The Evening Star MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2067, 20 December 1869, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1869.

Dunedin last week mourned the loss of Mr Paterson, and the lady who perished in. the Kakanui River. Tliey moved in different spheres, hut both were public servants. The lady was a teacher in one of our schools, just liberated from her professional engagements after months of patient, plodding, enduring devotion to her duties, and looking forward to a short relaxation prior to returning to her useful but scarcely appreciated work. Young as she was, and scarcely known beyond the circle of her friends and pupils, her life has not been spent in vain; and, in view of her useful career, though it may add to the grief of her relatives to lose one so worthy, it must be soothing for them to know that, humanly speaking, she could be ill spared. Hexlabors are not lost, nor will her memoiy perish; for she has taught those who in after yeax-s will not only remember the lessons they learned under hextuition, but the sad events connected with her early death. Mr Paterson’s loss is not xnerely civic, but colonial; and to add to this, his relative and friend, Mr Balfour, has perished too. It is sad whenever a humaxx being is called from a coux-se of usefulness in the full enex-gy of nxixxd and body. Ho matter what sphere of life a xxxan may be in, if he is able to labor witlx hand or mind, his loss is a public calamity. Viewed in its lowest aspect, it is so much useful labor suddenly r withdx-awn—a cutting short of the i-etux-n axxticipated by Society for the nurture, care, axxd preparation continued through a course of years from infancy to manhood. Ixx many cases the suddexx death of one in full health and vigor is axx irrepax-able loss to the family with which he is connected. They are thus xxot only overwhelmed with grief, but deprived of that provisioxx which well-dix-ected effox-ts of cultivated talexxt has hitherto secured. Deeply, under such circumstances, are wives and sisters and children to be sympathised with. There have not been the patient loving watchings over the daily wasting franxe; the gradually gained conviction that the sufferer’s days are numbered, axxd the preparation of the mind for separation that precedes death from lingering illness. It comes ixx a moment, perhaps the least expected, wlxexx he who is thus suddenly called away is earnestly engaged in his usual avocations. It found Mr Paterson in the pursuit of the duties of his px-ofessioix. One ixxstant a man of cultivated intellect, high professioxxal repxxtatioxx, the xnovixxg spix-it directixxg the prosecution of complex useful "works ; the xxext a spirit lost to earth—his rexnains a corpse. Mr Balfour, his fx-iend axxd relative, and he met in Dunedin but a week ago. They sepaxated, each in pursuit of his special duty. Mr Balfour, informed of the loss he had sustained, left the shore at Timaru, intending to form one of that long and sad procession that yesterday followed Mr Paterson’s body to its resting-place. But death met him on the way. The breaking wave proved as remox’seless as the mountain flood ] and two xnen of talent, known respected axxd looked up to have passed away from us. There are many in the City who -will mourn these gentlemen as sincere and worthy friends, esteemed not only for their kindly dispositions but for their high professional attainments.

As professional men, they enjoyed a high share of public confidence, llieir loss is not merely local, it is colonial. In a land like ours, where systems of communication tire to be formed, docks to be constructed, harbors improved, bridges built, railways made, and lighthouses to be erected in dangerous and difficult place's, the loss of those who are equal to devising and directing the execution of such works is a public misfortune. In one way or other, these two gentlemen have been connected with the progress of the Province and Colony since their arrival from Great Britain. They have not lived to carry out the plans they have formed. To others must now be remitted the task of completing what they were not permitted to finish ; but the fact that there may be those amongst us equal to the work does not lessen the regret that men so estimable in all the relations of life have thus been suddenly taken Death finds ns ’mid our plaything’s snatches us As a cross nurse might do a wayward child, From all our toys and troubles. His rough call Unlooses all our favorite ties on earth, And well if they are such as may be answer’d In yonder world, where all is judged of truly.