OBITUARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12424, 13 February 1901, Page 5

OBITUARY.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegra-ph—'Copyright. (Received Feb. 12, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 11. Milan, ex-King of Servia-, is dead. (Received Feb. 13, 12.23 a.m.) VIENNA, Feb. 12. The ex-King of Servia. died of influenza in this city. Neither King Alexander nor ex-Queen Natalie was present, (Milan was born in 1854, and created Prince of Servia. in 1868. He'was crowned in 1872, and proclaimed King in 1876. By joining Russia in the Avar against Turkey,' in 1877, he 1 obtained the independence of his own country, and its boundaries were defined by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. He married in 1875, Natalie, daughter of a Russian colonel, and has o-ae son, born in 1576, in whose favour he abdicated in 1889.)

MR H. R. WEBB

Regret will be felt by a large circle of friends at the news of the death of Mr Henry Richard Webb, F.R31.5., which took place rather unexpectedly at his residence, Merivale, on Monday evening. Mr Webb had been ailing for some months, but was able to be present at the manoeuvres of the Imperial troops sn Hagley Park last Friday, and on the following day he attended the funeral of the late Dean Jacobs. He was suffering from gastritis, an-d after his exertions of the previous two days he had a relapse on Sunday morning, and he gradually became worse until he died last evening, at the age of seventy-two years. Mr Webb was born in- Sydney, and was educated at the College there. At an early age he took a position in a, business office, and later on became the head of the firm of Messrs Ferguson, Webb and Co. In 1851 he visited Auckland, and in 1868. he settled in Lyttelton, where, fc for -several years, he was manager of Peacock's Wharf. In 1880 he was appointed manager of the Permanent Investment Association of Canterbury, a position which be held for over ten years, until he retired. He was at one time a member of the Provincial Council, and was the Provincial Secretary when the Provinces were abolished. From 1873 until 1875 he was member for Lyttelton in the House of Representatives. Mr Webb always manifested a lively interest in any movement for the advance-ment-of the province, -and since his retirement from business had devoted his? life exclusively to his duties as member of several local bodies. He always took «n active part in educational affairs, and was for some years a member of the North Canterbury Board of Education, of which body he was also chairman. For eighteen years he was one of the School Commissioners for Canterbury. He had been a member of the Canterbury College Board of Governors from its inception, and held the chairmanship continuously from 1894 up to the time of his daub. Mr Webb was a leading member of the Anglican Church, and had been for many years a member of the Christchurch Synod and of the Diocesan Standing Committee. He was a great lover of flowers, and made a. study of botany, and held the position of chain-man ,of the Christchurch Horticultural Society, of which he was an enthusiastic member.

He was for thirty years a Justice of the Peace, and ab one time was offered the Resident Magistracy of Lyttelton. ■Mr Webb leaves a widow and a family of seven sons and two daughters to mourn their loss.

When the Boys' High School assembled yesterday Mr Beaven-Brown addressed the boys on the logs the institution had sustained"by the death of Mr Webb. The -school was dismissed and the flag flown at halfmast. At the Girls' High School Miss Gibson made a brief and appreciative address on the .life of .Mr Webb, and the school was closed for th.s day. The Cathedral bells were tolled yesterday morning, and many flags in the city were at half-mast out of Tespecb to Mr Webb's memory. Th-a funeral will take place «at the Papanui Cemetery at 3.30 p.m. to-day.

MR. F.. C. TABART.

The many friends of Mr Francis O. Tabart, the well-known auctioneer, will regret to hear of his death, which took place yesterday morning, at his residence, Opawa. Mr Tabart had suffered from several attacks of influenza during the past four years, and had been confined to his bed with the same illness during the past fortnight. Although very ill for a week, he rallied somewhat on Monday, but succumbed ab five o'clock yesterday morning, at the age of seventy-one years. Mr Tabart was the son of Captain F. G. Tabart, R.N., and was born in London. At an early age he accompanied his parents to Tasmania. He afterwards went to Victoria, and became manager of large cattle and sheep stations in the Murray and Riverina. district. During this time, Mr Tabart had the reputation of being one of the best riders in Australia. In 1855, he won the Grand National; Steeplechase, on a horse called Tuton. In 1858 Mr Tabart married, and returned to Tasmania, where he followed fanning pursuits for some years. About thirty-five years ago he came to New Zealand with Mr John Meredith, and took up the Highfield Run, in the Amuri district. A heavy snow-storm depleted the flocks, and the property was sold. Mr Tabart then went to Hokitika, purchased the auctioneering business <~.f Mr Mark Sprott, and carried it on until he returned to Christchurch, in 1877. While ab Hokitika, Mr Tabarb was three times elected -Mayor of the Borough, He afterwards joined the firm of Messrs Robert Wilkin and Co as a partner, and on the death of Mr W T ilkin, started the firm of which he was the head up till the time of his death. He was a familiar figure at the Addingtcn market, where he was most popular, as, indeed, he was with all classes of the community. Mr Tabart was for some years honorary judge for the Canterbury Jockey Club, and upon his retirement from that position, a little over two years ago, the club made him a handsome presentation, and elected him a life member. A widow and two sons and six daughters are left to mourn their loss. The funeral will take place at. 4 p.m. to-day at the Woolston Cemetery. The flags on all the auctioneers' offices were flying at half-mast yesterday out of respect to the memory of the deceased. The news of the death of Mr F. C. Tabart, yesterday, caused a genuine feeling of regret in the northern .district, amongst the frequenters of the markets, the deceased gentleman's genial nature and straightforward business principles having won him general esteem.