HON. W. S. PETER.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7872, 25 May 1891, Page 5

HON. W. S. PETER.

The Hon. W. S. Peter, M.L.C., died *t nine o'clock on Saturday morning. Hβ had been in the Ashburton Hospital for the past fortnight, suffering severely from a very complicated disorder, and has been constantly attended by Dr. Trevor and Dr. Moorhouse.

The Hon. W. S. Peter was a native of Scotland. He left hie native place at the age of 19, and Went out to South Australia and successfully engaged in sheep farming.' About thirty-five years ago he did a large amount of exploring in the north-western part of Australia, and was all over the district which is now'known as the Kimberley eoldfield. He sold out his property to south Australia about thirty years ago, and came to New Zealand, He took up the block, of country known as Anaina, in the Mount Somen district, about twenty-two miles from Aehburton, where he haa been engaged in sheep fanning ever since. He waa a noted breeder of merino sheep in Australia, and after be had settled in the Ashburton district his flock soon became favorably known in this colony, and his sheep were always «agerlV sought after when pat in the market. The fact that a line of Anama sheep' were in the yards was quite ■sufficient to elicit good competition, ana the sheep were pretty sure to find ready purchasers at full market values. During the last two or three years he went in for breeding crossbreds, and sold them as lambs at top prices. A lme of nearly 2000 was sold a lew weeks back at 10e a head.' His merino flock he continued to preserve, and it is known as one of the best in Canterbury. In 1868 the Hon. W. S. Peter was called to the Legislative Council by the Stafford Government, bat beyond hie duties in the Council he took no active part in public matters. He took a lively interest in local Road Board matters and all that pertained to the welfare of his district. He was ft very energetic man on his station, and until recently enjoyed robust health. Hβ had a family of six sons and three daughters. Three of the former have died within the last four years, and the others are grown np. The deceased gentleman was about seventy-three yean of age,