OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9942, 4 October 1895, Page 3

OBITUARY.

DEATH OF AN M.L.C. The Hon. Walter B. D. Mantell, Member of the Legislative Council, died at his residence, Sydney-street. Wellington, on Sept. 7th, after a brief illness, aged 75 years. The hon. gentleman had attended at his place in the Legislative Council almost every day this session, and him somewhat sudden demise was due to failure of the heart's action. The funeral took place on Sept. 10. The pall-bearors were the Hon. Mr. Miller (Speaker of the Legislative Council), Sir James Hector, Messrs. L. Stowe (clerk to the Legislative Council), Botharaley (clerk's assistant), C. B. Izard, and J. P. Maxwell. The Premier was among the followers. Deceased was buried in tho Karori Cemetery.

The Hon. W. B. D. Mantell . sab in the Legislative Chamber for nearly 30 years. He was bom in England in 1820, and before he had attained his majority emigrated to New Zealand. In 1848 he was appointed a commissioner for extinguishing native titles in the Middle Island, and by promises of various small concessions succeeded in buying out the claims of the Maoris to 30,000,000 acres of land for about £5,000 in cash. t Greatly to his disgust, however, the promises ha had made on behalf of tho Government were not subsequently fulfilled ; and being in London in 1856. when some of the principal of them were being broken, he appealed to Mr. l,abouchere, then Secretary of the Colonies, to interfere in the matter. Mr. Labouchere declined to give him an interview; and finding his written remonstrances unavailing Mr. Mantell resigned his official posts, being out of harmony with the native policy of both the Imperial and the Colonial Governments. Mr. Mantell was Minister for Native Affairs in the Fox Ministry from July to December, 1861, and Postmaster-General and Secretary for Crown Lands under Mr. Domett, in 1862. He was again Minister for Native Affairs in tho Weld Administration, from December 1864 to July 1865. Mr. Mantell was for some time a member of the House of Representatives, and in 1866 was nominated to the Legislative Council. Some of tha most important ameliorative measures passed in the interest of the Maoris Were due to his initiative, and in his place in Parliament ho never failed to protest against measures regarding them which savoured of injustice. He married first in 1863, Mary Sarah, daughter of Edward Prince ; and secondly in 1876, Jane, daughter of Benjamin Hadwick, of Bcckenhatn, England. Mr. Mantell was the first scientific explorer of the Moa beds of Waikouaiti and Waingongoro, and he succeeded in forming some magnificenb collections of fossil remains, which were forwarded to England and ultimately deposited in the British Museum.

Another old identity has passed away in tho person of Mr. Wra. Greenwood, who died on September 30 at his residence, Epsom, at the ripe age of 90, after an illness of five days, from an attack of bronchitis. Mr. Greenwood arrived in Auckland on the Ist March, 1841, and bought land at the first Government land sale. He was the builder of old St. Paul's, and at the laying of the foundation-stone of New St. Paul's, presented the trowel used by Governor Hobson in 1841 to the vestry of St. Paul's for presentation to the Free Public Library. Deceased, by his business integrity and industry, and judicious investments in land in the early days, secured a . handsome competence. He is survived by his widow, three sons, and two daughters, and leaves over 70 grandchildren) and great-grand-children. 1

In our obituary notices appears the death of the late John Swinnerton Duke, who died somewhat suddenly at the residence of his son, Mr. A. E. Duke, of apoplexy, on Wednesday, September 25. Our Mangere correspondent, writing of the death of Mr. James Wallace, says:— "After a long' and painful illness, Mr. Wallace died at hia residence, Ihnmatao, on Thursday afternoon, in the 72nd year of his age. He was a native of Campbolltown, Argyleshire, Scotland. Forty-two years ago ha and bis brother Archibald came out to Sydney, where, after taking any work that came to hand for a year or so, they settled down and carried on farming successfully at Shoalhavcn, New South Wales, for some years. Early in the sixties they decided to move to Mangere, New Zealand, where in the meantime their brothers John, Robert, and Gavin, had made a settlement. Their names have been as familiar as household words in the neighbourhood since that time. Possessing no small share of natural energy, directed by hie early training, he was a good settler in every sense of the word. Mr. Wallace leaves a wife arid daughter to mourn their groat bereavement." ' Mrs. M. C. Russell, a well - known Wanganui resident, highly'"esteemed for her charities, and her kindly nature, is dead.

Early on the mornincr of the 26th September, Mr. J. P. King, chemist, Queenstreet, expired at his residence, at Remuera. Ho has been ailing for some time past, but) failure of the heart's action was the immediate cause of death. .'He! arrived with the Nonconformist party, in' 1862, and acted as surgeon to Colonel Nixon's Mounted Defence Force, in the Maori war. He loaves a widow and three grown up sons. .> The death of Mr. W. Littlejohn, county engineer, Paoroa, which took place on Thursday night, September 20th, caused quite a gloom to pass over the community. Deceased, who was a native of Traun, Ayrshire, Scotland, arrived in the colony in 18G3. He was 53 years of ago, and leaves a widow and six children to mourn their loss. The death is announced of Mr. WiJliam Sutherland, of Onehunga, at the comparatively early age of 57. He was a man of strict integrity, much respected by those who knew him, and leaves a widow and large family to mourn their loss. A very old identity of Onehunga died on Sept. '27 in the person of General John Frederick Stoddard, who was widely known and universally respected. The deceased gentleman, who had attained the rip® ago of 74 years, was born in the Madras Presidency in 1822, and entered the army in 1840. In 1844 he became an adjutant and in 1848 was appointed to the comraigariat and military magistracy. This position he held till 1853, when he was associated with the engineering department of public work's. He was afterwards engaged to survey and report on the Irrawaddy as to its irrigating and navigable resources. Ten years afterwards he was gazetted a majorgeneral, which rank ho held till his death. In 1877 ho arrived in New Zealand, and for many years has been residing in Onehunga.

We regret to announce the death of Mr. W. Dinnison, Town Clerk of Newmarket, who passed away at his residence, Remuera, on Sept. 18, at the age of 62. Deceased was a native of Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands, and prior to coming to Auckland in 1862, with his parents and brothers and sisters, held an important position in the Stamp and Tax Office, Edinburgh. He leaves a widow and three eons to mourn his loss. The funeral left his late residence, Remuera, on September 20, nod the three sons of deceased and Mr. J. Dinnison (brother) were the chief mourners. There was a strong representation of the Newmarket Borough Council, the district school committee, and the officers of StLuko's Presbyterian Church, of which deceased was an elder. The Remuera Highway Board was represented by Messrs. J. L. Wilson and J. M. Lennox. There were about 30 carriages in all in the cortege. It will be seen by our obituary column that another old identity has passed away in the person of Mr. John Holmes, of Haslott-street, North Road, but formerly of Dovouport. Ho died on September '21 at his residence, at tho advanced ago of 74, leaving a widow, onoson, two daughters, and a large number of grandchildren to mourn their loss. Mr. Holmes arrived in Auckland with his wife and family in 18158, and started in business with the late Mr. Beddoes and his brother. The Messrs. Holmes built the first, ferry steamer here. It is with great regret we announce the death of Mr. Richard Spratt, the sad event occurring at 7 o'clock on September 18. The deceased gentleman, who was 58 years of age, was a native of Enniskillen, in the North of Ireland, and came out to the colonies many years ago. He started sharebroking in Auckland in 1881, since when he has been closely identified with tho mining interest's in the North. Ho was inspecting engineer for the Waihi, Waitekauri, and Crown Minos, and New Zealand Mines Trust, Limited, and for the last four years paid monthly visits to them until laid aside with his last illness. He was chairman of the Victoria Gold Mining Company, and director of the Woodstock and other companies. He was also a member of the Thames Drainage Board, and, generally speaking, for years past few men rendered better service to the mining community than he. As a man he was without blemish ; his character for integrity was of the highest, and nob only in New Zealand but in England his reports were always received with tho greatest respect and confidence. He was a widower, and leaves three sons, of ages from about 1.1 to 17 to mourn their loss. The funeral took place on Thursday, the 19th of September ut the Purewa Cemetery. The cortege left his late residence at two o'clock. The chief mourners were Richard, Leo. and William Spratt (sons of deceased). In the second carriage were Messrs. N. Graham and James Macintosh (brothers-in-law), Mr. Maspin, and Archdeacon Dudley. Then came the members of the Brokers' Association, nearly all of whom were present, namely, Messrs. J. M. Lennox (chairman), R. G. Macky (secretary) R. Frater, Jus. Fritter,G. A. Buttle, D. B. McDonald, R. McDonald Scott, F. H. Hull, James Reid, Aitken Carrick, G. F. Brimblecombe, John Mowbray, E. Wood, Joshua Jackson, F. Whittaker ; the Chamber of Mines was represented by Colonel Burton, Messrs. Graves Aickin and J. Macky ; Thames Drainage Board by Messrs. G. Schwartz Kissling (chairman), D. G. MacDontiell, and R. Corner ; Waihi Gold Mining Company by Messrs. Seymour Thorne George, James Russell, and R. Rose (secretary), of which deceased was inspector ; and the Woodstock Gold Mining Company's Board was represented by Messrs. W. S. Wilson, W. Goirie, and J. A. Pond (of which company deceased was a director); Caesel'a Gold Extracting Company (Limited) by Mr. J. Courtney Greer, jun. (secretary). There were some 30 carriages in all.

It will be seen by our obituary column that an old resident of Ponsonby, Mr. Henry Charles Tripp, passed away on Sept. 17 at the ago of 68. Deceased arrived here 35 years ago. He was much respected by those who knew him. Robert Wallop Stokes, fourth son of the late Mr. George Day Stokes, of Mount Hawke, Tralee, Ireland, died suddenly, from failure of the action of the heart, at his residence, Hamilton, Waikato, on the 19th of September. The deceased held the commission of lieutenant in the Bth Regiment of Foot, and was engaged in active service in India during the mutiny in 1857 in the following places :—Cawnpore, Turrachabad, Waadepore, Rang Ganges, Agra, Siendila, and elsewhere. On his return from India to England, he resigned his commission and left for New Zealand, where, on his arrival in 1864, he was commissioned as lieutenant o:f. the New Zealand Militia, and served in the Waikato war until the troops were disbanded, when he settled down to farm life. The deceased was highly respected by all who knew him, and as a devoted husband and father his loss is deeply felt by his widow and family of five sons and four daughters.