A PIONEER'S DEATH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 17 October 1922, Page 7

A PIONEER'S DEATH.

A FOUNDER OF COMMERCE IN . WELLINGTON.

The death at Cheltenham (England) on Friday of Mr. Edward Pearce, in his ninetieth year, removes on© of the founders of commerce in Wellington. The late Mr. Pearce, or Colonel Pearce, as he was usually called, came to New Zealand in 1861, and very quickly established himself as one of the leading^ merchants in what was then a very ■ restricted field of enterprise. He remained in busmess on bis own account" for a quarter of a century, and then, in 1889, he joined forces with Levin and Co., his co-directors being Mr. "W. ,H Levin and Mr. John Duncan. "When Mr. Levin died in 1893, Mr. Pearce became the senior partner in what was, and-still is, a very flourishing firm. The late Mr. Pearce at all times gave ready and able assistance to enterprises and movements which had been inaugurated with the object of advancing the colony generally, and Wellington particularly. -In the old piovincial days he was a member of the Provincial Executive during Dr. Featherston'a Administration, and in .1870 he was elected to represent the city in Parlia-! ment, which position he retained for about eight years. "When the Wellington Harbour Board was constituted, Mr: Pearce was one of its first members. As a member, and sometimes as chairman, of the Harbour Board, Mr. Pearce exerted an important influence upon the mercantile growth of Wellington. In the Chamber of Commerce, too, be did conspicuous work, both as a member and as chairman. For many years he was the local director of the National Bank, and he was for a time chairman of the New Zealand directors of the National Mutual Life Assurance Association. Among the large number of other directorships which he held were those of the "Wellington Patent Slip Company, the Wellington Gas Company, and the "Wellington, Trust, Loan, and Investment Company. He joined the board of directors of the last-named company in 1876 f was elected chairman in 1880, and occupied that office until 1899. In volunteering he took a very activo interest. For many years he command- | .ed the New Zealand Regiment of Artil- ' lery, whose twelve batteries were distributed throughout the Dominion. In that. connection, as in all others, be i was highly esteemed. I The late Mr. E. Pearce leaves three ! sons and two daughters, namely, Messrs George F. Pearce (managing director of Levin and Co., k Ltd.), Charles Pearce, and W;- S. Pearce, alsoconnected with the firm of Levin and Co., Mr. Campbell "Pearce, of Featherl ston; and two daughters, Mrs. E, R. Dowell. now residing in England, and Mps. H. D. of Wellington. * " - *