DEATH OF THE HON W. C. WALKER.

A SPEAKER OF THE COUNCIL AND EX-MINISTER. The death is announced of th© Hon William Campbell Walker, 'C.M.G., M.L.C., who passed away suddenly at his residence, near Governor's Bay Road, on the Port Hill§, early this morning. For many years Mr Walker was intimate--1 ly connected with the politics 0/ this colony, but some of the best work he did was in connection with the development of Canterbury, he having devoted & great deal of time and energy to , advancing the welfare of this provincial district. Indeed it was from the old Provincial Cppncil that he graduated to the General Asssmbly, and ( rose from a private member to be a Minister of the Crown, and latterly Speaker of the Legislative Council. [ He was the eldest son of the late Sir ' William Stuart .Walker, X.C.8., who was for many years chairman of the Board of Supervision, England. He was born in 1837 „ at B.owlandston, Midlothian, Scotland, edu- , cated at Trinity College, Glenalmond,. ; Perthshire, and at Trinity College, Oxford, Ho graduated at the latter institution, and there he took his degree of M.A. h It was in 1862 ' that he landed in Lyttei- ' ton, in the Evening Star, and commenced ' his career as a colonM. With his brother, Mr At J. Walker, he engaged in theepfarming pursuits for many years. Their station in the Ashburton district is known [^ as " Mount Possession." Fifteen years after his arrival, he entered upon his public life, being elected the t first chairman of the Ashburton County : Council in 1877. He held that position I continuously until 1893. In 1884 he was returned to Parliament as the representative of, the Ashburton constituency. He stood as a supporter of Sir Julius Yogel, and he was one of the staunchest supporters pf the Stput-Vogel coalition, his loyalty never wavering, even, in the stormiest times through which that regime passed. He was re-elected for Ashburton in 1887, but at the third contest., in 1890, he lost the seat. For six yeari' He was Whip to his party. Be hM thrown in his lot with the Ballanpe Government, which, in. 1892, had him cajled to the Legislative Council." Soon- after the Hpn W. P. Reeves, in 1896,, relinquished his portfolio in the Seddoii administration, to take up the position of Agent-General in London, Mr Walker was appointed Minister of Education in r succession to Mr Reeves. At the same I time he became Minister of Immigration [ . While he held the portfolio of Education, he was also leader of the Government in the Council. In the first year of office as > Minister of Education, ho was instrumental - in passing an Act for the reconsititution of Canterbury College. It provided for the l fieparation qf the Lincoln Agricultural Col-' ■ lege from th c principal institution.. For l many years lje was a member P f ik& 1 Board of Qorernors of Canterbury College, ; and was also a member 'Of th^ Canteibury Land 1 B.pard. Just before the i^es^ioQ of last year began, it was announced c fl>a<> Mr Wajker, owing to faijipg health, had relinquished his offios in the Government, and-' that the portfolio; of Eai^cation h^ad' been take» by 'Mr Seddon. He was theft appointed Speaker of the Legislative CqiinoiJ, a position for which his long Parliamentary career, which had given him, a; good grasp of the forms of procedure, admirably adapted him. * ■ 'In 1871 Mr Walker was married' to a , daughter of the late Archdeacon- Wilson, ' of Christchurch. He leaves a widow, five . sons, and one daughter. Only one son, M^O, R. Walker, is in> Christchurch at present.