A MAORI WAR VETERAN.

THE LATE MAJOR PARRIS. Major Robert Partis, whoso death at K«w PJymouth was recorded in yesterday's issuo, wjifl born at Qhard, Somoraet, and came of an old Went of England Roundhead family, ho arrived in Ne»w Plymouth with his wifo and fainiiy in th» b»rquo Blenheim in 1842. Hi« naino is intimately connected with the oacly prosrew of Tatanakl. On the Constitution Act coining into force in tho early forties. Mr. Parria vraa okctcd to tbo Provincial Council; in 1857 ho entered the Government service oa Land Purchase Coromwsioner, being appointed Assistant Native Minister two Year» later, holding the position till 1865, when he was rrw4« Civil Commismoner of tho district. Not the Jecmt valuable of nis eervkes to the colony wore those rendered during the Maori War, and his adventures during that troublesome period form a. moat exciting theme; on several occasions he narrowly missed boing murdered by tlto na tiveff, During tho TrhcHo of tire war tho deceMcd geaUeman was attached to the Imporinl troops, having command of nativo;levk«, with the rank of major in the Now Zealand Militia. He served with great, distinction, and his. name often ap peared in tho despatches. His familiarity with 1 the Maori tongue conduced in no email degree to the mlcocss of the Britten «rmi>, a lact which Sir H. J. Warre was not slow to acknowledge, for in a letter to the Major* he thanked him for the great services he Imd rendered as interpreter, and tlw valuable information ho gave by which tho natives were driven from the Whltccliffs, to Stony River, and for his skilful dealings with the natives. Tho peaoo- which «n#ued was largely owing to Major Farris'i diplomatic management of to© hostile tribes; while in the disturbances of -1866-9 his inftuoncc- with the Opftnake natives restrained them from joining tne rebels from tho nouthern portions of the district. In 1868 ho was gazotted iv Justice of the Peace by Sir George Grey. On his retirement in 1876 liis services were publicly acknowledged by tho colony. When the West Cooat Katrve Commission was set up, Major Parri* wm appointed to act with Sir William Fox ana Sir Fmncis Billon Bell, and on tho final report being banded to tho Governor hut Assistance was eulogistically referred to by Sir William Fox. lor many yeara Major Parris lived in retirement, enjoying the repnen his- long and nctivo service justly -entitled him to, though of late his With tiadtbeen falling.

Mesart. Ha-roourfc and Co. will '«01l by publio auction to-morrow, at 1 p.m., at Ta«ma.n-ttreet, tho contents of a aovohroomed houie. Messrs. M«cdonald, Wilson and Co. will •ell to-morroir, at their rooms, at 1,30 o'clock, household furniture, oto., v detoiled. The firm advertise » »nlo for tho 29th instant of •> roiidonco containing seven xoamt,, sttuato Oriental Bay; also particulars of a sale of household furniture at No. 36, Cflydo-quay, onThorsday next, nt 1.30 o'clock. . . • 0n Thursday afternoon next a modom •ix-roomed houso, situato Tasmanatroot, will bo submittod to pub'lio auction by Meeeri. W. H, Morrah and Oo^, at their iwttioa rooms, Willis-stroet. Particulars ore advertised. Tlia b.s. Duchoss will run excursions to -Day's Bay to-morrow morfiing and oftornoon, at tho usual hours.