TWO OLD COLONISTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5276, 21 February 1878, Page 3

TWO OLD COLONISTS.

A writer in the Tiniara Herald, who is well versed in the early history of the colony, says : —Two of the very oldest New Zealand cdonists have died during the last few days, namely, Bishop Williams and Mr. W. B. Rhodes. The venerable Bishop was seventy eight years old, having been “ born the century,” and bad occupied the see of Waiapn for just upon twenty years. Prior to bis consecration as Bishop, lie had been Archdeacon for seventeen years, and his connection witli the church of Waiapn extended altogether over forty years. He was a Magdalen man, whore ho took his 8.A., in 1824, and was an excellent scholar as well as a thoroughly devoted and worthy clergyman. He had an intimate knowledge of the Maoris, whose improvement, b .tli material and spiritual, was with him a labor of love ; and bis “ Dictionary of the New Zealand Language is still the only really good Maori extant. He was also the author of “ Christianity among the Hew Zealanders,” a work in which his attachment to bis native flock, and the sanguine hopes which be cherished of the effects of Christianity among them, are clearly sot forth in a very pleasant form. A totally different man was Mr. W. B. Rhodes. Bishop Williams followed very literally the injunction to lay nob up treasures on earth, and the last tilings that were ever an object of aspiration to him were worldly possessions. Mr. Rhodes Oil the contrary was the very type of the early coloiii-ts, who had the judgment to see future fortunes in a wilderness, and the taste for money making to lead them to improve their opportunities. The maritime profession brought him to New Zealand at the time when it really formed rt of the of the Cannibal Island- and his adventures in those rough and tumble times, fonned a topic for numberless anecdotes of the most interesting and amusing character, which to the end of his life he was never tired of relating. He is said to have performed a memorable feat in the history of New Zealand, by hoisting the British flag at Akaroa, in anticipation of the arrival of the French expedition, thus securing the Middle Island to Great Britain. If this is the case, he certainly richly deserved the estates which he acquired here on such easy terms. Captain Rhodes settled down at last at Wellington, where he has been essentially an institution for the last thirty years at least. Many who are now getting into middle life well knew his old-fashioue 1 house at Te Aro when they were children, for one of his best qualities was his love of the small fry. More recently he occupied a more pretentious but not more comfortable dwelling ou his Wadestnwn Estate, near Wellington, built on a noble site, where, in what we may call the hungry period of native history, there was a fortified pa and many ovens. Tiiis elevated and exposed spot he took pleasure in beautifying by plantations and other improvements, and certainly succeeded in converting into one of the show places of New Zealand, He had indeed a great penchant for planting aad gardening ; and, though a keen and able man of business, was greatly given to rur 1 pursuits. He was of a kindly disposition, and though not one who readily gave or accepted confidence, was a warm and firm friend to those to whom he was attached. He never took a very prominent part in politics, though he represented the citv of Wellington for many years in the House of Representatives ; and ever since he lost that seat, has been a member of the Legislative Council. Mr. Rhodes was a shrewd man of the world, with a great deal of natural ability, and had many strong characteristics to distinguish him from the rank and file. It is the misfortune of men of the millionaire class, however, to be chiefly known fortheir wealth, and to those who were not acquainted with Mr. Rhodes’s many good qualities, his death will only be noteable on account of his having been one of the richest men in the country. So large, indeed, are his possessions said to have been that the mere legacy duty which will accrue to the Grown on the inheritance of them will form no inconsiderable item of miscellaneous revenue in the next budget of the Colonial Treasurer. Although he had led a very hard life iu his youth, and had been exposed to all the rigors of whaling voyages and of rugged enterprises iu various part-Tof the world, he yet reached the allotted term of three score years and ten. Until last year, indeed, he had enjoyed uniform good' health, and almost to the very end presented a remarkable spectacle of venerable strength.