One of the earliest settlers in the district died at his home near the coast, west of Harvey, on Wednesday afternoon, in the person of Mr. William Reading. Arriving from England in the early days of the coast settlement in the State, Mr. Reading selected land which he occupied till the time of his death. The deceased for very many years took an active part in the civic affairs of the district. He was a member of the old Wellington Road Board, and with others was largely instrumental in the formation in 1895 of the Brunswick Road Board, and was elected its first chairman, a position he occupied till 1902. He was again elected to the chair in 1905 and retired in 1908. The following year the name of the board was changed to the Harvey Road Board, but the records do not reveal that Mr. Reading was further associated with it. He was the chairman of the first meeting of the Road Board Association held in Coolgardie. For many years the late Mr. Reading has lived in retirement. On the occasion of the opening of the new board rooms last year the deceased was amongst the early pioneers honoured by the board and it was his privilege to be the first to enter the building after it had been officially opened by His Excellency the Lieut. Governor, (Sir James Mitchell.) The funeral was held yesterday afternoon and was largely attended.
(Harvey Murray Times, 16 October 1936.)
LATE MR. WILLIAM READING. The funeral of the late Mr. Wm. Reading, who died at his home near the coast, west of Harvey, recently, at the age of 90 years, took place on October 15, at 3.30 p.m. The remains were interred in the private cemetery at Springhill, where a service was conducted by the Rev. Arnold Fryer. The pall bearers were Messrs. E. Rose, J. Lowe (chairman of the Harvey Road Board), A. W. Smith, G. Jones, M. Clifton, E. Manning, W. Eckersley and F. W. Roberts. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Wm. Brittain and Son.
(Harvey Murray Times, 23 October 1936.)