DEATH OF MR. P. S. HAY.

ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF FOR THE ] COLONY. By the death of Mr. Peter Seton Hay, M.A., M.lust.C.E., which occurred at WadestoWn last evening, the colony lost its Engineer-in-Chief, one of tho best known and respected men in the civil service. Mr. Hay's death was not unexpected. Towards the close of last year, while on a trip to Auckland, he contracted pleurisy, and never recovered from his illness. He was an inmate* of a private hospital iv Auckland for some months, but as he gradually got worse, and pneumonia supervened, he returned to Wellington last week in tho hope that the change, as a last resort, might be beneficial. His condition gradually became more serious, however, and the end came last evening. As an engineer, the late Mr. Hay had a notable career. Born in Glasgow in 1852, he arrived in 1860 by the ship Storm Cloud, which berthed at Port Chalmers. After attending the primary schools in Dunedin, he finished his educational career at the Otago University, whore he gained his B.A. degree in 1877, and his M.A. , with first-class honours in mathematics and mathematical physics, in 1878. Three years previous to this, Mr. Hay had entered the Government service as a cadet in tho Public Works Department. His undoubted ability soon came to be recognised, and only four years later he was appointed to tha post of assistant engineer in Dunedin. After carrying out these duties for a period of five years, during which time he was associated with a number of important works, he was transferred to Wellington. In 1866, two years after he joined the staff of the Fublic Works Department in the capital city, he was promoted to the position of resident engineer. In this capacity, deceased laboured for ten years, and then came further nromotion with his aopointment as Superintendjrfg Engineer lor the whole colony. His elevation to the highest position in the engineering branch of the service was brought about when Mr. W. H. Hales retired from tho position of Engineer-in-Chief at the beginning of last yeai-. Throughout his career Mr. Hay had shown himself to be a man of exceptional knowledge and attainments, and it will bo a matter for general regret that his occupancy of the post, to which he so recently attained, has been terminated so unfortunately for himself and the colony. Mr. Hay leaves a widow, one daughter, and four sons. The Public \Vorks Department was closed until 2 p.m. to-day out of respect for t'de memI cry of deceased.