Newspaper Article 2000 – Rural efforts led to A and P honour

OBITUARY
Rural efforts led to A and P honour

KATE TAYLOR

Former Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society president Jasper Herrick was made an honorary life member of the Royal Agricultural Society not long before he died on Sunday, aged 90.

Mr Herrick was president of the A and P Society from 1971 to 1973 and president of the Royal Agricultural Society from 1978 to 1980.

He did not know about the honorary life membership as the certificate only arrived at his home on Monday.

Mr Herrick was born in October 1910 at Hastings and educated at Wanganui Collegiate.

He worked as a clerk at Levin and Co and then at Ellison and Duncan Ltd, before becoming a stock agent for Williams and Kettle in 1934.

In 1939 he became a farmer and breeder of Aberdeen Angus cattle – being president of that breed society from 1946 to 1958.

He was a director of Williams and Kettle from 1948 to 1965, being chairman of directors in that last year.

He was also president of the New Zealand Camellia Society and a director of George H Scales Ltd.

Throughout his life, Mr Herrick was a keen golfer and fisherman. He married (the late) Letty O’Rourke (nee Williams) in 1945 and is survived by son Robert, daughters Mary and Jacqueline and four grandchildren.

Mr Herrick’s parents owned Lindisfarne, Hastings – land which is now the home of Lindisfarne College.

A and P Society president Mick Lester said the latest contact with Mr Herrick was about the changes to the show dates to include a Saturday this year.

“We sent out survey forms to all the past presidents and his was one of the first to be returned. He was very positive about the change,” Mr Lester said.