Obituaries Australia

Mr. Edwyn Joseph Statham, who died at his son's residence at Wollongong on Sunday last, was one of the pioneer officers of the Public Works Department in this State, and probably laid out and constructed more roads in New South Wales than any other man in the Public Service. He was a contemporary of the late Colonel Wells, Messrs. E. A. Nardin, P. Scarr, and A. W. Stilwell. Mr. Statham retired in 1896 after some 32 years' service in the old Department of Roads and Bridges, since superseded by the Local Government Department. He was road superintendent at Parramatta, Goulburn, and Illawarra, at which latter place he carried out the first section of the Bulli Pass, and erected bridges over Mullett and Broughton creeks. He was afterwards removed to Grafton, where he remained for a period of 23 years, during a considerable portion of which time he held the appointment of supervising engineer for the northern district. At the time of his retirement he was senior supervising engineer for the State, and for some time acted as commissioner in the absence of the then commissioner, Mr. Hickson.

Mr. Statham, who was 81 years of age, was educated at the King's School, Parramatta, under the late Dr. Forest, and subsequently under the late Dr. Woolls. He then served his articles as civil engineer under the late Mr. Bell, city engineer.

Mr. Statham was the oldest surviving member in this State of the Institute of Civil Engineers. He was a member of the Royal Society, and contributed several papers to that body, chiefly on geological subjects. He was also a member of the Victoria Institute, London.

Three sons survive their father—Mr. Claude Statham, solicitor, of Wollongong, the Rev. C. M. Statham, rector of Christ Church, Sydney, and Mr. G. H. Statham, of the Solomon Islands. His wife, one son, Mr. H. W. Statham (formerly of the Roads and Bridges Department), and one daughter, Mrs. H. F. Elwyn, of Gunyan Station, Texas, Queensland, predeceased him.