OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18400, 5 June 1925, Page 8

OBITUARY.

MR OOLEMAN PHILLIPS. UractUi to "*cm tbjisb.'') WELLINGTON, June 4.. The death is announced of Mr Coleman Phillips, an old Wairarapa settlor, in his 78th year. He landed at Auckland 61 years ago, joined tlio Second Wflikato Regiment, and fought in the Maori "War. He was a man fertile in suggestions in connexion with the Pacific Islands, trade, railway routes, and other matters. He had a varied career in New Zealand from soldier to settler. He was in turn purser and master of a ship. In 1872, after a trip to Fiji, he arranged a loan of £40,000 for King Thakambau to enable the King to consolidate his power over the group and hand over the islands to the British Crown. In 1873 he induced Auckland merchants to subscribe £IO,OOO to purchase a vessel for the Islands trade. He took cattle and sheep to Samoa. Mr Phillips proposed a Polynesian scheme of annexation in 1873, and lent every assistance to the annexation of Fiji in 1874. In the same year he established tho Auckland and Fiji Banking Co., which was incorporated witji the Bank of New Zealand. He took to the Islands the first steamer, the Star of the South, in 1874. Mr Phillips passed his legal examinations and was admitted as a barrister of .the Supreme Court. While on a risifc to Englari<J, in 1875, he Was asked • to accept the position of British Consul at Samoa, hut ho declined it. In the Wairarapa he took an active interest in local affairs and was always enterprising. He shipped the first lot of frozen sheep by the Lady Jocelyn from Wellington to London. He imported Holstein cattle to New Zealand in 1837, and constructed the first public waterrace in the North Island, on the Moroa Plains, -in 1894, and was subsequently associated in the issue of the Rqmney Marsh flock book. Amongst his other enterprises Mr Phillips packed apples for export in 1888. In 1890 ho proposed the establishment of the capital of New Zealand on the Morpa Plains. This suggestion was made, with the view partly of relieving the congestion of Wellington. Twice he tried to get into Parliament as an Independent, but failed.

The death occurred at Wellington on Sunday, at the age of 57, of Mr Edward Byers Sealy, eldest son of the late Dr. and Mra Sealy, of Nelson. Doceased, who married a sißter of the late Mr B. B. Jackson;' of Nelson, Bpent his early days in Nelson, being in the employ of Wilkins and Field. Ho then went to Wellington and joined the D.1.C., rising to the responsible position of inspector, being stationed at difforent periods at Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington. Ho was interested in the fruit industry in Nelson, having an orchard on the Stewart Estate at Appleby. Mr Sealy had been in ill-health for the past six months. A widow and two daughters survive.

Mr Alfred Cooke Yarborough, who died last week at Kohukohu, at the ago of 77, was a leading resident of North Auckland. Born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, he' travelled much abroad with his parents, whose winter residence was at Nice. He was educated at Hinds, North Beading, and .at Eton and Oxford, where he graduated B.A. Among University oarsmen, Mr Yarborough was well known in his time, being tho possessor of a great collection of cups and medals, challenge sculls, and other trophies. He was a member of tho crew which beat Cambridge in tho fittest time on record for fixed seat. In 1869 tho foiir-oared race between Oxford and Harvard drew an enormous crowd. F. Willan (bow), A. C. Yarborough (2), J. C. Time (3), S. Darbyshire (stroke), and F. H. Hall (cox) formed a crew whoso stylo was described as faultless. Achievements in these two races have recently been commented on at length in the "Field" and other English papers. In 1871, Mr Yarborough came to New Zealand in the ship Excelsior, and after visiting various parts of the Dominion 'finally took up his residence in Hokianga, where he married Miss Mary Fergusson, daughter of Mr James Fergusson, ? f ?£ ara " He had since visited- England four times, returning from his last visit in November. Mr Yarborough always took a keen interest in local affairs, being at one time chairman of the County Council and Town Board, and president of the Chamber of C<imIn « rc ?: In all Progressive movements affecting the north he took a leading