THE LATE CAPTAIN COLBECK.

Yesterday flags were flying half-mast as a mark of respect to the memory of (he late Captain Colbeek. The funeral will take place to-day, the funeral cortege, leaving his late residence, Gladstone Road, Parnell, at two o'clock p.m. In yesterday's issue we referred to the death of this old and respected colonist. There will, no doubt, be a large attendance at the funeral, a,-* no citizen was better known, or more widely respected, and citizens will desire to pay the last- token of regard by following his remains to their last resting-place. The deceased gentleman wo.s horn in Yorkshire, and spent the first- 50 years of his life there, being engaged in woollen manufacture at Bailey. lifter which his Batley estate, on the Otamatea, is called. The. firm traded under the style of Colbeck Bros., and still exists, the woollen mills being shifted from iJ-itlev to Alversthorpe. near Wakefield, and not far from Batrey. Nearly a quarter or a century ago, Captain Colbeck came out to .Auckland, to join his two eldest, sons, who had preceded him, and had bought land in the Kaipara. district. Captain Colbeek enlarged the block by other purchases, ami built a lino residence on it. Here he spent seven years of his life. In 1879 he represented Aiaisden electorate in Parliament, and was one of "The Auckland Four," who took the responsibility of making a compact to k*iep Sir John Hall in power, and thus enabled the colony to be rescued from the fiii::rr : al chaos into which it was drifting. Captain Colbeek was an ardent supporter of the North Auckland Main Trunk railway, nad was a great believer in the natural resources of "the roadless North.'' Coming to town to reside, he became closely associated with the industrial and commercial life of ;!>►■ city, with the Bank of Now Zealand, as president, with the Chamber of Commerce, and latterly the Auckland Milling Company. For many years he was- president of the Auckland Club. Captain Colbeck was a widower. He leaves six sons ami two daughters. The eldest son is Mr. J. C. Colbeek (of Pullan and Armitage), the others being Messrs. Arthur and Frank Colbeck. both in the Kaipara district, Mr. K. H. Colbeck, residing in London, practising his profession, Mr. O. A. Colbeck, in the Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, and Mr. W. B. Colbeck (of "Messrs'. Gillies and Colbeek, solicitors). Of the daughters, one is married and the. oilier unmarried. Very general regret was expressed yesterday when the tidings became known through the columns of the Hukaui that Captain Colbeck had passed away.