The Late Sir Patrick Buckley.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 270, 20 May 1896, Page 2

The Late Sir Patrick Buckley.

(Por Press Association.) Wellington, May 19. Sir Patrick was born near Castle Townsend, County Cork, Ireland, in 1841, and was educated for the Catholic priesthood at Louvain, on the river Dy.'e, Belgium. He did not take to the walk of life intended for him, and after seeing active service in the Pope's regiment against Garibaldi's troops, in which he was wounded in the leg, he came out to the coloi>ies, settling in Queensland, where he was admitted to the Bar, after serving his articles with Sir Charles Lilly. From thence he went to Victoria, afterwards making his way to the West Coast of the youth Island of this colon}', where he entered into partnership with Messrs Button and Reid, the former of •whom is now M.H.R. for Auckland, and the latter Solicitor-General. He shortly afterwards came to Wellington and entered into partnership with the Hon. Mr Hart (who died last year) and entered into political life iv the office of Provincial Solicitor. The firm saw several changes, Messrs Stafford and H. S. Fitzherbert replacing Mr Hart, and the latter being succeeded by Mr Treadwell. Sir Patrick was nominated to the Legislative Council by the Grey Ministry ou July 26th, 1887, aud joined the StoutYogel Ministry as Colonial Secretary on 4th September, 1894, a position he held until the defeat of the Ministry on Bth October, 18S7. When the late John BallaDce formed his Ministry ou the 24th January, 1891, Sir Patrick again assumed office as Colonial Secretary, as well as taking the portfolios of Attorney - General, and PostmasterGeneral, res : going the latter in favor of of Mr Ward a low weeks after. On Ist May, 1893, he had the duties of Minister of Marine added, but again Mr Ward relieved him. Early this year Sir Patrick resigned office to take the position of Supreme Court Judge, vacant by the death of Justice Richmond. At the. same time he severed his connection with the well-known firm of Buckley, Stafford, and Treadwell, of which he had been senior partner almost from his arrival in the colony. In 1869 he married Alice, the only daughter of the late Sir William Fitzherbert, and sister of Mr H. S. Fitzherbert, of Palmerston North, the then Governor, Sir George Bowen (in the absence at Home of Sir William) giving away the bride. Sir Patrick was the first captain of the D Battery of Artillery in Wellington, and volunteered their services to hunt down fcbe Maori murderer, Te Kooti. Before Government would avail themselves of the offer the scare had subsided. The only relative of the deceased is Dr Buckley, a prominent medical practioner in San Francisco.