OBITUARY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7782, 9 February 1891, Page 5

OBITUARY.

SIR WILLIAM FITZHERBERT. [HUBS ABSOCTATIOat T«L»JfcASt.I WELLINGTON, February 7. Sir William FlUherbett, K.C.M.G., died at his residence at the Lower Hutt at 2.40 this afternoon. The deceased gentleman, who was in his 83rd year, suffered from Bright'B disease.

IVBQX OUR CORBKSPONDKNT.]

WELLINGTON, February 8. The death of Sir William Fitzherbert this afternoon was not unexpected. The venerable statesman haa been virtually moribund for several days past and the end might have come at any moment. His eon-in-law, the Attorney-General, who had to attend a Ministerial meeting yesterday, told mc then that Sir William was dying and had probably passed away by that time. Few New Zealand public men have a more distinguished record than the late Speaker of the Legislative Council. Sir William Fitzherbert had entered his 82nd year. I hear that he expressed great pleasure at the idea of beiug succeeded by Sir Harry Atkinson in the Speaker's chair, and that Sir Harry Atkinson consulted him more than once before deciding to accept the position. These consultations with his intended successor were tha last quasi public actions of his long public life.

Iα the death of Sir William Fitzherbert New Zealand has lost one more thread of Its living history, and one more of the founders and builders of the colony. Nearly half a century (ago, when New Zealand was almost a terra incognita to English folks, and when it was known chiefly as the land of the fierce and warlike Maori, (Sir William Fitzherbert resolved to try his fortunes there, and in 1841 sailed for the Southern Ocean, He was no need? adventurer seeking a wild land because civilisation was irksome, but stood high in the intellectual world of England, He was a Brown's University medalist, a Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, an M.A. Cantab, M.D., Royal College of Physicians, Loudon, and had practised for some time as a physician in Hanover square, London. He was not the sort of man to go adventuring in foreign countries one would think; yet, like one born to colonise, be gave up all the luxuries and pleasures that the first city in. the world could offer him, and sailed to a new, wild country. He purchased the ship Lady Leigh, loaded it with goods useful for trading, whaling, or settlement, and in the year 1842 reached Wellington. The spirit of colonisation had only just begun to be felt in New Zealand. Three years before the first emigrant ship sent by the New Zealand Company had arrived in Wellington, and Colonel Wakefield had scarcely completed his purchases of land from the Natives. The Treaty of Waitangi had only been signed three years. New Zealand as an independent colony was barely a year oid, and Captain Hobson had just entered on his duties as Governor of these islands, known then as New Ulster, NewMunster, and New Leinster. Governor Hobson was pleased to receive in his new colony a man of such attainments as Sir William Fitzherbert. He placed him first on the list of New Zealand Magistrates, and offered him a seat in the Legislative Council, which was then held at Auckland. The first offer was accepted and the latter one declined. Sir William Fitzherbert wished to devote himself to the body of the colony before he helped to form its head, so he went in for trading and became an owner of ships and of whaling stations, still the political vein was strong in him. He joined the Constitutional Association and was foremost in all measures for improving the legal status of the settlement. He became a member ot the Wellington Provincial Counci], Secretary and Treasurer to the Province, and Superintendent of Wellington, and so identified himself with the work of the province that he .soon became the leadiug figure in its Government. When in 187 a the Abolition of Provinces Act was brought before the House Sir William Fitzherbert was its strongest opponent. He declaimed passionately and eloquently against the idea of central Government, and some of his speeches are historical. Ihough in spite of Sir William's opposition the' Provinces were abolished and a central Government established, Sir William did not retire from the field of politics. He was elected as member of the House of Representatives for Wellington city, and held that position for many years, only varying hi a part in the province by representing to* wards the latter part of this period the Hutt district instead of Wellington city. In 1861 he became Colonial Treasurer under the Weld Ministry, and about that time he began to show in a marked manner his deep and sincere interest In his province and the colony. He took a leading part in the efforts required to remove the seat of Government from Auckland to Wellington, and when that was accomplished he performed one of the greatest of the undertakings with which His name is associated. Almost at the moment of Sir William Fitzherbert's arrival in New Zealand the troubles with the Natives began, and the terrible war between Maori and Pakeha commenced, which obstructed settlement for many years, and saddled the country with a large debt, incurred by the employment of British troops for the suppression of the Maoris. Sir William Fitzherbert, as Colonial Trea-' surer, was sent to England to treat with the British Government regarding the debt, and was successful in nis mission. Whist engaged in this business Sir William also arranged tor the consolidation of the various loans New Zealand had borrowed. In 1876 Sir William was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position he held for two , years, when he was appointed to the Speakership of the Legislative Council, which position he held until just before the late session of Parliament, when he resigned.