Raymond Smith

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 28, 3 December 1985, Page 13

Raymond Smith

One of Raetihi 's old identities, Raymond Smith, better known as Roy, died in Wanganui Hospital recently aged 76. Mr Smith was borough foreman for the Raetihi Borough Council for 23 years from 1951. During his time there he was instrumental in helping develop the borough's water reticulation system which replaced an old pump supply. Mr Smith, who was born in Palmerston North, was well known for his time in the Rangitikei Reps, a schoolboy rugby rep. team. Both he and his son, Pat, who now lives in Auckland,

received their caps while in the team. A printer by trade, he worked for the Waimarino Printers and helped publish the local newspaper the Waimarino County Call. Before World War Two, he did the cream run to Pipiriki and took stores and other goods to the Wanganui River on these trips. The Pipiriki people were so grateful for his service that they presented him with a small carvecf Maori canoe and a piece of greenstone, before he went overseas during the second world war.

During the war Mr Smith served in the Middle East, where his years as a projectionist at Raetihi's Royal Theatre were turned to good use when he showed films to his fellow soldiers. He was a keen winemaker and home-brewer, a deer and pig-hunter, and also enjoyed duck shooting and fishing. At various times he was a member of the Raetihi Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Raetihi Cosmopolitan Club and the Raetihi RSA. His daughter Bev said he was a very strong-willed and

independent person, who held strong views and who was a loving father and thought the world of his grandchildren andgreatgrandson. The Reverend Father Bob ( Peck, who was his next door neighbour, spoke of their daily ritual meeting on a nearby street corner, where sometimes they met with the late Jim Macrae and Ray Mahi. "During those meetings, we sorted out many of the world's problems, difficulties that New Zealand faced and certainly sorted out the borough!" he said. Before his death Mr Smith had been a widower for 30 years.