DEATH OF MR H- J. LECREN

. + Mr Henry John LeCren, one of tin pioneer settlers of Canterbury, and tin pioneer merchant of Timarti, died at his residence, Craighead. yesterday after noon, aged 67. The deceased had been ailing for some time, and his condition latterly had caused some anxiety to his friends, but his end cane somewhat suddenly and unexpectedly. His last illness was a complication of disorders arising from a weakness of the heart. Mr H. J. LeCren was one of the Pilgrims of Canterbury, having precedence m point of time of the arrivals by the " first four ships," as he came out m the Barbara Gordon, by a roundabout route, ahead of them to act as agent for the owners of the first direct ships. Some time after this he joined a Mr Longdon, and the firm of Longdon and LeCren continued for many years to transact a general merchants' business m Lyttelton. Very early m the history of the settlement Mr LeCren made a separate venture, sending Captain Cain with a small shipload of goods to open a store at the future town of Timaru, and Captain Cain continued m charge of this business till 1855 or 1856, when Mr LeCren came to Timaru, and took the direction of the business. He purchased the plot of land now occupied by Mr Arthur Perry, and built a cottage there, m which, we believe, most of his children were born, and Timaru has been his colonial home ever since. After a time, about 1867, the business was sold to Miles and Co., and Mr LeCren went to London, and with Mr George Gray Russell established there the firm of Russell and LeCren, colonial merchants, who were represented m the colony by the firm of Russell, Ritchie and Co. Some years later both the Home and colonial branches were disposed of to the National Mortgage and Agency Company, when Mr LeCren retired from business, returned to Timaru, and built himself a handsome residence at Craighead, where he Ims resided since, except for an occasional visit to London. The deceased gentleman will be remembered by the older generation of settlers here as a shrewd but upright and able business man. Hehad graduated m a good school m the office of Friihling Goschen and Co., where he was a fellow clerk with the late Chancellor of the Exchequer. In his grasp of financial questions he had few if any equals, and his business capacity made him a valuable member of local bodies such as the Tinaru and Gladstone Board of Works, i. lie Levels Road Board, and others iv which he was elected. In private life he was generous and unassuming, and as much liked as he was respected m public and m business circles, and no one among the old identities of Timaru has been more generally respected. Mr LeCren leaves three sons and four daughters. Of the former the eldest is a member of the firm of Guinness and LeCren ; the second is m the Bank of New Zealand at Dunedin ; the third is at Home studying medicine. Three of the daughters are. married — Mesdames Philip Russell and Michie, of Dunedin, and Mrs E. Richardson, of Albury ; and the fourth is at home, unmarried. Mr Frederic LeCren, local manager of the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency is a brother of the deceased. The funeral will be held to-morrow aftei*noon, and it may be anticipated that there will be a large gathering to pay the last tribute of respect to a pioneer settler who had been so closely connected with the fortunes of the district m its early days, and who while going to and fro among them earned the respect and approval of his fellow-settlers.