OBITUARY.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 139, 15 June 1891, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MR. THOMAS MACKAt', Still another old colonist and very old iSiid trusted publio -servant has beon taken away by death. Wo refer to the late Mr. T. Maokay, who diod at the Metropolitan Hotel on Saturday evening last from heart disease. Mr. Mackay was born in Inverness in 1820, and Was educated for a civil engineeri and practised his profession up to middle life both in Scotland and Ireland. He arrived in New Zealand about a quarter of & titfntufy sinbe, and almost immediately afterwards plirobdaed A farm in the neighbourhood of Nelson, which git/ became his habitat up to the day of bit death, During a visit of the Marquis of Normanby te Jf«l«m about 20 years ago'/ His Excellency became the guest of thd HtKStftstift gentleman, who resided in Aniseed Valley, tlnSihe Governor, being highly impressed with tbo ibniM business nabits and. shrewdness of his host, mxggested Mr. Maokay's accepting a position in the public* Servioo of the colony. The result was that the deCVMmd entered the Publio Works Department on* tho Ist Mayj 1874. He was appointed Land PurCbatw Officer for the Government, and later in tKo ffffras year ho beoame agent for the Crown in the ad* ministration of the Wes 4 ; Coast Coalfields. In 1878 and'lß79 Mr. Mackay. in addition to holding tHfltrfjfteg of Government Land Purchaser, was installed at) Deputy Land Tax Commissioner for the p?<r7ntce of Nelson. From 1882 to the close of 1884 h» officiated as Trustee of the West Coast (North* IMand) Settlement Reserves, succeeding Sir Willwm Fox in the administration of exceedingly difficult matters. The work was admirably performed during a Very trying period. Not the least delicate portion OtKr, Mackay'e always onorous duties to the State km that of purchaser of private lands reqrfir l e4 by the Public Department for railway pufrtosSs, and in this- capacity, in which he acted frffin 1885 continously up to within a short time of his death, he displayed marked ability. Some months ago 'the deceased gentleman was appointed one of three Commissioners selected by the Government to investigate the whole question involving the Native Land laws. The Commission nas concluded its labours, and two of tho members have already presented ' 4 report. Mr. Mackay, however, dissented from the finding of his colleagues, and in a memorandum to tho Government intimated his intention of sending in a separate report. Unfortunately, whilst employed in this work doath intervened, and tho document remained uncompleted. Tho body of the deceased was to-day taken to Nelson for interment. MR. J. W. BRTAtfT. Mr. John William Bryant, who was, it it asserted, the third white man born in the colony, died at his residence in Ohariu Valley at 6 o'clock on Saturday evening, his demise being the result of injuries he sustained by a trap accident on Wednesday last. Mr. Bryant, who leaves a widow and numerous children, was only 51years of age, having been born on Petone Eeaoh on the 30th May, 1840, some few weeks after the arrival of his parents, who reached .Port Nicholson in April of the came year. Mr. Bryant, senior, was the first proprietor of the property now so familiarly known as M'Nab's Gardens, and in the work of forming the gardens— which was a labour of love to the young New Zealander— J. W. Bryant became an expert horticulturist. When the I rush to Hokitika and the Grey set in the --deceased followed the stream of population thither where he tried his fortune with moderate success, and subsequently he entered into business on one of the diggings. Mr. Bryant, on his return to this province, embarked his savings in a small sheep run in Ohariu Valley, and it is gratifying to learn that his enterprise, perseverance, and thrift have enabled him to leave those dependent upon him, and whom he so dearly loved, comfortably provided for. Mr. Bryant was instrumental in inducing the Government to extend the telephone to Oharin, his chief argument for the extension being that a doctor might be urgently required by the inhaftitatants of the valley at any moment. Singular to relate the work of fixing the telephone at Ohariu was completed on Wednesday last, and almost the first message for the public transmitted over the wire was sent by the deceased gentleman's friends on Wednesday last summoning Dr. Cahlll to attend Mr. Bryant to what proved to bo his death bed Mr. Bryant was a man of strict integrity,

and in every action of his dealings with his fellow men ho proved himself a man of high prinoiplo and honourable motives.