A PERSONALITY OF THE PAST.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18343, 28 March 1925, Page 10

A PERSONALITY OF THE PAST.

LIFE OF WILLIAM ROLLESTON. LECTURE BEFORE HISTORICAL' ASSOCIATION. The life of William Knllrston v-93 the subject of an address by Mr L. R, R. Denny given to the New Zealand His. Union! Association at C.mterbnry College hist night. The speaker, in T»re» smiting a comprehensive survey- of the lifo of Rolleston, gave hi.* listeners 34 eloquent reminder of the debt thtjf \ owed to tho past. J "William Rolleston was born in ISSjI at tho village of Malt by, Yorkshire. He was educated at Rossal School aat| Emmanuel College, Cambridge, taking his B.A. in classics in ISoo. Three years later he arrived in New Zealand, sn-i took up land near Lake- Coleridge. Tha hardships of the early days trained hin for vigorous self-reliance. The district bears the stamp of his name in RoW leston Range, Mount Rolleston, and Raj. lesion Station. lu 1563 Rolleston entered into public; lifo becoming a member of tho Canter* bury Education Commission. Following this, ho became member for Ue-athvota on the Canterbury Provincial Council*. From 1563 to 1567 ho was in the Pnblio Scrvico as Under-Secretary for Native Affairs and Inspector of Native Schools in the Central Government under the Weld Ministry. It was an excellent opportunity for Rolleston's administrative- qualities. From ISCS to IS7C, Bolleston was Superintendent of Cantor* bury. Conditions in Canterbury calltd for a policy of economy and strict ra» trenchment. Rolleston realised the potentialities of the provinco of the plains; ho encouraged selected imrai. grants and championed local bodies; He dcvoloped public works in the pro. vjnee, speeding up tho work on tat Lyttclton tunnel and hastening thej bridging of Eangitata, Opihi, and Te* muka Rivers. Twice he was re-elected, to the Superintendence-, and during hisj term of office tho Christehurch Museum was opened, He also assisted ia th« establishment of Canterbury College ia, ]873. Ftoju 1868 to 18S4, Rollestoa was member for Avon ia tho House of Representatives. In tho House ho dial splendid- work for tho Maoris, and vigorously opposed Vogel's borrowing policy in 1870, and in 1875 opposed tht. abolition of the provinces. He was at* ways the champion of social reform and education. As Minister of lands isj tho Hall Ministry (1579-ISS2) ho intro. duccd liberal land legislation dependent \ on tho deferred payment system, and an extension of the village settlements] scheme. For a time he was in cbarga of tho Departments of Justic:-, 0$ Native Affairs, of Mines and Education From IS9I-1893 he was leader of fhq Opposition to tho Bailanca Ministry He was an original member of thtf Sonate of New Zealand University (1871-1903), and of the Canterbury Collego Board of Governors (1573-1875)J | His name was connected with the foua»' dation of the Christehurch Hospitsk Sunnyaido Mental Hospital, the SnoaiJ Deaf and Dumb Institute, T,i»i«oh» Cta|a» lege, and the Supreme Court buildings, "His character was such that apes]' honoured, him more for what he vw( than for what he did," continued thti lecturer. His noble statue before th* Museum, still, more his portrait^ intelligence in the expansive forehead unflinching courage, honesty in iha <tm* : and grim determination in the dsra» of the chin. :"JTot" a brilliant speajkjo?' ho would yet hold his audience by 8&0WI intellectual poiwor and the force ofldg^, ideals. As a writer, he was diatzaeCto 1 better, and as a conversationalist vax { 'effective, interesting, snd very or*. I ginal.' Wide as was his sehoiarsaqL 1 he never paraded the- scholar tO~ffc(| I detriment of the gentleman. Tea* f paramentally, too, he' was unfitted ttf t use those minor arts of flattery b#[ which publid opinion cculd be snraya£ He- was not popular but respected, aas once one got beneath his outer xesxcMf - the natural kindness aid geniality el the inner man revealed itself. He !»• came the guide and friend- of many elf tho rising politicians of tho day; Htf died in February, 1903, mourned by Cbc * whole country." "The space beneath his name is blank," concluded ta«" •" speaker. "What better words cool* • there be than these: 'He ecoraei. flattery.' »■ - The lecture was illustrated by par* traits of Rolleston and cf places of is* terest in buildings with which ha vaa connected. ' jf . ====s ', ".^ DEPRECIATION OF YEN, •-: *^. <B* CABUC—PBKSS ASaOCIATIOS COJIB«JjA (ADBTRAIUK Alo> K.J. CABLE ASSOCUHW^ MELBOURNE, March 27. The "Gazette" announces that if tfc| value of the yen depreciates to mar* than 12 to the £ a special duty will ba, imposed on goods imported from Japaa*