PERSONAL

Patea Mail, Volume XLVI, 26 September 1923, Page 2

PERSONAL

The death from heart failure is announced of Lord Morley, at thq age of 85 years. Lord Morley was educated at Cheltenham College and Lincoln College, Oxford. He was twice Chief Secretary for Ireland, with a seat in the Cabinet in 1886 and 1892-5. He was also Secretary of State for India from 1905-10, and Lord President of the Council 191014. Viscount Morley was editor of the “Pall Mall Gazette” and “Fortnightly Review' ’ ’ for some years, and was a renowned writer on a great variety of subjects.

Advice received from England announces the death at Bath, on August 7th, of Major-General Sir Edmund Leach, K.C.8., late colonel of the Queen's Own, or 50th Regiment, at the age- df 87. The deceased officer had a distinguished military career, having served in the Crimea, New Zealand Wars (1863-66), Egyptian War (1882), Nile Expedition (1885), and in 1894-95 commanded the troops at the Barbados. In New Zealand, when a lieutenant, he took part in the sharp engagement at Waiari, on the Mangapiko, a branch of the Waipa River, on February 11th, 1864, when five soldiers and 41 Maoris were killed. It was at this fight that Captain Charles Heaphy performed a deed that obtained the only Victoria Cross awarded to a colonial soldier in the Maori Wars. In January, 1865, the 50th Regiment was moved to Wanganui and was in the fight at Nukumaru on the 24th, Captain Leach, as he was then, serving as aide-de-camp to BrigadierGeneral Waddy. On Manch 13th the British troops advanced on Ivakaramea, driving the natives out of their strong position, with heavy loss. For his services there as deputy-assistant Adju-tant-General, he was specially mentioned in dispatches. In January, 1566, he headed the column of Regulars in the difficult advance on the Hauhau strong- '■ hold, Putahi Pa, Whenuakura River, which resulted in the fortress being stormed and captured, 25 of the enemy being killed. This was followed by General Chute’s nine days' hazardous march round Mt, Egmont, from. KetemaraO to New Plymouth. On the fifth day, food supplies were exhausted, and Captain Leach formed one of an advance party to hasten to Mataitawa for provisions, which, after a groat struggle, attained its object. The 50th Foot Royal West Kent Regiment, now the Queen’s Own, was familiarly known in New Zealand as the ‘’Dirty Half Hun-i drecl.” Major-General Leach's old regiment is allied to the Ist Canterbury (N.Z.) Regiment.