OBITUARY.

MR. H. A. FIELD, M.H.R. Otalti has lost its member— Mr. Field is dead. To those who were aware of the critical condition of his health the event Was not unexpected. Mr. Field has been ailing for some considerable time/ but has been up and about uniil the last week or so. Though very ill at the x time, he heard with pleasure the result 6f his re-election, and almost the last wish he conveyed lo his brother, Mr. W. H. Field, who has been with him since last Friday morning, was that his best thanks should be given to his committees and supporters in the recent election contest, when he defeated Mr. C. B. Morison. In the early hours of yesterday morning Mr. Field appeared to make a distinct change for the better, and his friends were hopeful of his again pulling round, but a few hours later another change came which was recogfiised as the beginning of the end, and the invalid passed away shortly after midday, at his home at Arapawaiti, Waikanae. The late Mr. Field was the eldest son of Mr. H, C. Field, C.E., of Wanganui, and was 48 years of age. He was born in Wanganui, and has lived his whole life in the colony. He entered the Government service as a cadet in 1868, qualified as a surveyor in 1872, and in conjunction with his cousin, Mr. D. H. Monro, of Christchurch, undertook on behalf of the Government a trigonometrical survey of the country in the Upper Wanganui and Taupo districts immediately after the close of the last Maori war. They were the first Europeans to enter the country, which was in a troubled, disaffected state. Mr. Field remained there for two years, his survey party of natives being his sole companions. The experience thus gained rendered him a valuable witness before the Main Trunk Railway Commission, and it was largely owing to his evidence that the present route was adopted. r He relinquished his engaement with" i he Government on account of ill-health, but continued to practise his profession privately. Since 1878 he has been sheepfarming a"t Waikanae. For the last six years he has sat on the Hutt County Council as representative of the Whareroa Riding. He was known as an expert Maori linguist, and an earriest reader and thinker. Mr. Field first entered the political arena in 1896, when he contested the Otaki seat Avith Dr. Newman, and defeated him by a majority of 428. ,He was not particularly conspicuous as a politician, but was regarded as a conscientious supporter of tho present Government, and could always be reckoned upon to vote at his Party's call. In a quiet way he did his best for the district which he represented, and was highly respected even by\ those opposed to him in politics. His particular hobbies were the land and native questions, and he had some experience as a member of the Wellington Land Board. During the whole of the last session of Parliament Mr. Field was in bad health, *and his seat was vacant on several occasions on this account. The end of the session saw him a' physical wreck, but against the advice of many of his friends and an almost prohibitory order of his medical adviser, Dr. Anson, he threw himself into the contest just ended when he ought to have been resting. In the early stages of the campaign he addressed several meetings in different parts of the' constituency with apparent difficulty, and at his last meeting held in Otaki township . he almost completely broke down. The illness was then attributed by himself to the effects of influenza, but as a matter of fact it was heart disease in an acute form, which had been creeping upon him for years. A magnificent constitution, acquired by the athletic training necessary in following his profession, helped him to struggle on hopeful of eventual recovery, but the common destroyer has triumphed, and an earnest, unostentatious life has fluttered out. The deceased was married to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Wilton, a well-known sevtler at Waikanae, and his widow survives him. The interment will be a private one.