The Late Mr Reyans.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2952, 17 July 1888, Page 2

The Late Mr Reyans.

The Greytown Standard gives its readers somo interesting details in the somewhat eventful life of the late Samuel Sevang, whoso death took placo on Saturday last. We extract tho following Mr Eevans landed in tho Colony in March, 1840. He camo out in the' ship Adelaide, and can honestly ho called the father of journalism in this colony, having started the first newspaper, which was called tho New Zealand Gazetto and Spectator. In 1 1848 Mr Eevans published the first Wellington Almanac in book form, a copy of which we have now in our office, and which is, considering tlio* early days of the Colony when it was produced, a most creditable publication. It is a well-compiled. book, giving a deal of useful information to those who are interested in tho days of early settlement, From it w.o glean that the ship Cuba with surveyors arrived at Port Nicholson on January 4,1840, after a voyage of five months and four days, and that the New Zealand Gazetto was first published on April 19,1840. Mr Sevan's conneo- , tion with the Gazette lasted till '47, i wlion he oamo to the Wairarapa, and in conjunction with the late Captain Smith, 8.N., took up a large tract of country and went into sheep farming, Messrs Smith and Eevans at one time were holders of about 22,000 acres of freehold, and about 80,000 acres of leasehold, which they occupied for 25 years. In the year 1872 a portion of this land, consisting of tho freehold tenure, was transferred to the Hon. G. M. Waterhouse. This included that land which is situated at Waihenga, and is called the Wharekaka Plain, or originally tho Pohangina Block, This is the block upon which Maryborough now stands, and tho remainder is in tho possession of tho Hon. J. Martin. In 1851 Mr Eevans chartered a vessel called, The Thames and sailed for California with a cargo of timber, potatoes and other merchandise. The gold diggings were then in their prime and it was soon after San Francisco bad been desolated by fire. The timber enterprise was not a success, as many ships from other parts ladened with timber had arrived previous to the Thames, but the potatoes and other produce found a ready market and returned substantial profits. When Mr Eevans sailed for California ho took with him as a passenger, Mr John Jury, anothor old settler, who is living hale and healthy on Lis land in this district. Like Mr Jury Mr Eevans, concluded that after all, New Zealand was more congenial to' his enterprise and disposition than Cali fornia, so ho returned to resume hisposition as one ot tho original settlers ui theWairarapa, whero ho has since continued to reside, tool: up his abode with his partner, Captain Smith, at tho homestead of tho largo sheep run, Woodside, near Greytown, Mr Wallace Smith, the second son of tho Captain, having olinjfgo of the sheep station at Huangaroa, During his eventful career in this provinoo, Mr Eevans has represented this distriot in ParliamenVand also in the Provincial Council, and it is only within the last three years that he resigned 1 his position oi a Justice of tho Peaco, i in which oapacity it was generally ' said of him that ho ever leaned to tho i side of mercy in his decisions. It may 1 bo remarked that it was not in New i Zealand that Mr Eevans was first 1 engaged io journalistio pursuits. In i the year 1886 lie was in partnership i with Judge Chapman, in conducting i a newspaper in Canada, but having I overstepped the bounds of journalistio i discretion insomeivay, they decamped ] from that dominion, and sought i tosh pastures in this Colony, where < they were Bitfe from pi'&eoutlou. :> t