OBITUARY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 907, 19 July 1889, Page 17

OBITUARY

MR C. E. BUNNY. We record with deep regret the death of Mr C. E. Bunny, barrister and solicitor, of this city, which took place at the Empire Hotel at 5.50 p.m. on Wednesday night. Mr Bunny’s illness had been terribly short, and up till pretty late Wednesday afternoon was not regarded as so serious as to endanger his life. As is well-known he was engaged as leading counsel for the defence of Louis Chemis, charged with the murder of Thomas Hawkings. Mr Bunny, although unwell at the beginning of the proceedings in the Supreme Court, stuck persistently at his post, and bore his part in the trial with great energy and application. Unfortunately he neglected a cold which he caught a week or two ago, and this, together with the fact that he had got into a low state of health, caused him to be thoroughly prostrated. Indeed, when he had finished his address for the defence on Saturday afternoon Mr Bunny sank on to his seat completely exhausted, and subsequently had to be removed to the Empire Hotel. He there developed a mild form of typhoid fever, and was attended by Drs Cahill and Martin. The deceased gentleman appeared to be progressing favourably until Wednesday afternoon, when he gradually sank, and finally expired shortly before 6 o’clock, the cause of death being failure cf the heart’s action.

Mr Bunny was the fourth son of Mr Henry Bunny, of Featherston, and was a native of Rangitikei, where he was born in May, 1855. He studied law in Dunedin (being articled to Messrs Smith, Anderson and Co.), and was admitted in that city. He thou removed to Nelson, where he entered into practice, and where, also, he married Miss Huddleston. A little more than three years ago Mr Bunny came to Wellington and accepted a position on the literary staff of an evening paper, which he held until about a year ago, when he resumed the practice of his profession. To say that Mr Bunny was generally es* teemed and liked is to use no platitude. Privately, as well a 3 in the pursuit of his profession, he was respected by all wbo met him, and we venture to say that his sudden decease will be heard of with universal regret An able lawyer, ho had established an extensive practice in the city, and the calamity now under notice removes from the ranks of the legal profession one who will be remembered as a man who, suffering under many disadvantages, raised himself to an honorable position. In consequence of Mr Bunny’s very low condition he was not informed of the verdict of the jury in the trial of Louis Chemis. When told on Wednesday of liis own impending fate, he received the news calmly, and expressed a wish that he might be buried in the Nelson cemetery. In the evening the body was removed to the Church of St Mary of the Angels, and was shipped to Nelson by the Rotorua yesterday afternoon. The deceased leaves a widow and four ohildren —two boys and two girls, the eldest child being 10 years of age. m CAPTAIN G. S. GRANT.

Many of our readers will regret to learn of the death of Captain G. S. Grant, which occurred at his residence in Hankey.streeb at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, after a brief illness extending a little over &' week. Captain Grant was well known to most of the seafaring fraternity in this and the sister colonies, where, from the kindliness of his disposition and his thorough good fellowship, he was a most popular man. Captain Grant was born in 1838 at Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and was therefore 51 years of age at the time of his death. He started in the colonial trade a good few years back, and commanded the vessels Melita, Adamant, and Himalaya, belonging to the Shaw, Savill Company. He relinquished the command of the Himalaya for that of the Jaspar, which. vessel he brought to Lyttelton for Messrs Turner and Co., of Christchurch. Captain Grant abandoned seafaring life for about a during which time he resided with his family in this city. The three-masted schooner May was the last vessel which ho commanded, and in her made a voyage to China about five years ago. Aftor returning to Wellington from China he retired from the May, and since then has followed the profession of a ship's surveyor. During the whole course of his career he never lost a ship, and the only accident he met with was a fire on hoard the Himalaya while in this port.. Captain Grant was attended by Djj. Martin during his illness. He leaves a, widow and a family consisting of a daughter, a stepson, and two stepdaughters. The flags of the shipping in the harbour were flown at half-mast on Wednesday o.ut of respect to the deceased.