William Ferris

Many people in the Gisborne area were saddened to hear of the death of Mr William Mataara Ferris, son of the late James Paumea and the late Heni Ferris.

Coming from a well-known gardening family, Bill was admired as an enterprising and keen nurseryman. He started market gardening in 1950 with a quarter acre nursery. This grew to 4 ½ acres, and he planned to bring in another 1 ½ acres. He had a complete range of flower and vegetable seedlings, and sent them as far afield as Rotorua. Napier and Hastings. His well-known kumara plants were flown as far south as Motueka.

Mr Ferris experimented with modern equipment and techniques, giving a lead to many other nurserymen.

He employed four full-time and four parttime workers, and his son Dave who worked with him full-time is expected to carry on the business.

Bill Ferris