OBITUARY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1285, 15 October 1896, Page 17

OBITUARY.

MRS McDOWALL.

Mrs McDowall, wife of the second engineer of the Penguin, died on Friday morning, and, out of respect to her memory, the flags on vessels in port Avere floAvn at half-mast.

CAPTAIN J. SCOTT. It will be remembered that a few days ago a telegram was published announcing the death of Captain J. Scott, of the ship Eonmore. The deceased captain was [known by many Wellington people, and he was last here a couple of months ago in the Benmore, which proceeded from this port to Dunedin. It was when the ship was on her way to Brisbane from the Otagan port that the captain died. He was about 60 years of ago, and a native of Dumfries. Captain Scott had been for many years in the service of Messrs Nicholson and McGill, of Liverpool, and held, it is understood, a substantial interest in several of their vessels ; while it was his avowed intention on reaching Home this voyage to retire from the sea and settle quietly with his wife and daughter. The deceased gentleman made many friends during his sojourn here. Ho was a man of scientific acquirements, and a keen and enthusiastic member of the Masonic body. MISS GILLON. This -week it is our sad duty to chroniclo the death of Miss Caroline Lucy Isabella Gillon, eldest daughter of the late Mr F-. T. Gillon. Miss Gillon, who had been in failing health for the past two years, was forced to take to her bed about three weeks ago, and rapidly sinking, death claimed her early yesterday morning. Born at Waihola, Otago, about thirty years ago, Miss Gillon accompanied her parents to Wellington, and was educated at Miss Bannister’s and Miss Greenwood’s schools. The deceased lady had a larg > circle of acquaintances, by whom she was well likeci, and will be much missed. LORD KENSINGTON. Tho death is announced of Lord Kensington, who, as Mr Edwardes, was second Liberal Whip in tho House of Commons from IS7G to 1885, and was raised t> the Peerage in 1886. GENERAL TROCHTJ. General Troehu, who commanded a division in the Crimean War, and was Governor of Paris and Commander-in-Chief of its defence forces when it surrendered to the Germans in 1871, is dead. G. Du MAURIER. George du Maurier is dead. He was born in 183 i, and was a naturalised British subject. Going to England when aged seventeen, he entered as a student of chemistry at University College, London, and afterwards returned to Paris to study painting under M. Gleyre. He made his debut as an artist with contributions of sketches to Once a Week, and afterwards contributed to the Cornhill Magazine and Punch. lie subsequently joined the staff of the latter periodical, the pages of which he enriched with the well-known caricature sketches of society life, as typified By “Mrs Ponsonby de Tomkyns ” and others. He also illustrated Thackeray’s “Esmond”; sud “ Ballads,” and other books. He wrote two novels, “ Peter Ibbetson ” (1891) and “Trilby” (1891). The latter achieved a great success, especially in America. The body of the deceased was cremated,

JDR BENSON". Dr Benson, Arclibishop of Canterbury ' is dead. His Draco was seized with apoplexy at Hawardett Church directly the morning service began, and he was removed to the rectory, where artificial respiration was resorted to. All efforts, however, failed to restore him to consciousness, and he died in a quarter of an hour in the presence of-Jiis wife and Mrs Gladstone. The attack was brought on by weakness of the heart, the result of excessive fatigue induced by his recent inspection or the Irish churches. During the Litany the congregation"-, offered up prayers for the Archbishop, and a great sensation was caused when the Rev Stephen Gladstone announced his death. The service was immediately closed. Mr Gladstone was not well, and was not present. He was greatly shocked at the . occurrence, and, upon being told, he exclaimed, “ He died like a soldier.” Touching references,,were made in the evening at many cathedrals, churches and in dissenting pulpits, especially by Dr Parker:. The Queen and Empress Frederick have sent messages of Condolence to Mrs Benson, and family. The Queen, in a message, refers to her : grief at the terrible loss of so gifted a. prelate as Ur Benson, whom, she states,, she regarded with the highest affection and respect. The body of the late Primate will be interred in Canterbury Cathedral on Friday. Dr Davidson, Bishop of Winchester, and Dr Creighton, Bishop of Peterborough, are mentioned as likely to succeed him.

When the Anglican Diocesan Synod resumed on Tuesday afternoon the Bishop* said they could not commence their Avork that day Avithout some reference to the. terrible uoavs they had read in that morning's paper. The face of the beloved’. Archbishop of Canterbury was almost thelast familiar face he saw before he leftEngland. He called on him the day before, to receive his blessiug before beginning his Avork in this Colony, and he well remembered the joy he felt to be in that noble presence, and the greater joy he felt Avhen he saAV the genuine and fatherly interest which the Archbishop took in the Church in New Zealand. This diocese, to Dr Benson’s mind, with the diocese of Calcutta and Sydney, were the most hopeful and most responsible dioceses in Greater Britain outside England. He remembered how he charged him to perform that dutyin which he (Bishop Wallis) had invited the Synod to assist him—the procuring of sites in settled districts, and perhaps now that they knew it atos at the Archbishop’s suggestion that he had taken up tho work they would take even greater interest in it. Dr JBenson had also suggested that there should be more interchange of ministrations between England and New Zealand, and other sacred counsels he gave him. Bishop Wallis spoke of the Archbishop as the headmaster, almost the creator, of the great English public school, next as the Bishop of Truro, and finally Avhen he Avas selected to fill the place of the greatest statesman in the Church since the days of the Reformation. It had been suggested that the Synod should adjourn that day, but he found that it was the general wish that they should go on with business, and he felt sure that if the Archbishop himself could have advised them, he Avould have urged them to go on faithfully and diligently with the Avork given them to do. The Bishop moved, “That the Synod records its deep sorroAV for the loss the whole Anglican communion throughout the Avorld has suffered by the death of the Most Rev Father in God, Edward, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Primate of All England, and its deep thankfulness to Almighty God for the blessings of his wise, hopeful and tender administration.” Archdeacon Fancourt seconded the motion in a brief speech, and it was also supported by Mr W. H. Quick, as representing the laity. The motion Avas agreed to, the members standing. The bells of St. Peter’s Church were tolled on Tuesday night as a tribute to the memory of Archbishop Benson.

[The Most Rev Edward White Benson, D.D., Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England and Metropolitan, son of Edward White Benson, Esq., of Birmingham Heath and formerly of YorK, was born near Birmingham in 1829. He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he was successively scholar and Fellow, and where he graduated B.A. in 1852, as a First Class in classical honouis, and Senior Chancellor’s ~ Medallist, obtaining also the place of a Senior Oplime in the Mathematical Tripos. Ho graduated M.A. in ]855„ BD. in 1862, and 138-1. Ho was for some years one of the masters in Rugby School, and ho held the head mastership of Wellington College from its first opening in 1858 down to 1872. For several years he was Examining Chaplain to the late Bishop of Lincoln, by whom he was appointed Chancellor and Canon Residentiary of Lincoln, having been a Prebendary of the same cathedral for three years previous He was Select Preacher to the Universitv of Cambrige (1564. 1871, 1875, JS76, 1879 and 1832), and to the University of Oxford (187576), Hon. Chaplain to the Queen 1873, and Chaplain m Ordinary, 1875-77. In December 1876, he was nominated by the Crown on the recommendation of the Earl of Beaconsfield, to the newly restored Bishopric of Truro, and was consecratea in St Paul’s Cathedral, April Ihe diocese. which was taken out,of the diocese of Exeter, consists of the county of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and fiverpar-ishes of Devonshire, constituting the old Archdeaconry of Cornwall, with the church of St. Mary, Truro, as a cathedral. During his occupation of the See he began tb? building of a new cathedral at Truro (with Mr J. L. Pearson as architect), of outward shell has cost over A 100,000, mucn of that sum having been gathered through the energy of the Bishop. In December, 1882, Dr Benson was appointed by tne Mr Gladstone’s recommendation, to the. Archbishopric of Canterbury, in succession to Dr Taifc.j *