DEATH OF MR. J. BENJAMIN STRANGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6414, 8 June 1882, Page 4

DEATH OF MR. J. BENJAMIN STRANGE.

This old colonist, and in many respects remarkable man, died yesterday, at ParnelL in his 79th. year. Mr. Strange was a very notable personage in his neighbourhood, and' was much esteemed by all who' knew him. His death was rather sudden. Only twentyfour hours before his death he gave directions for carting materials'to-St.'Stephen's cemetery, -wnere he had some work in hand. He mounted the cart himself, and rode to the scene of his labour. Mr. Strange was a native of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and came to the colony in the Catherine Stuart Forbes, on the sth of March, 1852. He had previously been in a .large way of business at Oafcingham, in Berkshire, and at Reading in the same county. He was a stone and marble-mason by trade, and had. great experience in the monumental of his work. Like all energetic men, whenhe came to the colony he set himself tc do whatever work presented itself. Hefirst took -work under Mr. George Grakam, the Inspector of Works for the Imperial' Government. The "old barrack-:' wall which has long sme,e disappeared was one_ of the works on which he was engaged. Being : a steady, intelligent, aud careful xazii, hesoon undertook considerable contracts. One of the first of these contract works was the large stosie warehouse in C'Coiinell-street,-erected for Messrs. Brown and Campbell. This work presented many difficulties, for the foundations had to be " laid' in" with ma3sive stone work, upon, ■which the super-structure was to rest.. Another work built for the same firm, was a stonework tunnel under she Harp or Erin-road. He became couuected with Bishop Selwyn, for whonvhe built several of the native schools. Threeof these structures are better known than others. One is the stone-house now occupied by the headmaster of the Church of England Grammar School; another- is the Priory (in stone).* situated in St. Stephen's-road ;" the third is the Kohimarama School and building, also in stone. The stone building in which he resided for. mauy years, and in. which he died, is another example of his solid masonry work. Of late years he undertook only monumental work. Many ot the .Monuments in our cemeteries are from patterns supplied by him, and were erected by him. He was engaged up to the day of his death upon a monument to tiio memory of Mr. Manning (chemist), and he had only just completed the work of a inonuj ment to the late Captain .Eyre—both of them in St. Stepheu's -burying ltothu. j He was sometimes regarded in F. ;.-.t;ll as I the "oldest inhabitant," and ha , . ..■'.; H'.'fcd before the days of Sir Walter Scott Ls •«"pmfl I. have been the architype of "Old Mortality." I Ho was shrewd and penetrating iii his };U.g----j ment of men and things. He was 'i'ov.-ii Cierkof the Parnell Borough for ioiiiey;;'**Ho was born on the 3rd of .D stem be r, !Soorlo was a plain and outspoken ::'" i! i * quality which cstrau.ed an friend, but hi:j sincerity ainl found many supporters in his puh'ieal battles. His temper was combative, t ,,l * he was a thoroughly gooti-uatum 1 . i!"^ ,, -He leaves behiud him in direct descent three generations—children, a . u " ;:.ie;it-gian<lc;hildren. His works ai>- S ii; ' H £ monuments to liis memory. P.irneil will miss the energetic little man, who was first in all local movements'in ;'-id of tviiat he called the "liberal cause." Those w' lo ra'lied him ofteiiesS upon hia extreme views respected and admired him moat. Hβ a good colonist, anrl an excellent man i» :J " relations: of life.