OBITUARY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1939, Page 6

OBITUARY

MR W. B. MATHESON. A former well-known resident of the Wairarapa, Mr W. B. Matheson, died at his home at Seatoun, Wellington, yesterday at the age of 77 years. The late Mr Matheson, during his long residence in this district, took a prominent part in public affairs. Born at Castle Gate, Nottingham, in 1861, the son of the Rev. James Matheson, he left England at an early age and after spending some time in America came to New Zealand, arriving here as a young man. He was educated at the Nottingham Grammar School, which he left at the ags of 13 years and for the three succeeding years he was engaged in office work in New York. He then trained and qualified as a mechanical engineer and worked his passage to New Zealand on the Doric in 1883, this being her first trip. After his arrival in New Zealand he was employed as a station hand and in 1888 he took up a bush section of 140 acres at Rongomai, which he later increased to a holding of 600 acres. He remained on this property, until ten or twelve years ago, when he took up his residence at Seatoun. During his long residence at Rongamai Mr Matheson took a keen interest in the affairs of the Farmers’ Union. For many years he was a member of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive and in 1923-24 he was provincial president. He was also chairman of the Eketahuna branch of the Farmers’ Union for many years, chairman of the Rongomai School Committee and Road Board and a member of the Wairarapa Hospital Board and of the Land Commission set up in 1905. On removing to Wellington he became Dominion Treasurer of the Farmers' Union, a position he relinquished four years ago. He was also a Dominion life member of the Farmers’ Union. In 1919 he unsuccessfully contested the Masterton seat. He was a director of Messrs G. H. Scales and Co.

The late Mr Matheson always had a sterling regard for the truth and for the recognition of the duties which residents owed to the community in which they lived. He was a staunch adherent of the Society of Friends. Mr Matheson is survived by a widow (a daughter of the late Mr Graham Speedy, of “Woodbanks,” Herbertville). three daughters, Mesdames H. Wardell and W. Wardell (Omarama. Otago) and Miss E. Wardell (Havelock North), and one son, Mr James Matheson (Raglan). One son was killed in the Great War and another was killed in an accident in the Wairarapa.