OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5839, 5 April 1897, Page 4

OBITUARY.

Another of the early settlers of the colony passed away yesterday in the person of Mr E. M. Templer, who died at his residence, Clare Road, St Albans, after a short illness. Mr Templer, with his brother, the late Mr Arthur Templer, left England for Australia early in the forties. They were actively engaged in pastoral pursuits until about 1848, when the news that the Canterbury Settlement was about to be formed caused them to turn their attention to New Zealand. Selling out their Australian properties, they came to Canterbury in 1849, and took up a large tract of country, in what is now known as the Ashburton district, some months before the arrival of the Canterbury Pilgrims. The homestead ■was situated on the Longbeach property, now owned by Mr J. Grigg. The Templer brothers were amongst the first to import sheep from Australia, with the intention of improving the breed of merinoes, which ■were then almost the only class of sheep known here. One consignment, which they had landed close to the Zigzag at Lyttelton, all perished through eating tutu shortly after getting ashore. When the settlement of Canterbury progressed the property at Ashburton was sold, and the brothers separated, Mr E. M. Templer purchasing the wellinown Coringa Farm at Yaldhurst, to which he retired, and where he remained unMi about ten years ago, when he sold the pvoperty to Mr G. G. Stead, and came to live in town. In his younger days Mr Templer was a most energetic man, and was elected one of the first members of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, in which he sat Tinder Superintendents Fitzgerald, Moorhouse and Rolleston until the provinces ■were abolished. Whilst taking a thoroughly liberal view of legislation, he strongly opposed the abolition of the provinces, as he •could not see his way to disturb the provincial institutions, which he had watched from their infancy. From that time he virtually retired from the political arena. Soon after his arrival in Canterbury ho married the second daughter of Mrs- M. King, who, ■with her family, came out m the Cressy, tone of the historical "first four ships." tile is survived by Mrs Templer, and by six 'Jons arid five daughters, " all grown up. 'The funeral will leavo Inflate residence, ■Clare Road, at 2 p.m. "to-morrow for the *Riccarton Cemetery. Mr James Balfour, a well-known and highly-respected farmer of Totara Valley, near Pleasant Point, died on Saturday morning, after a long and painful illkiess, caused by an internal tumour. Mr flßalfour came from the Oamaru district (Ever twenty years ago to settle in the Totara Valley. He was about fifty-five year 3 of age, and leaves a family of eight. On Friday last an old resident of Akaroa, Mr George Cheekley, died, from the effects of a paralytic stroke, at the age of sixty-eight years. He had resided vat Akaroa for about thirty-five years, and during that period had filled several public ftffices, including those of member and Ihairman of the Akaroa County Council End member of the Borough Council. He leaves three sons and three daughters, all grown up. t ...