OBITUARY.

Mr E. B. Bishop* j To the list of Canterbury pilgrims who have passed away, deeply regretted by those -with whom they faced tho difficulties and discomforts of early dajs and highly venerated by those whose lot ia caat in less adventurous times, must now be added the name of Mr Edward Brenchby IHohop, who h»B within the last week died at the ripe age of 76 years. Mr Bishop was born at Somerfielcl House, near Maidatoae, Kent, and received hie early educational training under the Rev Mr Lough, Curate of Sittingbourne. After a while the family went to Bruges, in Belgium, where he continued his education at the Atheuee Roy ale ; subsequently *he finished hia studies at Duakerque, whence in due time he was sent to England to begin a commercial career. At the age of nineteen he received an appointment in the firm of Measrs Swaine and Co., disiiUerfc of London, with, whom be remained for upwards of twenty-one years. His health failing had to seek a milder climate, and selected Canterbury as hia new sphere of action. With his family he arrived at Lyttelton on Dec. 16, 1850, in tho Charlotte Jane. At Lyttelton he remained till his land, paid for in England at the rate of £3 an acre, had been selected. From an autobiography kindly lent to ub we cull the following particulars of Mr Bishop's career in Canterbury: — Coming over the hills by the Bridle Path, his first view of the site of Chriatchurch was not encouraging ; as all he i saw was tussock or high fl<»x. This was being burnt off to enable the survey to be made. Not a single house was there, saving a umall building amongst the flax i used by the Canterbury Association for keeping stores and the surveyor's instruments in. i After enduring hardships and diacom- : fort innumerable, not unaccompanied with I real or imaginary dangers, he erected in Chribtchurch the first imported house, which he conveyed (together with an English oart, a plough, harrows, and a piano) in a vessel chartered to sail from Lyttelton to Heath cote. He rapidly got his land into cultivation, though his workmen were j some of them quite unaccustomed to agri- ! culture. Many of- these, however, afterwards did well for themselves and now own property. With an assistant he built a barn, stockl yard, and shed, and manufactured by himself a double mould- board plough for earth-ing-up potatoes and such like. The iron work was made and fitted on by a clever man who commenced business at the " Brickß," and afterwards moved into Cashol street. He also made a dray, buying imported wheels. Making the roads passable was tlie owc-jpation of himself and neighbours for a long time, as also making culverts and a bridge over the Heathcote. As to wages, he commenced farming, paying 4.* a day, afterwards 4s Gii, and for reaping, £5 a per acre, and beer. To get men to undertake thia he had to go to Christchurch. and beg them to come a3 a favour. There were no reaping and binding machines in those days, the modern farmers don't know the luxury of these implements. The price of corn was high — 8?, 10.?, and even 12a for wheat, and sometimts by keeping the oats till late in the reason, he used to get 10s per bushel for them. The working man insisted that it was an old rule for the price of a day's work to be tho current price of a bushel of wheat. Hi 3 introduction to the late Mr George Gordon, with whom he was subsequently closely associated in Borough and City Council affairs, was on the oocasion of a horse bolting with him, near what is now called Windmill road. The lynch-pin came out, the wheels came off, and the body of the cart he was sitting in came to the ! ground. Mr Gordon was passing, and assisted him to put matters right. When the Farmers' Club, which afterterwards developed into the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, was established, Mr Bishop became a member, and on the death of Mr W. Thompson, was appointed Hon Treasurer and Secretary, positions he held for several years. In the course of time he brought before the Committee the importance of taking in hand the management of the annual horse parade, and drew up rules to have it carried out in a systematic manner. The suggestion was approved, and the parade has continued to the present time. The Association showed their appreciation of his services by presenting him with a gold watch, and making him a life member. When tha Rifle Association was formed, he took an active part in it, and was made Eon Treasurer, and in 1873 President, j He was also Hon Treasurer to the No. 1 Company in the Volunteers. j He next turned his attention to civic ! affairs, and was elected a member of the Borough Council of Christchurch, witnessing the troubles between the Council and j the Ratepayers' Association. In 1566 he j was elected Chairman, and in 1872 waa chosen Mayor, the compliment being repeated the following year. At the ' close of his second Mayoralty he ! was presented with a valuable service !of plate, and an illuminated address. I He waa now a Justice of the Peace, and shortly afterwards became a member of the Board of Conservators. When Sir George Bowen, Governor of New Zealand, wa9 on a visit here, Mr I Bishop, at the Clarendon Hotel, enteri tamed him and a goodly company, mii eluding the Superintendent, many of the I clergy, and heads of Departments coni nected with the Provincial Government. Mr Bishop also became a member of the ! Central Board of Health, and in 1875 pnb- | lished a sanitary scheme for Christchurch ', and the surrounding districts. He also was instrumental in having experiments made with a view to having all side : channels made of concrete, advocating the use of broken metal instead of shingle with good cement. In 1875 he retired from the City Council, where he had always been very active in Committee work. The Conn- : cil took tho opportunity to present him with ! an illuminated copy of their resolution of thanks for hia past services. For the Mechanics' Institute he acted as Hon Treasurer for a long period, and during one year was President. i For the last decade Mr Bishop has retired altogether from public life, but his geniality endeared him to many private : friends by whom he will be greatly missed.