OBITUARY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 20, 24 September 1913, Page 5

OBITUARY.

SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL.

THE BAYARD OF N.Z. POLITICS,

[Peu Press Association.J

Wellington, September 23

Sir William Russell, who underwent a serious operation, rallied lor a time, but expired at midnight.

Sir William Russell had one of the longeßt political records in New Zealall He represented the Hawkc Bav electorate uninterruptedly lor M vears, and was for six years Leauei of the Opposition in the House of Representatives. Recently he was ap >ointe d to the Upper House. &i William Russell's grandfather Cap tain Andrew Hamilton Russell of tlu 28th Reaiment, took part in the bat Ue of Copenhagen,, and in the **l chcrell expedition, and lost Ins : n 1811 in the Peninsular His father was Lieutenant-Colonel Russell, of 58th Regiment who serv „ ( i in the Maori war. Sir Willian ;l s m born on November 12, 1338 a Sandhurst, Berkshire, England, when he was subsequently educated at tin Boval Military College. In the yeai 1855 he was given a commission n the 58th Regiment, and in 1357 joiner the headquarters of the regiment 11 Vew Zealand. Two years later h< turned to England. He exchangee : nto the 14th Regiment in 1861, an( ,gain came to New Zealand In th year L 862 ho retired from the Arm:., with the rank of captain, and settle* in Hawke's Bay, where in conjunc lion with a brother, he acquired th* Thnanui and Flaxmere properties Eventually the partnership expired and the properties were divided, ten William retaining the Sherenden am Flaxmere estates. Sir William re sided at Flaxmere, about three mile from Hastings. From the year 18G. until the abolition of the provinces. Captain Russell was a member of th Provincial Council of Hawke's Bay and in December, 1875, was first re turned to the House of Representa tives for the Napier and country dis tricts electorate. In 1881, on th. redistribution of the seats, he con tested the Hawke's Bay seat,-and wa defeated by the late Mr Frederic! Sutton, but was again returned at th' next general election. He continu ed to represent Hawke's Bay unti the year 1905, when he was defeated by Mr Alfred Dillon.

' For a short time during the Atkm son Administration of 1884 he occu pied a seat in the Cabinet as Post master-General, and under the Pre miership of Sir Harry Atkinson, fron 1889 to .1891, was Colonial Secretar. and Minister of Defence. Later on he succeeded the Hon. William Rol le'ston as Leader,of the Oppositio; Party in the House of Representa tives. In 1883 Captain Russeli wa cliairman of the Midland Railwa; Commission. With Sir John Hal he represented New Zealand, in 1890 at the first Australasian Federation Conference at Melbourne, and in 1891 with Sir George Grey and Sir Harr, Atkinson, was a member of the Na tional Australasian Convention tha drafted the Constitution of the Com monwealth. Some years later he wn one of the Commissioners that wer> sent to Australia to report upon tho> advisability of New Zealand joinim the Commonwealth. For many year he was a member of the Hawke's Pa; Education Board, the Hawke's Ba Jockey Club, the Hawke's Bay Coun ty Council, the United Hospital am Charitable Aid Board, the Wast Lands Board, the Rabbit Board, an< the Board of Governors of the Na pier High Schools. He was captaii of the Meanee Company of the Miii tia, and subsequently of the Hasting Rifles.

Captain Russell married Miss Has riette Julia Hodgskin, of Cawle; Priory, Sussex, England, in thy, yea 1867, and has, surviving, two sons a" 1 four daughters. One son, who servo< in the 14th Regiment, was killed ii the South African war; a second i a lieutenant of the 58th Regiment and tho eldest manages the Sherender station.

In the year 1902, Captain Russe! was created a Knight Bachelor, in re cognition of the length and value o his services as a public man. TRIBUTE FROM WESTRORT. Westport, September 24. The Harbor Hoard Commission me to-day, Mr Greenland, secretary, giv ing evidence. At the opening of r.h sitting this morning, Mr Maginit made touching reference to the deal of Sir William Russell. He said tha when the history of the Dominio' came to he written up, the name o deceased statesman will appear wit 1 credit and appreciation. The chair man of the commission endorsed tin remarks of Mi - Maginity and said "We shall ail honor his memory."