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Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 554, 24 February 1858, Page 4

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£ Rom tins province we have papers to the 16th tiltimo, and a few days' later news through the Wellington journals. There is not anything of importance to transfer to our columns. His Honor Sydney Stephen, Acting Cliief Justice, died at Auckland on the 13th January. This event tends, seriously to impair the already ciippled action of the Supreme Court in this colony. The 1 New Zealander' in the following paragraph refers shortly .to the story of Mr .'Stephen's life; but Otago is to be added as one of the places where a portion of his official life was spent:— - The deceased gentleman was one of a numerous family, all more or less celebrated for their legal attainments, and possessing a historic name and influence in the annals of Australasia, —his father, John Stephen, having been one of the early Judges of New South Wales, and his surviving brother, Sir Alfred Stephen, the present Chief Justice of that colony, having filled the offices of Solicitor-General and Attorney-General of Tasmania (under the able administration of the late Sir George Arthur), from whence he was promoted by the force of his ability to the Australian Bench. For several years the deceased Judge .was a practising Barrister in Hobart Town, until he came in contact with the then Puisne Judge, Algernon Montague, a man of an ; ungovernable and overbearing temper, by whom Mr. Stephen was capriciously and as it proved unjustifiably disbarred,—an appeal to the Home Government having restored him to the position he never forfeited, although he was not compensated for the wrong lie had sustained. Subsequently to his departure from Tasmania, Mr. Stephen, we believe, practised in Victoria, •from'whence he was transferred to Wellington, ! .on the appointment of Sir. Justice Chapman to tlie Colonial Secretaryship of Tasmania. On the return of Chief Justice Martin to England, Mr Stephen was called from the South to take'that gentleman's place, and, with the exception of one judicial visit to the South, he had been resident .in Auckland ever since. Last winter, Mr. Stephen laboured, under a 'very severe illness, his life at that time being despaired of. He rallied, however, and resumed -his post on the Bench at the last Criminal Session an .December. But it. was painfully evident that his health was seriously shattered, and subsequent postponements of the Civil Sittings showed that his strength was •unequal to the, duties that were required of him,—for lie sank,' as Aye have already stated, on Wednesday morn-. higyit.lo o'clock. Yesterday at. 5 p.m.'the remains of the deceased Judge were committed to -' their Aral Testing place. • According to notice in

the General and Provincial Gazettes, the public offices were closed, the Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Treasurer, Colonel Wynyard, Commander of the Troops in New Zealand, the Superintendent, the Speaker of the Provincial Council and several of its members, the. various members of the Legal profession, together with most of the Civil and many of the Military Officers, forming the funeral cortege, which was a numerous one. The service was read by Bishop Selwyn in the most impressive manner, and all respect possible was paid in celebrating the obsequies of one who was much esteemed by those who knew him best, and who, during his brief career in Auckland, had earned the reputation of a firm and independent Judge.