OBITUARY.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 67, 17 September 1894, Page 2

OBITUARY.

4 HON. EOBERT HART, M.L.C. Yesterday morning:, not altogether unexpectedly, the Hon. Robert Hart, M.L.C, died at his residenco in Hobson-street, at the ripe age of 80 years. Mr. Hart had been in itnpairud health for eomo time. He has not occupied tho Beat ■which has been his tor over 20 years in the Legislative Council, this session, though he was occasionally able to drive abont. A few days ago he was attaoked with bronchitis, which was the immediate cause of his death. The career of the deoeased gentleman was an eventful as well as a useful one He was born in the Strand, London,' on the 28th of December, 1814, and in 1830 attended the classes at the University College, London. In the same year he visited Paris, and was in that city during the oritioal period of the Revolution which led to the abdication of King Charles X. In January, 1831, he was artioled in London to Mr W R. King, of Sergeant's Inn, and besides attending the law olasßos at the University College, he became a member of the Law Debating Society, which at that time inoluded Maoaulay (afterwards Lord Macaulay), Whiteside (afterwards Lord Chancellor of Ireland), Chisholm Anstey (subsequently member for Youghal), and Lucas (afterwards editor of the Tablet). Mr. Hart arrived in Wellington on the 10th of August, 1843, and two days afterwards commenced practising his profession as a lawyer in partnership with another English barrister, Mr. Holroyd, who afterwards became a Judge in New South Wales. Later on he had as a 'partner Mr. Hanson, afterwards Sir Richard Hanson, Chief Justioo of South Australia. In 1859 he revisited England, and on his return was appointed by Sir Edward Stafford, then Premier, as District Jud^e for the Provincial District of Wellington, including Napier, an office he filled until about 1861, when he resigned, and resumed practice as a barrister. Mr. Bnokley (now Sir Patrick Buckley, the present Attorney- General) joiued him as a partner in 1866, and that well-remembered firm existed until 1878, when the prinoipal member retired. Mr. Hart aoted as Crown Prosecutor at the time ot the trial at Nelson, in 1866, of the Maungatapu murderers, Burgess, Kelly, Levy, and Sullivan, when the last escaped execution with his companions by turning Queen's evidence. He was also Revising Barrister for Friendly Sooieties, and for electoral purposes, became Law Officer to the Government in the absence ot the_ Attorney-General, and wasoffered, but declined from conscientious motives, a seat on the Supremo Court Benoh. As regards his political career, he represented Wellington in conjunction with the late Dr. Featheraton and Mr. James Kelham, formerly of the Hutt, in the first Parliament, which sat in Auckland in 1851. He became a member of the Legislative Council in 1872, and filled the seat with dignity and merit as long as his health enabled him to attend. He was one of the oldest members of tho New Zealand Pacific Lodge of Freemasons, and made a notable speech on the occasion of the jubilee celebration of the establishment of Masonry in .Now Zealand by the Paciflo Lodge, about two years ago. He is survived by his wife (a sister of the late Sir Donald M'Lean), whom he married in 1867, and he has also a brother, Mr. George Hart, an old settler of Christchuroh. The funeral will take place on Wednesday.