Obituary.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5191, 23 December 1884, Page 4

Obituary.

THOMAS SMITH DUNCAN. Not altogether unexpected, Btill all too sudden, tho death, yesterday morning, of Mr Thomas Smith Duncan, Crown Prosecutor for the Supreme Court at Christchurch, as it became known throughout the city, was tne cause of general and evidently heartfelt regret. Mr Duncan was one of the earliest settlers in Canterbury, being a passenger by the Eandolph, one of the " first four ships " which arrived here 34 years ago. He waa born in 1821 at Perth, North Britain, whero his father was Proem ator- Fiscal, and Mr Duncan was himself brought up to the profession of the law, which ho practised in his native town. On hi 3 arrival in Lyttelton he at once betook himself to his rural section at Decanter Bay, Banks' Peninsula, and entered upon tho rough work of a pioneer settler. Here nmtters went hard with him, and during some years of uncongenial work, the prospect of success was by no means promising. The young lawyer was easily persuaded by his friends that he was wasting his time in the wilds of the bush, and accordingly, about the year 1856, he returned to Lyttelton and resumed the practice of his profession. When it became evident that Christchurch was to be the chief town of the Province, Mr Duncan came here, and, in 1857 or 1858, settled down in the house on the Papanui road built for the late Sir Thomas Tancred (who was about leaving for England), in which he yesterday breathed his last. In 1858 he took his seat as representative of Akaroa in the Provincial Council of Canterbury, ita ninth session, when William Sefton Moorhouse was Superintendent and John Ollivier was Provincial Secretary. His colleagues were Messrs It. H. Rhodes and A. E. White. Ho shortly afterwards succeeded His Honor Judge Qresson as Provincial Solicitor, and was the first Crown Prosecutor in the District under Mr Justice Gresson. The former office he, of course, vacated with the change of Administration in 1860, but the latter he held till his death. During his career in the Provincial Council, whore latterly he represented Avon, he was not a keen politician, but, nevertheless, he took a very active part in the promotion of the "tunnel" construction, and the railway works generally throughout Canterbury, to further which he several times visited Wellington. His hearty support of Mr Moorhouse made him as steadfast an opponent of Mr Fitzgerald, and at a breakfast to Lord Lyttelton and Mr Selfe, Mr Fitzgerald happily described the man and his character in the words — ,f Before me I have my dearest friend and ono of my strongest enemies." Mr Duncan was President of the Law Society from its commencement in 1868. His business in town has been carried on for upwards of a quarter of a century, but the firm has seen some changes. It was first conducted solely by himself, then the firm became Duncan and Williams, his partner being tho present Mr Justice Williams. On Mr Williams retiring, the firtu became Duncan and Jameson, and on Mr Jameson seceding it became Duncan and Cotterill. Now the firm has the name of Martin added to it, and of late years no inconsiderable portion of the Crown Prosecutor's work has been done by the junior partner, Mr J. C. Martin. Mr Duncan was essentially a homely, unpretentious man, of exceeding kindness and good nature. His affable manners contributed no doubt in no small degree to the successful manner in which for so many years he kept a good business together. Ho was very obliging and liberal, I'iequently providing from his own pocket the money necessary to keep unfortunate clients from imprisonment for debt. Thoso who of late years have seen the slightly stooping carriage, the strongly lined features, and the whitened hair of the Ciown Prosecutor, will nevertheless be quite prepared, by the evident stalwartness of the figure, to agree with the description given of him by one who know him on the voyage out from Homo, as " a brown haired, brown bearded, handsome man," excelling in agility and muscular strength. Tlie deceased gentleman leaves a widow, m : e Hunter, who came out with him, and six pons to dep'orc his loss. His eldest son,

Clement C. C. Duncan, was the first British ! Colonist born hero. An only daughter J died when very young.