DEATH OF E. J. WAKEFIELD, ESQ.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 33, 5 March 1879, Page 2

DEATH OF E. J. WAKEFIELD, ESQ.

l&B grini reaper has been busy -with the pione&fe "of New Zealand of .late, and to ithS already long list the- name of Edward Jerningham Wakefield must now be added.; From" a telegram which peached his wife;w,e learn that he breathed Ms last at Ashburjton on Monday "morning, twit his death was altogether unexpected, ap no later, than last TReek she had a letter |rom him m, wliich he atated that he had been; engaged to write a bpok .for the Government, ai*d expected to visit Palmewtori Bhoritly.. ' The. deceased gentleman, whose family has. been identified with the settlement aiid progress of New Zealand for brer half a century, ifas pos- '. sessed of a brilliant iateleci, which^ combined : with an almost princely fortune,' marked him out as one of the foremost men of the. ': Colony. No man is perfect^ and' that he did not become to was owing to an unjfor» tunate weakness which blasted an otherwise ' brilliant and irreproachoble.career, brought sorrow to those he' held dear, and many a bitter pang of remorse to himself. When his better .nature would assert its sway, and he would succeed m throwing off the tb^al-. .door by which he" was ons^yed, then his giant mind' would make its force.' and power acknowledged. He is gone now, a nobj^ | nature led astray ; but to those, who were. | the only sufferers by his errors and weakness 'that weighs but lightly when put m [the scale with his parental lofe and affection. iTo 1 the world his faaings;^y.bakpown, the thousand acts of charity and open-, handed liberality perhaps forgotten, but to her alone who now mourns his loss "will the tender remembrance of ,hiß true self remain for ever unchanged. In the letter wceiTedj by Mrs. Wakefierd but a few days?ag6,j he ' spoke with hope of seeing her and his two children m such a short while, and although' Mrs. Wakefield and himself had not met' for some time, his letter breathed :of lore and affection, and sad must be.ihe blow, when expecting tameet after so long a separation, to receive news of his untimely death. Of his past career it is almost unnecessary to speak. Those who have, known him i»ti--mately, alone knew his numberless sterling qualities ; ;. his public life is a part of New 3ea^nd'i history. j