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OBITUARY.

HON. W. REEVES, M.L.C. Yet another came has to be added to the list of public men who have recently passed away in this and the neighbouring colonies. Our Christchurch telegrams inform us of the death of the Hon. W. Beeves, M,L,C, which took place at his residence, Risingholme, Opawa, en the 4th inst. Mr Reeve 3 was one of the pioneer Canterbury settlers, and his death severs one of thefewreinaininglinks which bind the early days of the province with their accompanying hardships and hopes and fears to the great agricultural and pastoral industries and the commercial activity and energy of the Canterbury of to-day. Mr Reeves arrived in the colony in 1856, and shortly afterwards entered into farming pursuits in the Rangiora distriot. He took his full share of the hard work of reclaiming the wilderness,but we are* not aware as to how long he continued his life as a farmer. It could not h,ave been for many years, however, as he purchased a share in the Lyttelton Tirqes in the early stages of that journal's history, some 30 years since, and with his partner (Mr Crosby Ward) devoted himself with characteristic energy and force of character to the development of their newspaper and printing business. That the efforts of Mr Reeves and his able partner met with a great measure of success is well known to everyone who has any knowledge of the newspaper business of the colony. The, Ljttelton Times Burely extended its influence and took its position as one of the leading dailies of the colony; and its success, v?as repeated by the Canterbury Times a,n3 Stav-^ofEshoots from the parent stem— which have given additional evidence of Mr Reeves' business ability and determination. Mr Reeves was assboiated with many of the leading enterprises of his well-beloved province, notably the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Union Insurance Company, of both of which institutions he was a promoter and a director. He resigned his position on the former at- the time, we believe, when the com.pany decided upon inaugurating its line of direct steamers—a policy upon which he took an entirely different view to that of his fellow directors. He was also the managing partner and leading spirit of the Middle park Stud Company, and for many years had taken a keen interest in racing matters, having been one of the stewards of the Canterbury Jockey Club. He was a member of the Board ofGovernora of the Canterbury College, and was president of, the. Chris.tchurch Musical Society. Mr Reeves was also one of the founders of the United Press Association of New Zealand,, and retained the chairmanship of that organisation from its commencement until his death. In this, as in other positions of responsibility which he held, Mr Reeves displayed in the completest sense all the characteristics of an able, clearsighted, and impartial man. Mr Reeves entered political life in 1867, having succeeded Mr Ward as member of Parliament for Avon in that year. He represented Selwyn from 1871 to 1876. During the recess of 1871 ha joined the Foxi Vogel Government as Resident Minister for the Middlo Island. With the defeat of that Government he went out of office in the second session of the fifth Parliament in 1872. He ceased to be a member of the House at the close of the fifth session of that Parliament in 1875. He was called to the Legislative Council in 1884 by the Stout-Vogel Government, and continued to hold his seat until his death. To thoss who did not know him well, Mr' Reeves displayed a somewhat reserved disposition, bat in the company of his friends bis cordiality and cburteousnesa quickly manifested themselves. His opinions and reasoning on matters of general interest were sound and dear, and his conversation was markedby considerable force Bnd power of expression. Mr Reeves leaves a widow, and four sons, and four daughters, two of the latter.being married and the eldest of the former being the Hon. W, P. Reeves, Minister of Education. He has performed his part as a true colonist, and has died beloved by the family wjiom he loved so well, and respected by those who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. The Hon. W. Reeves was buried on the Oth in the old Episcopalian cemetery. Bishop Harper and Cholmondeley conducted the^ervTce. The fnueral was the largest seen here^ilnce that of Mr Moorhouse. Over 60 carriages followed the hearse. A large number of -Lyttelton Times employes and others walked afoot, and a great crowd assembled at the cemetery. The Hon. R. Seddon, Major Steward, Justice Denniston, Judge Ward, and several members of both Houses of Parliament, were present. The pall-bearers were Messrs T. W. Maude, F. de C. Malet, Montgomery, L. Harper, J. A. Matson, and J. C. Wilkin. The coffia was covered with wreaths, includingfome from the Master Printers' Association, Press Association, and Otago Daily Times,directors.

DEATH OF MR HENRY HOUGHTON.

The friends of Mr Henry Houghton, consul for Germany, were hardly surprised to learn on the 10th inst. that he had passed away at Oamaru, as ho had been known for sometime to be failing in health, but the sense of regret at bis death was not the less keen on that account and was very generally expressed during the day, for the decease! gentleman was of a most kindly and benevolent disposition, warm-hearted and generous almost to a fault. Mr Houghton was born in England and was brought up in London, where he first entered into business and where he also married. He was one of the commissioners for Canada at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and received a valuable testimonial from the colonial Government for his services in connection therewith. His business arrangements necessitated his making two or three trips to Australia; and about the year 1857 he eventutually settled and entered into business in Melbourne. A few years later the gold discoveriesin Otago and the rush-that followed induced him to come to New Zealand, and he commenced trading in Dunedin in 1861 aa head of the firm of H. Houghton and Co. His sons John and Edward were afterwards associated with him in the venture, which was for many years an important one, the firm owning at various times such steamers as the Stormbird, Oreti, Express, Wangariui, Ahuriri, Star of the South, and other coasting craft that did a large carrying trade in those days, when the Union Steam Ship Company was still unthought of, when people desirous of migrating from one colony to another or from one part of the colony to another were content to " rough it" and to endure long voyages, and when the publio works policy that gave the colony its present lines of railway was virtually in nubibus. Amongst the firm's other undertakings was the establishment of a large receiving store at Waihola for the distribution of goods to the goldfields, this store being supplied by the steamers Rainbow and Planet which used to go round from Dunedin and up tho Taieri river to the lake. On retiring from the shipping business Mr Houghton was appointed the first secretary to the "Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, and held that position for many years. Since his retirement from the office, on the reorganisation of the chamber a few years back, he has acted as agent for the North Queensland Insurance Company and the Gibb_ line of steamers, besides attending to the duties of his office as German Conaul. The deceased gentleman was a visitor of the Industrial School, but his name was more closely identified with the Dempsey Trust and Dunedin Hospital. To the latter institution, he devoted a great deal of his time and attention, and there are few persons (if any) who have dona more for it than Mr Houghton did. He was appointed a member of the old Hospital Committee in January 1877, and was made chairman of that body when the late Mr A. C. Strode went Home. Tbe duties of the chairmanship remained on Mr Houghton's shoulders when the trustees superseded the committee, and he continued in that office until 1889. He was also* actively interested in the establishment of the nurses' borne, being associated with Mr G. G. Russell and Mr R. Wilson in raising the £1023 which, with the Government subsidy, provided a start for that institution, and it cannot but have been a source of gratification to him to know, within a few weeks of his death, that tha scheme which he had had so much at heart was about to be carried into effect. His health had for some months been very indifferent, but it was only recently that Mr Houghton acknowledged that he waa ill. A fortnight ago ho proceeded to Oamaru on a visit to his daughter, in the hope that tbe change of air would do him good, and it was there that hia death oocurred at 6 a.m. yesteJ" day. He had attained the ripe old age of 74 years. His surviving family consists of two sons and one daughter. The latter is Mrs Edwards, of Oamaru, and the sons are Mr John Houghton, now in San Francisco, and Mr E. F. Houghton, who is on the local staff of the Union Steam Ship Company. The funeral of , the deceased took placa on the 12th and was , very largely attended.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18910420.2.85

Bibliographic details

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9094, 20 April 1891, Page 6

Word Count
1,562

OBITUARY. Otago Daily Times, Issue 9094, 20 April 1891, Page 6

OBITUARY. Otago Daily Times, Issue 9094, 20 April 1891, Page 6

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