OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11671, 11 April 1916, Page 6

OBITUARY.

EDWARD SMITH. Tho manj friends of Mr Edward' Smith, ex-superintendent of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, will regret to hear of his death at nine o'clock last evening from cerebral hemorrhageSome months ago Mr Smith was seized with 11 stroke, from which he recovered and was able to return to his daily duties, but since then had had a second attack. His condition yesterday caused grave anxiety, and the end was not! entirely unexpected. Mr Smith ivas born in Birmingham in 1848- When a little boy he was rescued, from a fire by his mother, who dragged him down three flights of stairs by his foot, having no time to see where she had hold of him. The familj' afterwards removed to London, and while there Mr Smith witnessed the great Tooley Street fire. He came out to New Zealand in 1864, and served for three years in Kb. 1 Rifle Company. In 18t>7 he removed to Melbourne -and twolve months later visited the South Sea Islands, where he learned shipbuilding and cotton plant-ing,-'and became an expert in the native language. He formed one of an expedition to punish some Fiji mutineers, and received two bullet wounds in his right leg. He was nine years in the Fijis, ' acting as interpreter and pilot, and was engaged in ■ the labour trade. Returning to Christchurch in 1877, he joined the local fire brigade in the following year, and rose successively to be foreman, lieutenant and superintendent. He invented a fire escape which took first prize in 1888 and which, he presented to the Christchurch City Council. He became a member of the St John Ambulance Association in 1886 and received tho society's medal. He was long associated with the Canterbury Industrial Association, and was for some time on the executive. He was also the founder of the firm of Messrs E. Smith and Co., boot importers and manufacturers. He retired from the position of superintendent of the fire brigade some eight years ago, and up to the time of his death lived in retirement. .