THE LATE SIR WILLIAM MARTIN.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 13, 17 January 1881, Page 2

THE LATE SIR WILLIAM MARTIN.

An Auckland telegram to-day reports that intelligence has been received by the -San Francisco mail of the death of Sir William Martin, first Chief Justice of New Zealand. The news will be read with general regret, his name having been so closely identified with the early history and progress of New Zealand that he has always seemed an integral part of this colony, even though latterly absent from our shores, and few of the names whioh have been famous in the beginning of "our oareer will bo remembered longer, or with more respect, than that of Sir William Martin. In him the Church of -England in New Zealand loses one of its chief founders as a practically autonomous body, and one of its most valued pillars and lay counsellors. The late Sir W. Martin was a son of Mr. Henry Martin, of Birmingham, and waß born in the year 1807. He was therefore in his 74th year at the time of his death. He received his University education at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in honors with high distinction, taking his B.A. degree in 1829, when he was 26th Wrangler and Second Chancellor's Medallist. In 1831 he became a Fellow of his college," and the following year took hisM.A. degree. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 18^6, and five yeara later, in 1841, he received from the Crown the appointment of first Judge of the Colony of New^ Zealand, which appointment ultimately became merged into the position of Chief Justice He retained IMb appointment until the year 1858, when failing health compelled him to retire on a pension of i>3oo per annum; which was voted by the Legislature, and which was increased about two years ago to £500 by special Aot. In 1860 he received the'hono* o( knighthood. After his resignation, he went home to England. He subsequently paid a visit to the colony, but, then returned finally to Great Britain, where he remained until his death. He was teamed in 1841 to Mary, daughter of the Eev. W. Parker, Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, but he had no family. The late Sir William Martin was greatly respected, both in his public capacity and privately. As a Judge he displayed remarkable ability and perspicacity, but his disposition' was singularly modest and retiring, and he always shunned rather than conrted notoriety. He took a very active part in the early legislation of this colony, before the Constitution was granted, and left'be.hind him many memorials of his staterdanship, in the shape of native enactments ; especially, and papers on native questions. He was an earnest and devout member of the Church of England, and a close personal friend of the late Bishop Selwyn. He took an active part in the preparation of the Church of England Con.stitution for this colony, and up to the time of his death he has been a most valued adviser on all subjects relating to Church matters and Church law, his opinions always 'being received with a degree of" reverence only seebnd to that attaching to those of the late Bishop Selwyn himself. No session of the General Synod of the Church of England in New Zealand has ever yet passed without Sir William Martin's opinion being frequently cited as a chief authority on all New Zealand Church matters, and his loss will be deeply felt. '