OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6758, 16 July 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

OBITUARY.

DEATH OF THE REV. JOHN HGBBS. ! It is with feelings of regret we record in our obituary column the death of the Rev. John Hobbs, the oldest Wesleyan missionary in New Zealand, or the Australasian group, and who was a contemporary and fellow-worker in the New Zealand mission field with the Venerable Samu»l Marsden, Bishop Williams, Bishop Selwyn, Rev. Walter Lawry, and others who have passed away to their reward. He died on the evening of June 24, at seven o'clock, attbe advanced age o£ S4. Some particulars concerning a career so eventful will be interesting to our readers :— The Rev. John Hebbs was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Hobbs, and bora February 21, ISOO, at St. Peter's, Isle o[ Thanet, in Kent. His father (who was a local preacher under John Wesley) was in the building trade, combined with coachbuilding, and had a large business, in which the subject of this memoir was brought up. The k-owledge thus acquired proved of great value to him in his after mission life. . While so engaged in business he also fulfilled the duties of a Wesleyan local preacher. At the age of 22 the subject of this notice resolved to go to Tasmania, having a strong desire to be ot service in his Master's cause, among the convicts in that then penal colony. Soon after his arrival in Tasmania the Revs. Nathaniel Turner and Carvosso urged him to write home and offer his services to the Wesleyan Missionary Society. During the interval of hearing from the Society he went to Sydney, where he met the Rev. Samuel Marsden, who also offered to employ him at once in the Church Missionary Society work if he would go with hire to New Zealand, which offer he would have accepted but for being in correspondence with the Wesleyan Missionary Society, as well as his father's parting words. When he told Mr. Marsden his determination, that gentleman characteristically replied :— "Nevermind who you go with, but go." I On 3rd August, 1523, Mr. Hobbs sailed I from Sydney for New Zealand, in the ship Brampton, with Mr. Marsden (who was the agent of the Church Missionary Society), the late Archdeacon Henry Williams, and the Rev. Nathaniel lamer, a missionary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society. He arrived at the Bay of Islands the same month, atd Mr. Turner and Mr. Hobbs went to Whangaroa to labour. After the destruction of the Mission Station, in 1527, by the natives, who plundered tieir house and burnt it, and where they only escaped with their | lives through the lata chief Patuone taking them under his protection, Mr. Hobbs returned to Sydney. He only remained a short time in Sydney, where he married Miss B'Oggref, who came out from Ramsgate to join him. The young couple then returned to New Zealand, and went to Hokianga. It was at this station that Patuone and Waka Nene became his true and faithful friends, and remained so till they died. In 1533 Mr. Hobbs requested the Home Committee to remove bim, and he was directed to go to the Friendly Islands, where he speedily acquired the language, took charge of the mission printing press, and soon became quite expert in printing and translating mission publications. Mrs. Hobbs' health, however, soon failed, and a change was ordered by a medical man, a3 the only hope he could hold out, and he recommended that they should go to Tasmania. The whaling ship in which they tojk passage for Tasmania proved to be in a very leaky condition, ! and the captiin put into the Bay of Islands--1 where the ship was condemed as unsea, worthy, and beached. Mr. Turner, then at Hokianga, having heard oi the arrival of Mr. Hobbs at the Bay, hastened across, and re- ! quested Mr. Hobbs to take charge of the ' Mission Station then under his care, which he accordingly agreed to do. Mr. Hobbs' ! previous knowledge of the Maoris and their 1 language proved valuable to the Church, and ' he soon employed his talent in various de- | partments of Mission labour, building honse3 ' and boats, and in translating and printing 1 the Scriptures in Maori—a work in which he J was assisted by Abraham Taonui, a chief of Ngapuhi, lately deceased.

Mr. Hobbs had a more than ordinary attachment to his Queen and country, and the Government. It i 3 not too much to say that it was mainly due to his influence for good ainongat the ftgapuhi, that Tamati Waka Nene, Mohi Tawhai, and Eruera Patuone came oat so staunchly as allies at the time of the colony's peri], when Bone Heke declared war, and sacked Kororareka (now called Russell). His services were often asked and freely given to the Government, when they had any important questions in hand with the natives, ilr. Hobbs acted as interpreter to Governor Hobson when he went over to Hokianga to get the Treaty of Waitanai signed by the Ngapuhi. The loyal influence of the Wealeyaa. mission in Hokianga was of infinite value to the authorities in those

days, and was fresly acknowledged by the Government. Mr, Hobbs was frequently weeks away at a time from his home, visiting the natives in various part of the colony. When he heard of the untimely death of the Rev. John Bamby, by the upsetting of a canoe, ia crossing the Waitemata from Rangitoto to the North Shore, he started off at once overland from Hokianga to Auckland, in the vain hope of recovering the body, which, however, was never recovered. In IS4B Mr. Hobbs was appointed to commence a Wesleyan station in the Upper Whanganui district, and a vessel, the Harriet Lcathart, was chartered for the purpose of conveying the Rev. G. Stannard and family and the Rev. W. Kirk and wife to their new Bcene of labour. Ttie voyage proved to be a disastrous one, the vessel being stranded on the West Coast, near Whanganui, after a most providential escape from being cast on the rocky coast adjacent. Owing to Mr. Hobbs being all night exposed to the winds and waves, lashed to the riggiDg, he became afikcted with almost total deafness, which caused his retirement from active work long before his own wishes would have permitted him doing so. In 1855 he removed with his family to Auckland, and spent a year at the Three Kings Institution ; but his loss of hearing so much interfered with his duties th.it he was compelled to retire into private life; and has since resided in Auckland, where he has enjoyed the friendship of many of his early associates in mission work.

His early association with the founders of the Church Mission, and the sympathy and help given by them in all times of need, greatly endeared them to him ; and many of his dying words referred to the exciting time 3of their early mission labours together. Telegrams from these friends of his youth, in his last illness, testified their sympathy for their " brother John," as he was familiarly styled. The Rev. James Wallis, Thomas Buddie, and Alexander Reid, old workers in the Maori mission field, and other clergymen, have visited him in his last illness, and amongst other friendsßishopand Mrs. Cowie. Our space will not admit of our referring at length to his mission labours, but no doubt at the fitting time eome of his old fellow coworkers in the mission field will fulfil the duty of recounting them. His last illneas proved tedious and painful. Sometimes he said he feared patience had not yethad "her perfect work," but his mind was kept in perfect peace. Kind messages to friends and to young people in whose welfare ho was interested were on his lips to the last. When asked some questions as to hiß past career, he said, Ido not desire any praise. God knows I have done my poor best, bnt having done all, I have been an unprofitable servant." His memory will be dear to many in England, America, Australia, Tonga, aud in New Zealand.

Mr. Hobbs never acquired any property worth speaking about. His legacy to his children ia the memory of a life of strict integrity, devoted to the service of the Master whom he loved. His aged partner survives him, aged 85. They celebrated their "golden wedding" some six years ago. Of his ten children seven survive, two sons and five daughters. The former are Mr. Eichard Hobbs, M.H.R. for the Buy of Islands and Mangonui, and Mr. Edward Hobbs, both of Pokeno. Of tho daughters two aro married to Wesleyan clergymen—the Rev. W. Kirk, of Wellington, and the Rev. W. Gittoa, of Kaipara— the othere being Mrs. Wilcox, of Wellington, whose husband is deceased, Mra. James Bloomfield, and Mrs. G. S. Jakins, of Ponsonby. He leaves also thirty grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Mr. Hobbs left a written request, signed by himself and Mrs, Hobbs, to the effect that his funeral was to bo as plain and simple as possible, and without the usual emblems of mourning. The funeral of the late Rev. John Hobbs was largely attended on Wednesday afternoon. A mortuary service was held in the Pitt-street Wesleyan Church at half-past two, the church being filled. The coffin had been previously placed on treaties in front of the 1

communion rails, having upon it wreaths of flowers intertwined with laurel leaves—one of them being entirely compost d of the native white veronica, a Maori emblem of mourning. The pulpit was also draped in deep mourning. The first part of the burial service was read alternately by the Rev. Ales. Reid and the Rev. J. Whewellj prayer being offered up by the Rer. J. Watkin. After the singing of a favourite hymn, of the deceased, the Rev. James Wallis gave a brief address. The coffin was then removed down the aisle of the church to the hearse, the congregation standing still in theirfseats whilst the relatives filed out after it. As the coffin was being borne out, Professor Lambert, organist, performed a selection from Spohr's "LasJudgment"—"Blessed are the Departed," The two first mourning carriages contained as chief mourners deceased's _ > £wo sons, Mr. Richard Hobbs, M.H.R., and Mr. K. Hobbs; two of the sons-in-law, Messrs. James Bloomfield and G. S. Jakins ; also three daughters, Mrs. Kirk, Mrs. W. Gittos, Mrs. Gr. S. Jakins; and Mrs. Richard Hobbs, daughter-in-law. In succeeding carriages, , nearly a score in number, were grandsons of deceased and personal friends. Then followed on foot a goodly number of old residents of Auckland and its neighbourhood, most of whom had known deceased over a quarter ] of a century. Among the clergy present, in addition to those above - mentioned, were Revs. H. Lawry, Shirley W. Baker, W. C. Oliver, T. G. Carr, Bond, farsonson, SpeDce, G. Smales (Wesleyan); Ven. Archdeacon Maunsell, Revs. J. S. Hill, J. E. Davis, and Dr. Pnrchas (Anglican) ; Rev. R. F. Macnicol (Presbyterian) ; Revs. J. Robertson and Thos. Hamer (Congregationalist), and Rev. J. T. Hodgson. At the grave the concluding portions of the burial service were alternately taken by the Revs. Shirley W. Baker, James \\ ailLs, H. Lawry, and Bond. A hymn having been sung, the Ven. Archdeacon Maunsell pronounced the benediction, and those present having taken their last look at the wreath-covered coffin, Elowly dispersed. The deceased's remains were placed in a vault in the General Cemetery which he has had erect&d for some three cr four years past as the last resting place for himself and Mrs. Hobbs, and the construction of which he personally superintended, so that everything might be carried out according to his desires. The funeral arrangements were carried out Ik* Messrs. T. and H. Cooke, of Victoria-street.