OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6273, 2 September 1898, Page 4

OBITUARY.

CHARLES ROBERT BLAKISTON. Another of the very early Canterbury settlers was removed by dsath yesterday in the person of Mr Charles Robert Bliikiston, who was -widely known and' universally respected. Mr "Blakiston had been unwell only for a few days, having caught a chill when attendinji the wedding of one of his daughters on Wednesday Aveek, and a day or two ago this turned to pleurisy and congestion of the lungs, which terminated ia tally yesterday. . The deceased was a son of Sir Matthew Blakiston, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, and came out t>o Melbourne towards the end of 1851 with his brother,. Mr A. F. Blakiston. Some five months later the brothers came to Canterbury, 'having been induced to dp so by some frierids r .who had been fellow-passengers of theirs to ; the colonies, and, being so satisfied with this place, they decided to settle here. Mr Blakiston fltst took uip fifty acres of land on the Ferry. Road, naming it after his Derbyshire home, and it is now known as the village of Ashbourne. Later on he farmed land in the Kaiapoi district, and in 1856 he was elected as the first representative of that district in ttie Provincial Council. About the same time he was appointed to a seat in the Legislative Council by the Stafford Ministry, sitting for. two sessions. In 1858 he married a daughter of the late Bishop Harper, and in 1860 he took a trip to England, going Home in the Mermaid, with Captain Rose. While there the Trust and Agency Company of Australasia arranged with him to open and manage a branch of their business in Canterbury, and he managed the business until the end of last year, when he retired on a pension. On returning to the colony in 1862, he resigned his seat in the Legislative Council, as his business would not allow of his attending its sittings.' Mr Blakiston always ■ took a deep interest in church matters, and Avas for many years the representative of St Luke's parish on the Diocesan Synod. In the early days he assisted materially in getting the Cathedral built, and since its inception has been a member of the Cathedral Chapter. He was a member of tlie governing body of Christ's College up to the time of his death, and took great interest in all that concerned the school. He was one of the founders of the Christchurch Bowling Club, and up till lately was a constant attendant on the green. At various times he was a director of different companies, and was on t:he directorate of the South British Insurance Company up till the time of. his death ; and. he was also one of the oldest justices : of the peace in the colony. Mr Blakiston leaves a widow and four sons (one of whom is practising as a solicitor a*, Danneyirke, in the North Island, and another is farming at tlie Chatham Islands) and two daughters, one of whom was married last week to Mr A. G. Turner, of the Isle of Wight, the funeral will take place on Saturday.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Sept. 1. Mrs Wood, relict of the late Reader Gilson Wood (an ex-Colonial Treasurer) and a very old colonist, died at her residence, Parnell, aged eighty. . The deceased lady was in goad health on, Saturday, but, took a slight attack of influenza.