The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1868. DEATH OF J. POYNTER, ESQ.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 206, 31 August 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1868. DEATH OF J. POYNTER, ESQ.

We regret to state that the illness under which Mr Poynter, our late Resident Magistrate, has been suffering, terminated fatally yesterday afternoon a few minutes past 3 o'clock, when he expired whilst, apparently sleeping, and with hardly auy visible struggle, iu the presence of Mrs Poynter aud a friend. His friends must have beeu painfully conscious for some time past that a considerable change had taken place in the state of Mr Poynter's health, especially since his resignation of the office of Resident Magistrate at the end of last June, an office which he had occupied for a period of 14 years. On Tuesday last he came into town and visited his office as usual, but in the evening he experienced a slight paralytic attack, from the effects of which he never rallied, and he continued sinking rapidly untiL his decease, yesterday afternoon. It is pleasant to be able to state tbat Mr Poynter was conscious and even cheerful up to a very short time before his death, and repeatedly expressed himself in terms of resignation and submission to the Divine Will. The deceased gentleman, who, had he lived until the 21st proximo, would have completed his 68th year, was, we believe, a native ofthe county of Kent, and was^brought up to the legal profession, having practised as a solicitor for some time previous to his departure for New Zealand. He was one of our earliest settlers, having arrived in the Fifeshire, on the Ist February, 1842, and in the following year was appointed Crown secutor. He. soon afterwards became Sub-Treasurer under, the original New Zealand Government, an office which he held up to 1867, and in 1847 was appointed Registrar of Deeds. In 1843 he received the appointment of Provincial Treasurer, which he retained until the election to office of the present Superintendent, and on the Bth February, 1854, his name having been previously placed on the Commission of the Peace, he was appointed Resident Magistrate of Nelson. Mr. Poynter was also Registrar of Births, Deaths, aud Marriages, Commissioner of Stamps, Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, aud Commissioner ,for investigating ihe New Zealand Company's claims, and was also local Director of the Union Bank of Australia. Mr Poynter was a man of generous sympathies, especially 'given to hospitality,' and his charities were so largely exercised, particularly amongst his poorer neighbors at the Port, that his death will create a void there, which wili not easily be supplied. He was a liberal supporter of all our local institutions, and any deserving public entertainment was sure to receive his patronage. Although we believe that his religious opinions tended towards Unitarianism, this, did notpreveut him from contributing to the requirements of all the, religious denominations represented in this community with ungrudging hand. We understand that the interment will take place at the Old Cemetery at the Port, and probably on Wednesday next, «when doubtless a very large concourse of •mourners will testify to the estimation ia ■which the deceased gentleman was held -amongst his fellow settlers in this province.