The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 40, 15 February 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1877.

After a long and tedious, but, happily, painless illness, there passed away from our midst at an early hour this morning one more of the now very small remnant of original Nelson settlers. The name of Sir David Monro is known not only in that district in which he has resided for the last thirty-four years but throughout the colony, he having until the last three or four years taken au active part in public life. When the Constitution was first granted to New Zealand, Sir David (more familiarly known at that time and for long after as "the Doctor") came forward as a candidate for the Provincial Council of Nelson, to which he was elected as the member for Waimea West, in which part of the province he for many years resided on his property known as Bearcroft. Sir David took a special interest in all matters pertaining to education, and was one of the framers of that Act, the working of which has proved so successful in Nelson. Twice he contested the Superintendency with the late Mr Robinson, but on both occasions was defeated. He was a member of the first Parliament of New Zealand, and continued to be so until 1872, when his election for Motueka, in which he was successful only by the casting vote of the Returning Officer, was petitioned against, and declared void. He succeeded Sir Charles Clifford as Speaker of the House of Representatives, to which post he was twice elected, and was generally allowed to be the best Speaker who ever occupied the chair. Sir David had during his long residence in the colony made many sincere friends, who saw much iv his character to respect, esteem, and admire, and there is not a provincial district in New Zealand in which there will not be found some to lament his death.