Obituary: Ranald Elliot

In the eulogy delivered at his funeral, a family member said Ranald (Ran) Elliot had been born into good farming stock, brought up in a home without electricity and rode his horse to school.
Little wonder that his link to the land began a life-long involvement in New Zealand's meat industry as a vet.
Born at Waikari, North Canterbury, in 1927, Mr Elliot got his primary education at Greta Valley School in Motunau. His secondary education was at Christchurch Boys' High School where he was a prefect and played for the school's First XV.
He graduated from veterinary school in Sydney in 1949 and began his working career with the Richmond Vet Club before transferring to the Wanganui Vet Club. He boarded with the Smallholme family and later married one of the daughters, Kathleen, in 1952.
He left the Vet Club in the mid-50s, taking up employment with the Animal Industry Division of the Department of Agriculture because the more acceptable working hours appealed.
During this period meat processing plants were under the guidance and control of these vets, who visited Wanganui's Imlay works three times a week and the local abattoir twice weekly.
In the late 1950s the meat industry was looking to expand its markets away from Britain and looked at Europe. But the strict inspection regime demanded of that market saw NZ producers turn their attention to the USA. The US wasn't as demanding but did require full-time veterinary supervision.
The result was a separation of the Department of Agriculture into the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries with two divisions ? meat and animal health.
Mr Elliot chose to go with the meat division and subsequently became the first supervising meat veterinarian at Imlay (then NZ Refrigerating Co).
This started Mr Elliot's 36 year association with the meat industry. As well as Imlay works, he had responsibility for Meat Packers, Wanganui Trawlers and its Korean fishing fleet, as well as a number of pet food factories.
During his time at Imlay the industry underwent significant changes to the production process and the number of meat inspectors increased from seven to 38.
The stock slaughter numbers increased markedly too. Beef went from 15,000 head to 55,000 annually, the sheep kill rose from 650,000 to 1.3 million and calves from 20,000 to 90,000 each year.
He officially retired in 1991 but relieved at Imlay through until 1996.
He and his wife Kathleen had three children and through them Mr Elliot was a keen and active supporter of the Central Swimming Club where he served on the executive, as selector, starter and timekeeper. He also played badminton and was a more than handy golfer.
At his funeral family reminded mourners that Ran Elliot ? husband and father ? was a sensitive new age man before the term was invented. A keen baker of biscuits, he was renowned for his afghans and chocolate chip cookies.
Mr Elliot is survived by his wife, Kathleen and children Margaret, John and Sue and their families.
? JOHN MASLIN, from information supplied by Peter McIntyre and the family.