the Auckland Province than Mr. Stephen James Ambury, ! chairman of directors of the well- ! known milk suppliers, Amburys, Ltd., ; who died at his residence, 6 Banff Avenue, Epsom, yesterday in his 78th year. Mr. Ambury’s death followed an illness which has lasted over a period of six months. He was a son of an English farmer and was born at Aston Ingham, Herefordshire, on November 17, 1851. On December 19, 1877, he was married at Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, and in 1879, accompanied by his wife, he sailed for New Zealand. The sailing ship which brought Mr and Mrs. Ambury to New Zealand was tho British Empire. She arrived at Auckland on February 5,18« o, after a typically long voyage for those days oi three months. Tne British Empire was a vessel of only 583 tons, and there was a great deal of sickness’ among her 250 passengers. Nine passengers died during the arduous trip. FOUNDING OF FIRM Mr. Ambury had liis first experience of farming in New Zealand at Cambridge, for there the immigrants went shortly after they landed in Auckland. After spending a short period as a farmer at Cambridge, Mr. Ambury returned to Auckland and founded a small milk business, whicji has developed into the large firm which bears his name today. L'p till his long illness six months ago, Mr. Ambury remained actively interested in the welfare of the firm. The firm later entered the butfermaking industry and Mr. Ambury was one of the pioneers of the export of butter from New Zealand. The first ton of butter was shipped from Auckland to England by the firm in 1899. During the past thirty years the annual export of butter from the Auckland Province has increased to 50,000 tons —illustrating the remarkable growth of the butter export industry pioneered by Mr. Ambury. FARMERS’ OPPOSITION Mr. Ambury had many difficulties to overcome before he had the export industry firmly established. The chief of these was the unfavourable attitude of the farmers themselves. In 1885 Mr. Ambury called a meeting of farmers at Manger© and offered to erect a creamery if they would supply him with their milk. At first the farmers laughed at the idea of exporting butter from New Zealand, but later they were won over, and the venture by Mr. Ambury at Mangere proved a success. During his long career, Mr. Ambury was also closely connected with the development of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company, of which he was one of the original shareholders and directors. From 1914 to 1921 he served the company as chairman of directors, and since the latter date has retained his position as a director. From 1887 to 1890 Mr. Ambury was Mayor of Newton, and in the late “eighties” he served various districts on the Auckland Hospital Board. WELL-KNOWN CHURCHMAN For many years Mr. Ambury has been a prominent worker in the interests of the Methodist Church, and for close on half a century was an officebearer in the Pitt Street Methodist Church. He was chairman of the Probert Trust controlling various church properties. Mr. and Mrs. Ambury celebrated their golden wedding on December 19, 1927. Mr. Ambury is survived by liis wife. His four brothers and two sisters are still living. They are Messrs. Joseph and Walter Ambury, of Epsom, Mr. John Ambury, of Ruawai, North Auckland, Mr. Arthur Ambury, of New Plymouth, and Mrs. A. Nasey and Miss Ambury, of Hamilton. The funeral of Mr. Ambury will take place at the Mangere Cemetery tomorrow, leaving his late residence at 3.15 p.m.