DEATH OF SIR JOHN RICHARDSON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5522, 7 December 1878, Page 3

DEATH OF SIR JOHN RICHARDSON.

In another column a telegram conveys tho sad news of the death of Major Sir J. L. C. Eiohardson, Speaker of the Legislative Council, which occurred at Dunedin yesterday afternoon, For tho past twelve months Sir John’s health had been very weakly, and latterly it was only too clear that he was suffering a general break-up of the constitution. In the middle of tho recent Parliamentary session ho became so ill that his medical adviser ordered his immediate withdrawal from his duties ns Speaker of the Council. Subsequently he went to Hawke’s Bay, and stayed there at the residence of Mr. Rich, his son-in-law, till about afortnight ago. Ho then proceeded to Dunedin, calling in at Wellington en route, and purposed staying there only a few days, then taking a trip North, and on his return visiting his old friend Governor Weld, of Tasmania, a trip from which he anticipated the best results to his health. However, on his arrival in Dunedin he became mueh worse, and gradually sank, till yesterday death terminated his useful career. Ho was, however, strong in spirit to the last. On Tuesday week he telegraphed to Mr. Stowe, clerk of the Legislative Council, requesting him to send down certain books and papers, and it was only yesterday, very shortly before the news of Sir John’s death arrived, that Mr. Stowe telegraphed to say that the aaked-for documents had been packed up and ware on board the Taupo. Sir John was a native of the south of England—Devonshire, we believe. Previously to his becoming a New Zealand colonist he had served for many years under the Bast India Company as an officer of the Bengal Native Artillery. He saw much active service, and was present at many of the fiercely contested engagements which took place during the first Afghan and the first and second Sikh wars, under Lords Hardinge, Gough, and other distinguished Indian heroes. He retired from the army about the year 1853 or 1831 with the rank of major. Shortly after his retirement he visited New Zealand, and after seeing several of the other settlements he fixed upon Otago as the future abode of himself and family, which consisted of a son and two daughters, his wife having died some years previously. He then returned to England, and having made all needful preparation he left for his adopted country in June, 1856, in the ship Strathmore, which arrived at Port Chalmers in the following October. Amongst his fellow passengers were several gentlemen who like himself afterwards occupied important public positions in the Otago district. Of these, Mr. James Howarth, formerly Provincial Secretary of Otago, Dr. Hulme, Provincial Surgeon, and Mr. W. D. Murison, have crossed the dark river before him. Amongst the survivors are Messrs. A. Livingstone, formerly Provincial Auditor ; H. Howarth, solicitor ; J. Hislop, Secretary to the Education Department ; C. Allan, Immigration Agent, Dunedin ; and W. Ogilvie, of the Otago Crown Lands Department. “Tho Major," by which term he is best known in Otago, purchased the beautiful property of Willowmead, on the banks of the Puerua stream, in the South Clutha district. For some years he sedulously occupied himself in all the hard labors of a pioneer settler, and was not much heard of beyond 1 his own locality, where however he soon became a general favorite, owing to his frank happy manner, his unfailing good humour, and his readiness to oblige. Although it was not generally known at the time, he contributed during this period a number of able articles to the Otago Witness newspaper. As a result of his first visit to the colony he had published a brochure entitled “A Summer’s Excursion in New Zealand, by an Old Bengalee.” At length “ Tbe Major” was prevailed on to enter political life as member of the Provincial Council for his own district of Clutha. (March, 1830). His ready wit, smart repartee, and general bearing created quite a sensation amongst the grave and quiet settlers who then mainly composed .the Provincial Council, and he was at once elected Speaker. He did not at that time long remain a member of the Provincial Council, for in May, 1861, he was elected Superintendent of the Province of Otago. This was a most eventful year in the history of the province, for the Gabriel’s Gully Goldfield was discovered in July of the same year. This set Otago in a frenzy of excitement, and soon armies of diggers arrived from Australia, as well as numbers of settlers from the neighboring provinces, and the administrative abilities of the Superintendent and bis Executive Council were taxed to the uttermost. The Major was quite in his element. He organised an efficient escort service, as well as a police and other departments, commensurate with the wants of the province in its greatly altered circumstances. At tho next election of Superintendent (April, 1883) he was successfully opposed by Air. J. Hyde Harris, After his defeat the Major was again returned to the Provincial Council by the Clutha District, and for the second time ho was elected Speaker of the Council In October of the same year (1863) he was elected a member of the House of Representatives for the then District of Dunedin and Suburbs North. He seems to bare at once taken a position as a man of mark in tho Colonial Parliament, for in November, 1861, on the retirement from office of the Fox-Whitaker Government, he took office in the Weld Ministry as Post-master-General. This position he had to resign before tho expiry of a year, on the accession to office of the Stafford Ministry in October, 1865. On the reconstruction of the Stafford Ministry in August of tho following year, Major Richardson was appointed a member of the Executive Council, without a portfolio. At that period his popularity in his own province seems to have waned, tor at tho general election in April, 1866, he was successfully opposed in his candidature for the Clutha District by Mr. J. Macandrew. He found favor, however, with the electors of New Plymouth, whom he represented till April, 1867, when he was summoned to the Legislative Council. He continued a member of the Stafford Ministry till July of the following year (1868), when he was chosen Speaker of the Council on tho resignation of the Hon. Mr. Bartley. During the Parliamentary recess of 3874-5, he received the honor of knighthood, this being, it was generally understood, the second occasion on which the distinction bad been offered to him. In addition to his political appointments, Sir John, as might have been expected, held several important honorary offices. He took great interest in the volunteer movement, and was for many years hon. captain to the Dunedin High School R.V. Cadets, and some time ago he set apart a considerable sum to provide an annual prize for the best marksman among the Otago Cadets. He was the first Chancellor of tho University of Otago, and rendered much valuable service to that institution. He also took a great interest in tho Otago High School, and many years ago founded a scholarship from that school to the University, which is now worth j£4o a year. It was mainly through bis untiring efforts that the Girls’ High School of Otago was established.

Of bis personal, social, and political character it is needless to speak. His bonhommte, polished manners, and animated conversation made him many friends, and those who wero longest acquainted with him best appreciated his qualities as a gentleman and » scholar. As a writer he was facile and incisive, and his ability as a public speaker and a lecturer aro thoroughly Jtncrrra to the Wellington public, whom bo has

so often delighted and instructed. Throughout his public career he displayed a steadfastness and an honesty ot.purpose seldom, if ever, excelled. Thoroughly loyal to his party when a partisan, he yet respected his opponents, and never failed to be generous, and in these latter days, when hejwas called to preside over the deliberations of the Legislative Council, no one could have been more firm in resolution nor courteous in demeanor. His place will not easily be filled, and when the history of New Zealand shall come to be written Sir John Richardson’s name will stand among the first of those public men who guided her destinies during one of the most troublous periods that any dependency of the British Crown has ever had to pass through. • Sir John leaves an only son, who has for many years been settled at Fiji, and two daughters, one of whom (Mrs. Rich) resides at Napier, and the other (Mrs. Maitland) at Invercargill. Sir John made Mrs. Maitland’s house his headquarters after ho sold his property at Willowmead a few years ago.