OBITUARY.

EDWARD STEANE HARLEY,

The many Mends of Mr E. S. Harley ■will.regret to 'hear of his death, which took, place at the residence of ilia son-in-law, Mr E. B. Millt&a, Birch Hill, Ashley, last night. Mr Harley -had! been in failing health for some months past, and had gone .to Birch Hill in the hope that the. change of air imight effect an improvement. The deceased was weir known and 'highly respected in both commercial and athletic circles, and leaves a host of friends. He aurived in Christchurch from Melbourne in 1864- and after following various commercial pursuits entered the employ of the New Zealand Loan and: Mercantile Agency Co., Limited.. He rose to the po«-' t-ibn of mamjffer.of the Christchurch branch which -he held until 1895.. He then visited Europe, .and upon returning went into business on !his own account as a financial agent, and carried this on up to the titae of his death. He acted as auditor to the Chri&tcburch Gas Company, the New Zea-. land Shipping Company, the Lyttelton Gas C/ompany, Messrs Ward and Co., Messrs Manning and Co., and also for' thd Permanent Investment and Loan; Associar tion of Canterbury. For about twelve years Mr Harley was connected with the affairs of the • late Mr Robert Heaton .Rhodes, oaid- with the firm. of Messrs 'W. R. and G. Rhodes, He was a Fellow of the Institute of Australian and New Zealand Accountants. .

In Ms younger days' in Victoria Sir Hairley occupied, a prominent position in fcthand his sons are well known in tlk sporting T^oiid here. The deceased gektlen?an took a very keen- interf 3t in all that concerned sport, and jheld ©fflcejr in both, the Athletic and Football Associations. He was a rice-president of the Canterbury Cricket -Aseo''ci | ati l <>iii and pla,yed for thd province in several representative matches, and in later years -wag consi«tently to be seen on tlhe cricket field in the position of

umpire. , " ' Mr Haxley leaves a widow and four' sons and four daughters, two of wihom are. married. • ,

• ' Ort the news of Mr HarJey's death reach--ing! town this- m'orniog the flags at the; offices of the New Zealand Loan.apd MefCantfle Agen^cy piimpany aiad the New ZeaInnd Shipping (Sompany were flown- 'at jhalf-mast. ■'. :•■■:"■ •.-•■' ';