The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1891. OBITUARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2185, 7 April 1891, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1891. OBITUARY.

The Hon. William Eeetes, M.L.C,, the father of the present Minister of Justice, and the principal proprietor of the Lyttelton Times, died on last Saturday evening at his residence in Christchurch He was 66 years of age, , but when we saw him two months ago he tasked ten years younger, and appeared hale and hearty. It appears, however, that an insidious disease was undermining his constitution, for on the Monday previous to his death he underwent a very painful surgical operation. The operation was performed most satisfactorily, and on Friday he appeared out of danger, but during that night be took a turn for the worse, and he died calmly and and peacefully on Saturday evening. Mr Reeves was a native of Clapham, England, and came to this colony in 1857. For a time he followed the occupation of a farmer, but in 1860 he joined the late Mr Crosbie Ward as a partner in the proprietorship of the Lyttelton Times, and there can be no doubt that it was his astuteness and great business capabilities made that journal the leading newspaper of New Zealand. In 1867 he was elected a member of Parliament, but after sitting for one seesi-u he resigned. In 1870 he was elected for >elwyn as a Protectionist. At that time Adelaide wheat was rendering wheat growing in New Zealand an unprofitable industry, and Mr Eeeves fought for a protective duty of sixpence per bushel on it. The result was that it developed the wheatgrowing industry of Canterbury. Shortly afterwards he joined the FoxVogel Ministry, and was Kesident Minister for the South Island for two years. His Government was defeated, but on its reconstruction a short time afterwards he declined to re-enter Ministerial life. In the general election of 1876 he was defeated, and he never sought re-election. He was appointed a member of the Legislative Council in 1881. Besides being a member of the Legislative Council he was Chairman of Directors of the Press Association, a Governor of Canterbury College, and a Director of several companies. It is no exaggeration to say tbat few men in Zealand have led a more useful life, at any rate from a public point of view. It is not, also, too much to say thai; monuments have been raised by a grateful public to men who did less for the public good. For the last thirty years Mr Reeves has been the guiding genius of the Lyttelton Times, and in all th&t time that paper has consistently, openly, and fearlessly ' advocated the rights of the people, and denounced monopolies. His unswerving devotion to the csuse of the people, and his consistent advocacy of Liberal principles made for him a host of bitter enemies, and he has had to fight a hard battle for several years against the power of the purse. He fought bravely, and though the forces ( against him were powerful his courage never failed. The more his enemies tried to crush him the more vigorously Liberal became the Lyttelton Times. He, too, was honorable and just. Only a few days ago one of his old employees said: "He was the most just man I ever knew. The smallest boy in the office would get a hearing and fair play from Mr Eeeves." He was a kind, indulgent, and good employer, and was beloved by his employees. He was a good father, a good citizen, a true patriot of New Zealand, and a man who felt keenly the woes and misfortunes of others. The Lyttelton Times has lost its chief, Canterbury one of its most representative men, the Liberal party one of its guiding lights, and the poor man's cause its truest friend. We deeply and sincerely regret his untimely death, and desire to convey to his family our sympathy in t'aeir bereavement.