HON. W. B. D. MANTELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2181, 19 December 1895, Page 10

HON. W. B. D. MANTELL.

Jg^BALTER BALDOCK DURANT MANTELL, who aaraJKTnl died so recently, on September 7, was the son of WgjfOj r- Gideon Algernon Mantell, F.R.S., the surgeon ITsju*-. anc| celebrated geologist, and was, as the " Colonial Gentry shows, of ancient descent. He was born at Lewes on March 11, 1820. As one of New Zealand's earliest settlers he left England in September, 1839, in the Oriental, which arrived at what was afterwards named Wellington, in January. 1840. Amongst his companions were the Hon. Mr. Petre, Dudley Sinclair, and Molesworth. He formed, as was the case with most early settlers, a great friendship for the natives, and this doubtless gave the special direction to much of his after career. With his fellow emigrants he dwelt in a raupo whare on the banks of the treacherous River Hutt, upon which it was first intended to found Britannia, the infant capital of New Zealand. A succession of earthquake, fire, and flood, decided them to seek that more secure locality where Wellington now stands. As settlement proceeded and land was required, Mr. Mantell was in 184S appointed a' Commissioner for extinguishing Native Titles in the Middle Island —that is, he was commissioned to purchase lands from the Natives. He thus tiavelled constantly with and amongst them, taking full notes of all that he saw and heard. These manuscripts are accompanied by accurate sketches, and it is to be hoped that they will be entrusted to some one competent to edit them. In these journeying*, he collected many natural history objects, which were forwarded to his learned father for further description, and many of which are now in the British Museum, amongst them being the first specimen discovered of the JS'otornis, an almost complete moa's egg, I ones of the moa found in the Waikouaiti swamp, and various fossils. Soon after the cessation of the New Zealand Land Company in 1851 Mr. Mantell -was scut down to Dunedin to take charge of the Land Department. Here he resided 'for some years, and formed a very active member of what was known as the "Little Emmy." He visited the Home Country in lfe's6, and there endeavoured to arrange with the Government certain defaults which he considered had

been made with the Natives during the course of purchasing their lands. Failing to get an interview with the Secretary for the Colonies, Mr. Mantell at once resigned his official posts. Returning to New Zealand he took office as Native Minister in 1861, and was a trusted adviser to Governor Gore Browne. He filled responsible offices connected with the Natives in later Ministries. In 1566 he became a member of the Legislative Assembly, and so remained until the time of his death. He leaves a widow and one .sou. Despite the changeful life of his early years in the colony Mr. Mantell was of great observation, reading, and culture, a geologist, and good French scholar. He was fond of a pun, and always full of dry but not ill-natured satire, the effect being enhanced by an affected solemnity. This constitution, together with some fondness for ease, doubtless forbade him from taking any very active part in i olitical affahs. v Vanity, vanity, all '" to him was " vanity." • • •