OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1181, 17 July 1911, Page 5

OBITUARY.

CAPTAIN R, A. EDWIN, R.N.

The news of tho death of Captain B, A. Edwin, R.N., which took placo at his residence, Wellington Terrace, on Saturday morning, came as a surprise to his friends. Tho deceased, who was seventyono years of age, was only ill for a few days, and no ono thought that thwend was nigh. Captain Edwin has spent tho greater part of his lite in New Zealand, in charge of tho Government Meteorological Office, and Cor over thirty years his signature appeared below tho weather forecast message which appeared in all tho principal papers in Now Zealand. In contradistinction to tho placidity of the latter half of his lire, his younger years were spent in the Royal Navy, in which ho saw sonic brisk service in fho days when tho world was a deal wider than it is to-day.

Born in England, Captain Edwin was educated at tho Wimborne Minister Grammar School, in Dorsetshire, and when fourteen years of age entered tho Navy as a cadet. He was a midshipman on H.M.S. Albion, in the action between tho combined English and French fleets, and the forte of Sabastopol on October 17, 1851, and was wounded iu that engagement. Later, he was transferred to H.M.S. Elk, awl was serving on that vessel during the action which resulted in tho capturo of Canton (China). Ho also saw active service in tho early Maori war. For his services he held ike Crimean war modal (with Sebastopol bar), and tho China medal (with Canton bar). In IS7I ho retired from the Navy, and joined (he New Zealand Civil Service, from which ho only retired two years ago. 110 was appointed to take charge of the Government weather bureau in 1871, and alrabccnrao examiner of masters and mates, and when in 1907 tho Meteorological Office and Weather Bureau were constituted a sub-Department, Captain Edwin was appointed tho first director, an office lie held until 190!), nlieu ho retired, and the Rev. D. C. Bales wua appointed to the position. He was a skilful and studious worker in the scienco of meteorology, and iu one branch of tho work of' weather prophesying ho used a formula which was used by him for 20 years before it was discovered by tho British .Metoorologic.nl Office. Captain Edwin _ was a kind-hearted, even-tempered, socially-disposed man, who had many friends and no enemies. Ho was perhaps never happier than when playing a game of bowls on .-. sunny sum-' nier's afternoon on the Wellington Bowling Club's Krcen. He w.is one of (ho oldest members of that club, and held the position of president in 1897-S. 'He was also a member of the council of tho Northern Bowling, Association for many years. He married a daughter of Com-missary-General Charles Bridge, of tho Imperial- Army, who survives him, together with a family of three daughtersand one son—Mrs. Leslje Gorton (of Feilding), Mrs. D'Arcy Chaytor (Mnrlborongh), Miss I. A. Edwin, and Captain Alexander Edwin (of the Union Steam Ship Company's service). The funeral will take plnee at 9 o'clock this morning.

MR. JOHN BEYAN. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) Hokitika, July IG. The (lcnth of Sir. John Bovan. member for Hokitika in the House of Hoprcsentatives twenty-seven years ago. occurred hero this morning at !) o'clock. In his time deceased held many important public, positions, and was a most enthusiastic. Freemason. For fifty years he was a pastmaster and past first, principal of the Pacific Royal Arch Chapter, and, as a Masonic ritualist, had few equals, and perhaps no superiors in tho Doivinion, During his long term of office ho was called upon to perform many important Slavonic ceremonies, including the imtallation, some years nsq. of the late .Sir Donald Sl'Lcan as district master ef Wellington. Deceased, who leaves a widow, was 74 years of age.