DEATH OF MR WILLIAM GISBORNE

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 63

DEATH OF MR WILLIAM GISBORNE

(Fkosi Our Own Correspondent.') London, January 22. Ib is with sincere regret that I have to record the death of Mr William Gisborne, which occurred somewhat suddenly on the 7th inst. Mr Gisborne had been spending some time at his estate, Lingen, Herefordshire, where he enjoyed particularly good health, and retnrned to his Derbyshire seat, Allesbree Hall, jast I before Christmas, apparently as well as ever he } had been in his life. One day at luncb, howi ever, Mr Gisborae suddenly experienced what ! appeared to ba « slight stroke of paralysis From this he roon recovered, but his medical | attendant warned the family that this seizure would probably bo followed by other?, and might possibly lead to hia lingering for a long I time in a state of paralysed iielplessness. , Mercifully, however, his fate was otherwise I ordained, and so a terrible doom, which ha would | have dreaded far more than mere death, was '. averted. During the first: week of the new I year Mr Giiborne appeared to have qu te recovered, and was out walkiag or i driving every day ; even on the d«.y | which proved his last ho was out of daora and aboufc as actively as ever. i After dinner in the evening he had bsen in bis ; library with some members of his family, and \ had gone to bed shortly after 10 o'clock, but on I entering his room a few minutes afterwards WLva Gisborne found him gasping for breath aud evidently in the throes of another teizure. Everything possib'e was done to relieve hioi until the arrival of the doctor, who pronounced thab Mr Gisborns was suffering from an attack of syncope, which might not necess*rily prove fatal, but from which his patient migh 1 ; yet recover. Toward morniog Mr Gisborne ap- ; peared to rally somewhat, and slept quietly for j gome time; bub during the forenoon auother | seizure came, aud thia proved the last, Me j Gisborne passing away quite peacefully ab^ub midday. His wife and tamily were all around him to the end, and he was quite conscious to the last. It was decided that the funeral should lake place at Lingen and uot afc AUestree, as it was believed thab this would have been in accordance with Mr Gtsborne'a wishe3 if 'he hid had an opportunity of expressing them. a<s ho had talked much of going to Lingen again in the i epriog to see the wild flowers, and ib wa3 felt j that he would have chosen the picturesque and i reposeful chui-chya'-d for hi 3 last reating-place. ] The funeral w*s very largely attended, and numerous were the signs of sorrow and regret both at Lingen aud AUesfcree. A memorial service was conducted at the Aliestree Church, where thera was a large congregation, nearly all pivsenb being in mourning. RepreisDtative tenants were present from Brailsford, A'kmcnton, and Allestree. Mr Gi'iborne was greatly bsloved by sll those among whom be lived alternately ofc AHo&tre»J and Lingen, his kiid *nd genet otis and genial nature having alwajs made him many friends. He succieded in 1892 fco the estates of hU cousin (Sir I. W. Evans, Bart.), having lived in England some years pivvioasly. Mr Gisborne, who was in his seventy-third year, belonged to an old Derbyshire family, being the third son of the late Mr T. K. Gisboroe, of Holme Hall, Derbyshire. His mother (nee Sara Krehmer) wss a Russian by birth. Mr Gisborne was educated at Rugby, aud married Caroline Gertrude, daughter of the late Assistant Commissary-general Bridgen. His sod, Mr Lionel Guy Gisborne, who was bom in 1867, married Jessie, eldesb daughter of Mr J. Macintosh-Gow. Mr Gi-sborne.'s three daughters are all martied— Gertrude to Mr E. M. Anson (stipendiary magistrate of British Gaiana), Edith to Major Wright (late Sherwood Foresters, Derbyshire Regiment), and Alice to Captain Brittan (of the same regiuieot). Of Mr Gi&borne in his more public capacity it is unnecessary that I should say much to New Zealand reader?, by whom his colonifei history and services will be well remembered. Ib is not long since I bad the pleasure of reviewing Lii new edition of •• NbW Ztalatid Rulers and Statesmen," and his ether book, "The Colony of New Zealand," is also widely known. I may perhaps just mentioD, however, chafe ib was exjsc'.ly 50 years ago that Mr G : sborne first held a high appointment in New Zealand — • that of Coramissioner of Cro^n Laf ds ; while, I as Under-secreto.ry for She Colony, h» was at the ', head of the New Zealand civil service so long ago as 1 853. He ief t thab post ia 1569 l o become a Minister of the Crown as Colonial Secretary ia the Jfox-Vogel Government, with a seat in the Legislative Council, which he resigned to stand for the House of Representatives in the nexh general elecbioo, when he was succesrful in securing a seat. How he abandoned politics-for a time to hold the office of. Commiesioner of Government Insurance, how he returned to Parliament and joined the Grey Ministry, and how, after the defeat of that Administration, he, as a member of the Opposition, was the hero of fcke celebrated scene in tho House oi' Representatives when he was fined £20 by the Speaker, Sir Maurice O'Rorke, for resisting what he considered to be an improper and oppressive ruling of iha Chairman of Committees — all are matters of comparative recent history. The Times, in an appreciative notice of the late Mr Gisborne, refera to him as "for many years one of the most prominent and respected of New Zaaland public men," and as "a shrewd jadge of character." Personally, I am able to say that Mr Glsborne's interest in New Zealand and his affection for the colony and for his many old friends there remained ardent , and unabated to the last.