THE HON. W. COPLEY'S MISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8501, 27 February 1891, Page 5

THE HON. W. COPLEY'S MISSION.

Thk Hon. W. Copley, Minister of Lands foi South Australia, left last evening by the s.b. Tarawera for Sydney, having fulfilled, as far as possible, the object of his mission to this colony, namely, to inspect the village settlements and obtain particulars about the working of the "advance" system which waa inaugurated by Mr. Ballance in 1887. In pursuance of that object a large number of typical settlements have been visited and much information has been secured. The result will be embodied in an exhaustive report to Mr. Copley's colleagues and for the benefit of the public. In the meantime Mr. Copley feels much indebted to the New Zealand Government and to their officers for the assistance rendered \n accomplishing his purpose. So far as Auckland is concerned, the party arrived here on Sunday afternoon, and on Tuesday visited one of the settlements ab Tβ Aroha, besides obtaining information about others. The return to Auckland waa made on Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Copley was accompanied on his trip by Mr. W. J. Sowden, the ropresentative of the South Australian Register. Mr. Copley was much affected by the news in the telegrams of the death of his dear friend and colleague, the Hon. David Bews, Minister of Education und for the Northern Territory. As Mr. Bews had friends in New Zealand we give a few parti* culars about him. He was born in the Orkneys, and arrived in South Australia when a year old. Hia age at the time of his death was about 43. He had been enyaged in farming and mercantile pursuits until something like" twelve years ago, when he joined the Wallaroo Times proprietary—the Wallaroo Times is the paper published in the great copper mining district of Moonta and Wallaroo. Soon afterwards he became editor of that journal, and continued in that position until the day of his death. He entered Parliament in 1885, as the representative of the Wallaroo district in the House of Assembly, and from the first took a prominent) part in all Legislative concerns. In August last lie joined the Ministry, of which Mr. Copley is a member, and according to the skeletnnie intelligence conveyed in the press telegrams he died suddenly at Melbourne whilst on his w»y to attend the Postal Conference in Sydney, where Mr. Copley had expected to meet him. A message which Mr. Copley has received from the South Australian Premier adds that death occurred after a short illness. Mr. Bews was >■<» widely known, and was such a universal favourite, that the news of his untimely death will be received in his own colony with a melancholy interest which will extend to nil circles and to every section in politics. Mr. Bews looked the most robust and strongest man in the South Australian Parliament, ;>nd he had absolutely never known in hia own personal experience what a day's illness meant. He took an active part in social movements, and was welcomed everywhere in consideration of his powers as a vocalist, hie great talenb for recitation, and his ready wit—qualities which were united with an unfailing bonhommie. He had a rare mimitic faculty and was a most brilliant conversationalist. His friends used to call him "Anecdotal David" in recognition of his special <>ift in illustrating arguments in his speeches by racy anecdotes which he related with irresistible drollery, which, however, never descended to burlesquo. Though his opponents were attacked by him with sharp shafts of satire, he was irireful never to inflict, a wound that should rankle. During hiy short term nf office ho had worked with the extrordinary energy which was characteristic of him. In the last session he alone hud to pas.« into law a Bill providing froo education in the colony, and he actually carried it; through the Assembly. As an administrator, ho had already shown much ability ; and he died in the full prospect of an unusually brilliant political career, unmarred by even the suggestion, in the fiercest Parliamentary conflict, that ho had ever been guilty of any unworthy conduct to attain his ends.