OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1863, 24 September 1913, Page 8

OBITUARY.

SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL. 1838—1913, Sir William Russell, who recently underwent a critical operation, rallied well after the operation, but throughout yesterday his condition occasioned tho greatest anxiety. At 12.3-j this morning a J?rcss Association "telegram received from Napier stated that Sir William died s'hortlv after midnight. Sir William Itussell was horn at Sandhurst-, Berkshire, England, in 1838, and first visited Now Zealand iu tho forties, with his father, who belonged to the SSth Regiment, Returning to En"land in 1818 ho was educated at tho°Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After leaving college he entered the SSth Rcimcnt as an ensign, and came out to the colony in 1857 by tho shin Chapman with troops, returning to the Old Country again in ISSB. Ho came backto New Zealand in' 1861, landing at Auckland, and until 1862 scned as a captain in tho 14th Regiment. In 1801 Captain ltiissell was stationed at Wellington, but lie cold his commission tho next year, and settled in IJawke's Bay as a sheep-farmer. Ho entered political lifo in 1870 as a member

of the Hawke's Bay Provincial -Council, in which ho sat until the abolition of tho Provincial Governments in 1870. Captain Russell was returned as tho first member of the Houso of Representatives for Napier and the country districts of Hawko's Bay, and was reelected again at the next general election. On going to tho poll again in 1881, however, ho was defeated, but after a rest of three years was again successful. From that time Sir William Russell was returned to Parliament, until ho was defeated in 1905 by M'f. A Dillon. As a Minister ho joined tie Atkinson Government of 18S4, taking tho portfolio of Postmaster-General, iiut after fourteen days tlio Ministry was defeated. In Octobcr, 18S9, ho again occupied office as a Minister of tlio Crown, becoming Cplonial Secretary and Minister of Defence and Justice, remaining in offico until tlio Ballanco Government took tho reins iu 1891. Subsequently Sir Wm. Russell became Leader of the Opposition. Ho was succeeded in that office, by tho presont Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey). Sir William Russell's knighthood was conferred in 1902. At the beginning of the present session Sir Wm. Russell was appointed a member of the Legislative Council. Ho was respected by all parties in the political world for his manly straightforwardness: A keen lover of sport, Sif Wm. Russell owned a number of racehorses at various times, and lie had filled the offico of president of tho New Zealand Jockey Club.