DEATH OF COLONEL BALNEAVIS.

Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 2041, 28 August 1876, Page 3

DEATH OF COLONEL BALNEAVIS.

The death of this gallant and > generally respected officer is an event which will be heard ot with very widespread Borrow. It occurred on Saturday night, about half-past nine o'clock. Lieut. Colonel Henry Colin Balneavia was born at Ghent, Belgium, on the 15th March, 1818, and he was thus 58 years old at the time of his decease. His father was Lieut.-General Henry BaJnearis, C. M. G. and K. H., who was twice acting Governor of Malta. In consideration of his father's services in the Peninsular War and elsewhere, the son at the age of 19 was granted a commission in the 58th Regiment without purchase. He obtained his company a few years later. He accompained his regiment to New Zealand in 1846, and landed at the Bay of Islands shortly after the sack _of Kororareka. He served with distinction through several^campaigns against the natives.^ and was present at the assaults on the Maori pas at Ruapekapeka and Obaewai. He played a conspicuous part in the Wanganni war, and finally retired on half pay in 1858, haying completed his 20 years of service. (He received the New Zealand War Medal, and also a grant of land at Maraetai, where he settled for a while after the departure of his regiment. When the Waikato war broke out Colonel Balneavis again took up arms and was one of the chief amenta in forming the Waikato militia. Between 1862 and 1864 he was engaged in aotive service, and obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The deceased has lately filled the important offices of Sheriff of Auckland and Returning officer. He was also the ItalianlConsul. Colonel Balneavis was a man of high intellectual attainments, but of such a retiring disposition, that few were aware ot his extensive range of information. As an authoeity on fortification, he was looked up to, and he wrote some interesting papers on Maori pas which he sent homei As a linguist he was celebrated, being able to converse in Arabic, Maltese, French, Italian and Maori, besides English, while he possessed a less perfect knowledge of German, modern Greek, and Spanish. But it was chiefly as a musician that Col. Balneavia was known to Aucklanders, and his death will render it somewhat difficult to fill worthily the post of 11 first violin " of the Choral Society, which he held for many years. It has been ra-

ranged that some of the members of the Society will meet at the grave, and asafare■weil tribute of respect sing some of deceased's favorite melodies. All who have come across ! tho Colonel in any of his many capacities of military man, public official, musician, QitlZen, private individual, can can testify to his uniform courtesy and consideration. He was a thorough gentleman and a capital officer. The regimental colours he bore may be now seen encased over the judge's bench at the Supreme Court All through the city to-day, flags have been hanging half mast in attestation of fche public mourning for the event which deprives us of another of oar old settlers, The furneral will take place at Sfc Stephens, Parnell. As the deceased was a prominent Mason, it is expected that the brotherhood will do honor to the sad occasion, while the volunteers, with whom the deceased was so long and intimately connected, will no doubt be well represented. Several advertisements in relation to parades of the various corps for this pnrpose appear elsewhere. We understand that several of the Colonel's old non-commissioned officers now in Auckland have askei to be allowed to carry their beloved officer's remains to the grave. Such a wish will no doubt be granted. The names of applicants are Sergeants Brophy, Donald, Dunn, and Speight, as also Messrs Hume, Cottingham, Young and Thoborn.