OBITUARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 2876, 20 July 1896, Page 2

OBITUARY.

SUDDEN DEATH OP THE HON E. PHARAZYN, M.L.C.

General regret will be felt at the announcement of the death of the Hon R. Pharazyn, M.L.C., which took place at his residence in Hobson street yesterday morning. About 10 days ago the hon gentleman was seized with a sudden illness in the Legislative Council, and was conveyed home, where, under the care of Hr Anson, ho made steady progress towards recovery. His condition was not regarded as in any degree serious, and, in fact, yesterday morning he was feeling so much better that he had announced his intention of getting up daring the day. Shortly before breakfast time Mrs Pbarazyn loft him in the bedroom, and on returning heard him breathing stertorously. Ho was discovered in an unconscious condition, and on Dr Newman, who was at once sent for, arriving, ho found life to be extinct. The cause of death was angina pectoris.

The deceased gentleman was the son of Mr C. Pharazyn, ex-M.L.C., and was born in London on August 31st, 1833, so that at tho time of his death he was nearly 63 years of age. He arrived in Now Zealand with his parents on May 34th, 1841, and was educated at St, John’s College, Tamaki, Auckland, after which he took up land in Hawke’s Bay and engaged in the occupation of a sheep-farmer, but after some time be gave up pastoral pursuits and has since been living in Wellington. He married Mrs Lomax, formerly of Loudon. There were no children of the marriage. On the retirement of his father from the Legislative Council in 1890, the deceased was appointed by the late Mr John Ballanoe to fill the vacancy. His speeches in the Council were always listened to with attention. He took a prominent part in the debates, always with courtesy and fulness of information, as those opposed to him always recognised. He was of a studious disposition, preferring the society of his books to the disputations of public life, and found a congenial position as chairman of the Parliamentary Library Committee, in which he rendered valuable service.

He was a lover of literature, not for tlie mere enjoyment of the good things be found in the books which lent a special grace to his life of leisure, but for the sake of the knowledge which might enable him to do good to his fellow-men. We have disagreed with him often, but hie motives and his attainments always had our slncerest admiration. A pleasant conversationalist he always was, as his many friends will remember with a pleasure deeply tinged with sorrow for his sudden death. A few years ago a serious illness came upon him. He recovered quickly, and the fact adds to the regret occasioned by his unexpected death, for we h'ad all thought that he had recovered in a way that promised long life. The death of Mr Pharazyn creates a vacancy on the Legislative Council’s Banking Committee. In consequence of tho death of Mr Pharazyn, Mrs Charles Johnston's “At Home," which was to have been held this afternoon, has been postponed.