FREDERICK DE CARTERET MALET.

Very general regret was expressed in business and other circles yesterday at tho announcement of the death of Air Frederick de Carteret Alalet who, for many years, has been closely connected with tho commercial, ecclesiastical, and educational interests of tho city. Air Alalet had been ill for the past eighteen months, but nevertheless his demise came .somewhat in tho nature of a shock to all with whom no had been brought in contact. The lato Air Alalet was a native of St. Heliers, Jersey, ar.d came of an old family well-known in tho Channel Islands, "ilo arrived in Auckland in IBbl, when about 23 years of age. He w-ent through many of the experiences of the pioneers of tho Dominion, and for four years after his arrival in tho. Dominion" engaged in pastoral pursuits, iucluding the rough work of a bulloci.driver in Canterbury and Otago. In 1805, tho then Superintendent of tlu> Province of Canterbury, tho lato Hon. W. Rolleston, appointed him clerk of the Warden's Court, at Hokitika. Subsequently, he was appointed by tho Government Clerk to the Resident Alagistrato's Court in Hokitika, and in 1868 he was transferred to a birailar position in the Resident Alagistrato's Court at Christchurch. This position ho held till 1870. From 1872 to 1874 ho was Registrar of tho_New Zealand University, and from 1873 to 1876 ho was secretary to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College. In 187<" Air Alalet was appointed Registrar of tho Supreme Court at Christchurch, and tho .same year ho was elected to tho Board of Governors of Canterbury •College, of which body he was chairman from 1885 to 1894, resigning from tho Board in 1895. Iv 1881 Mr Alalet was admitted to tho bar, and practised in this city from that year to 1887. In 18S8-9 ho paid a visit to England. From 1891 to 18U3 he was managing-director of tho "Lyttelton Times" Company. Ho served as a member of the Canterbury Agricultural (Lincoln) Collego Board of Governors from 1895 to 1897. Ho was appointed one of tho Government directors of the Bank of New Zealand in 1893 and from 1902 to 1900 was chairman of directors of that institution. In December, 1901, Air Alalet was elected a director of tho Christchurch Meat Company, and .n February of the following year ho was elected chairman of directors, a position he hold till the animal meeting held last February, when ho retired owing to ill-health. Air Alalet was also a director for many years of thct New Zealand Shipping Company and of tho Permanent Investment and Loan Association. Of tho late Mr Afalefs business acumen thoso who camo in close contact with him speak in terms of the highest praise. Some of the public companies with which ho was connected were in a critical condition, but owing to Air Alalet's grasp of financial matters they were rmt on a sound basis. Mr Malet's natural bent was decidedly towards finance rather than the law;, and tho work done by him when chairman of directors of the Bank of New Zealand was of a most valuable character, not only to tlie bank itself but to the shareholders. Tho same remark applies to his work on the directorate of the Christchurch Meat Company as well .as tho other concerns with which ho was connected. Air Mulct, in business matters, was most punctilious. Whenever ho made an appointment ho kept it, and expected others to be equally punctual. He was. a man who never undertook anything in a perfunctory way, but either did a thing or left it alone; whatever ho undertook ho did thoroughly. In diocesan matters tho lato Mr Malet took a keen interest. Ho was a member of the Church Property Trustees, and, with Mr W. H. Hargreaves, was the exccutivo of the trustees, and transacted all business that aroso between tho monthly meetings. Ho was also a lay member of tho Diocesan Synod, of which he wa.s ono of its ablest members. Ho was also a member of th© Standing Committeo of tho Diocese, on which he did good work. Tho late Sir Malet married a daughter of tbo late Archdeacon AVileon, and Mrs Alalet and tKreo sons and one daughter survive to mourn their loss. Tho eldest son is Mr Leonard do C. Malet, of Clearwell station, on tho Hinds river; tho second son is Captain Robert James Alalet, of the 64th Pioneers (Indian Army); and the third son is Air William do C. Alalet, a subaltern in the 14th Jat Lancers. Mr Malet's. daughter is Airs Randall, relict of tho late Mr J. A. Randall, on© time in charge of the Christchurch Aleat Company's London offico. Th© funeral will take placo this afternoon, tho cortege leaving tho house at 2 p.m. for the Riccarton churchyard.