OBITUARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1875, 6 April 1889, Page 3

OBITUARY.

Mr John Hayhurst, one of the pioneers of South Canterbury, and one of the most enterprising of colonists, died at his residence, Temuka, at 2 a.m. yesterday. Mr Hayhurst was born in the year 1827 near Preston, in Lancashire, England, and was at the time of his death in his sixty-second year. A week before his death, however, he appeared to have been enjoying good health, and looked as if he would live for at least ten years longer. On the very evening that h© was taken ill he had packed everything up, and was about 4o leave for England on the following day. He bad intended to leave sooner, but missed the’boat, and only for this, he would have been on the high seas on his way to China and Japan, the only countries he had not yet visited, Mr Hayhurst came to Hew South Wales at the age of 19 years,' and after a short sojourn in that colony came over to New Zealand, landing in Wellington. He made several trips from New Zealand to New South Wales, and at last decided on settling down in this colony. He Jived for a short time in Wellington, and next he set sail for Lyttelton, where he became a contractor. His next move was to Christchurch, and he lived for some time on the Perry road, after which he took charge of a run at Ashburton for Sir Thomas Tancred. A short time after bis arrival be leased the run from Sir Thomas, and carried it on for jrpas-ias' d his own account. During s-'thia time ie sent Home for his father and motbr and brothers and sisters, many of ?hom are living in this district at jresent. After having worked the run at Ashburton for some years he disposed of it, and took up the Grey’s Hill and the Simon Pass runs, in the Mackenzie Country, both of ’ljfrhich. he stocked, and shortly afterhe bought the magnificent estate Green Hayes. He worked the Green Hayes estate and the two stations in the Mackenzie Country together for seme years, when he let a pari of Green Hayes and bought the Bluecliffs station. This station he let and went home to England, but he was not long there when a letter reached him telling him that his Bluecliffs tenant had gone to the dogs, and bo he returned- to the colony much l sooner than he expected. Sometime I after this he sold out all his station property, and threw all his energies s? into the development of bis Green Hayes estate: It was in January, 1,1861; that he first took possession of Green Hayes, and, notwithstanding that he had the other large properties on hand at the time, he immediately set to work with characteristic energy. Panning had been scarcely begun in South Canterbury at the but Mr Hayhurst went to work vigorously, and in the next couple of ‘ years a large portion of Green Hayes was yielding wheat. Besides this he ' started the Milford Mill, which he had in working order in 1863. Mr Hayhurst’s example gave a great impetus to farming in this district, and it may safely be said that to his energy, perseverance, and indomitable courage was due the fact that the Temuka district was amongst the first settled places south of the Eangitata. pHe set another example, too, which > we regret has not been followed. Instead of laying Green Hayes out as a sheep run, as many others would have done, he subdivided it into decentsized farms, and let it at reasonable rental to tenants. The Green Hayes estate is over 5000 acres in extent, and settled on it are 44 tenants, all thriving settlers, and it was often remarked that during the depression these tenants were far better off than farmers who had to pay interest on ■ borrowed capital. The holding of land in large areas is certainly an evil, but it is ten times better that land .should be held in the manner in which Mr Hayhurst’s estate is than as a sheep run, with only a few shepherds on it. Averaging the families of the 44 tenants at five persons each, which is low, there are living on the estate about 220 people. If it bad . not been let to tenants as it has been there would not be 20 persons living within the same area. Mr Hayhurst was always a good and considerate landlord, and there are many about the district now who owe to him their start in life. Ho was always ready to •Tend a helping baud to persona whom he found hard-working and energetic, but the opposite class never got any ' chance from him. For years he sat the Provincial Council, and in 1876 he contested the Geraldine seat with Mr Wakefield, but had a unique experience. When the result of the poll was declared it was found that he:

1 and his opponent were exactly equal, i and thus the onus of deciding the i election w thrown on the Returning ; Officer, Mr Belfield Woollcorabe, who ■ gave bis casting vote in favor of Mr ; Wakefield, and thus ho was elected. ; Mr Hayhurst was a strong Liberal in politics, and always an uncompromising opponent of the Continuous or Atkinson party. He bad very decided views on many subjects, and a vigorous and telling manner of giving expression to them. He spoke with great fluency and vigor, and was a very strong opponent for anyone to meet. In 1881 he ran against Messrs Wakefield and Postlethwaite for the representation of the Geraldine seat, but withdrew on the last day, and 1 since then he has spent most of his time travelling. In the old days be was a member of the Timarn and Gladstone Board of Works, and for many years a member of the Temuka Road Board, besides being a member of almost every one of the minor local bodies, Bor the last seven years he has been for the most part travelling in foreign countries, and as stated above he had just intended to visit China and Japan, as these two countries were the only places which he had not visited. He was, however, doomed never to see them. Mr Hayhurst was no ordinary colonist. He was full of vigor and energy, and had always some new scheme in hand. During his colonial life he has visited England about eight times, and on all occasions he brought out some new machinery, which he employed in various ways. His latest addition to his plant was the splendid machinery of the new roller flour mill, and if we mistake not he intended on his return this trip—if he had been spared —to bring out other new machinery connected with electricity. In carrying out his many schemes, and in the many enterprises in which he was engaged, he employed a large number of men, and to these his death will be a great loss. In him Temuka has lost its most enterprising citizen, and the largest employer of labor in the place. He had accumulated much wealth, for besides the Green Hayes property he owned a good deal of the town of Temuka, and also some properties in Oxford and Napier. He worked hard; he saw his opportunities and embraced them, and the result was success. His funeral will leave St. Saviour’s Church for the Temuka Cemetery at 2.30 p.m. to-morrow (Sunday).