OBITUARY.

. MR JOHN DEANS. The new* of the death of Mr John Deans, of Riccartonj which occurred at seven o'clock yesterday morning, will be heard with deep regret throughout all Canterbury, where the name has been a household word since the first settlement of the Plains. Mr Deans became slightly unwell an about the 3rd of the month. He was seriously ill on the 7th. and it was thought then that there was very little hope of his recovery. On Sunday last special prayer -was offered for him at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Death is said to have been due to meningitis. The late 'Mr John "Deans was born in 1854 at Kiccarton, where his father, Mr John DeanV and his uncle, Mr William Deans, had settled aa early 'as 1843. The hospitality of the Deans Brothers to the early settlers is well known. Riccarton was the home of the pilgrims who were exploring the Promised Land, and they all received the greatest hospitality. Bishop Selwyn, who *was asked by the Canterbury Association to see the land proposed for the Canterbury settlement, sojourned at Riccarton, and spoke in glowing, terms of the hospitality received by him at the hands of the Brothers Deans, and of the beauty of the surroundings, the Tose garden in the "wilderness which , Riccarton was even in those early days. With the early history of the province of Canterbury, Riccarton and the names of the "Deans Brothers are closely associated. On the estate was the cottage where the founder of" the province, Mr John Robert Godley, stayed during his "visits tothe Plains whilst making arrangements for the reception of the Pilgrim Fathers in the land of their adoption. Riccarton was, so to speak, the Hecea of the earlier cotonists, and unbounded hospitality, and, perhaps, what was better, good practical advice were given by the Deans Brothen? to the people who had coroe to shave with them the rich .inheritance under the Southern Cress. So jt f.rew to be that the squires of Riccarlon were far more to the peapie of Canterbury than irwre farmers or landed proprietors. They became part of the national history c€ the provincfc, and therefore it is that to-day, by the untimely decease of the late Mr Deans, it is felt that Onterbury has suffered a more than ordinary loss.' With his venerable mother, "who survives him, Mr Deans-was deservedly proud of the claim of his .family to be the pioneer settlers on the Plains. The great and historic gathering of the old settlers in Riccarton on the occasion of the Jubilee, and their hospitable reception by Mrs Deans, senior, Mr John.Deans and his wife, was one of the features of that notable period.

Harking back to a more remote period, it may be mentioned that after being educated at the Lincoln Road High School, now ,the, Wetjt Christchurch School, Mr Deans se~ryje{f|sty£ articles as a clerk in the office -of < Massrs -Duncan and Williams, the-latter being now Air Justice Williams, while the former. was Orown Proaeaitor in those days. Mr Deans did not continue his profession, butoorn r attaining his majority took "over the management the Riccarton Estate. The celebration of the coming of age of the squire of Riccarton, whose untimely -decease is mourned to-day,' was an fpoch in our history. The ceremonies on that day were notable from the fact that they took place on the site where the two pioneers set tip their camp midst of the vast plain, then a wilaerness, but iww covered by a city with r>allihe appliances of modern civilisation. Mr Deans married Miss Edith" Park, a daughter of the late Mr Robert Park, Chief Surveyor for the province of Wellington, and one of the earliest Wellington settlers. ]$rs John Deans is a sister of Mrs Symes, the wife of Dr. Symes. The deceased leaves a family of nine children, eight sons and a daughter. Two other daughters have died,' one of them within the last twelve mfcths.

I The late Mr Deans was very widely ' known and greatly respegted in Canterbury, and held many important positions on>vari--1 ova. local-bodies. 4 Fpr years, he was a [ prominent member- of the Agricultural and I Pastoral Association', of which he was once ■ president. He wiis chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board since 1887, and was cha-irnuui of the Riccarton Road Board, until pressure of other duties obliged him to give up the office, and lie was succeeded by Mr W. Boag. At the time of his death ■Mr Deans was also a member of the Canterbury College Board of Governor-s.- ---""' Besides the historic-estate of Ricoarton, Mr Deans was also owner of. large properties &£ Hoinebush, where he also bred purebred cattle, and at Waimarama. He wae an enthusiastic sportsman, especially with ftegard to fishing and shooting. pastoral jndiistry of Canterbury, ;and,-: in4*ed, of New Zealand, is much indebted to Mr Deans. . Throughout his ea-reer he 3id a great deal to improve the quality of tfie flocks and herds of the province fey , importing purebred stock' of the best blood from the Old Country. The fficoartoh shorthorne have a colonial repu; tafc&B,. and hie sheep were almost as .famous. Through all the bad seasons, when stock was unsaleable, he kept on .importing .the. best strains, at great per1 But for him shorthorns would dhave .practically disappeared from Canterbury- „ '.He' also imported a number of fine at 'Sandringham by'the King. His last importation was stated by competent judges; to be one of the finest bulls ever brought into 'New Zealand- • ' When he bred cattle Obey were not unduly pampered,., and people were consequently never disappointed when they purchased-

As has been said, Cilr Deans was a strong supporter of the A. and P. Association, and the fine brick wail round the Show Grounds was his gift to the Association. He was also one of the first to recognise the value to gheepbreeders of th.c New Zealand Flock Book, which is now thoroughly - established. With all his services to* Canterbury, however, the -deceased was very unostentatious in manner.

The late Mr Deans visited the Old Country several times of recent years, the last occasion, being some two years ago. He was a staunch supporter of the Presbyterian

Church, notably of St. . Andrew's, of which he was an elder for many years, and with which the Deans family have, been associated einoe its erection.

The flags on the ChristohurcK Club and various buildings were, hoisted at half-mast yesterday when the news of his death was received:

It is noticeable how busy death has been in regard to the directors of-the Canterbury Frozen' Meat Company during the year. No..less than four have died, viz., Messrs Gar/orth, Grigg, Chrystall, and Peans, The funeral takes place at Addington at2*p.m; on Saturday.