Obituary.

4It is -with no little regret that we have to announce this morning the deaths of two of the best known and most respected residents of Canterbury, Mr John Inglis, formerly Chairman of the Board of Education, an y d Mr John Maofarlane, of Coldstream, Rangiora, two gentlemen whose deaths will cause a feeling of regret among all who had the privilege of their acquaintance during life. The following particulars of their careers will doubtless be read with interest by many : — JOHN INGLIS. ' In Mr John Inglis the Province, nay, the Colony, has lost one to whom it owes much of the success which has attended the present system of educa : tion, and of whom it may truly be said that the interests of education were with him paramount to other earthly considerations. Even his own private business was not attended to with more zeal, assiduity and circumspection than were the duties of his official position aa Chairman of the Board of Education ; and, indeed, all matters connected with the great question of the training of the young. His own training had, no doubt, something to do witli this. The son of a Presbyterian minister, born in October, 1822, at Midlem, in Roxburghshire, he carried the lessons of his father's manse into the world of commercial life, in which he gained no inconsiderable position. His connection with the Colonies began some 30 years ago, when he came out to Victoria. Thence he proceeded to the North Island, where he spent a few years in sheep farming. Going to Timaru, he followed commercial pursuits until he came to Christchurch, about twenty years ago, to succeed Mr J. Druramond Macpherson as manager of Matheson's Agency, a position which he held until 1878, when the Agency was closed, and Mr Inglis took over the business, which he thenceforward carried on on his own account. In tlie old Provincial days he took an active part in local politics, and sat in the Provincial Council as one of the members for Christchurch. His public connection with educational matters may be dated from 1871, for on Oct. IS of that year he was appointed by tho Superintendent a member of the Board of Education. In 1873 he took an active part in promoting the passing of the Canterbury Education Ordinance, which may be regarded as, in some sort, the basis of the present system. On Dec. 21, 1874, he was elected Chairman of the Board in the place of Mr C. C. Bowen, resigned. His term of office, however, was a short one, for next year the Ordinance, under which the Board of Education was constituted, was repealed, and on July 1, 1875, the Board ceased to (.exist, its functions being performed by Mr j A. C. Knight, with the title of Secretary J for Education. Iv 1876, when the Pro- } vinces were abolished, a special Act was passed by Parliament, constituting a Board of Education for the Canterbury district. The members were nominated by the GoI vernor. Mr Inglis was one of these, and was elected by his fellow members to be their Chairman. In 1878, the present Education Act, providing for elective Boards, came into force ; the old nominated Boards were abolished. Several of the members submitted themselves to the ordeal of popular election. Mr Inglis was one of these, and .the confidence reposed in him was shown by the fact that he was returned at the head of the poll. This honourable position he filled a<; each succeeding election. Ho was choseu Chairman of the newBoard, and was re-ekcted to the office year by year. His last election took place on April 3of the present year. The circumstances attending it haw a pathetic interest in view of tho sad event of his death. Mr Liglie, whose hoalth wat already failing, pointed out that he would have to go away for some months, and warned the members of the Board that if they did appoint him they would have to make some arrangement to fill the vacancy during his absence. Messrs H. R. Webb and W. Montgomery, speaking as two of the oldest members of fche Board, promised to do their utmost io assist him, and the motion for his re-election was carried, as in former years, without a dissentient vote. The following resolution, moved by Mr A. Saunders, was also carried — "That this Board desires to convey its thanks to John Inglis, Esq., for the assiduous and able manner in which he lias from the first discharged tlio duties of Chairman, including as tbey do th« numerous executive details j of the Board's administration ; and at tho 1 aamo time to express its satisfaction that '

tlio Education Committees of North Canterbury have endorsed the choice of tho Board, and practically expressed thenapproval of its administration, by placing their Chairman so decidedly at tlie head of the poll in the late elections." That meeting was the last occasion on which Mr Inglis was present at the Board of Education. On June 5, a letter from him was laid before the Board, resigning his office. So loth were the members to loso his services, however, that acceptance of the resignation was deferred. At the meeting on July -A, however, another letter was read from Mr Inglis, stating that his medical advisers had peremptorily ordered him to retire from every responsibility. Thereupon the Board passed the following resolution, on the motion of Mr Montgomery — " That the Board accept Mr Inglis' resignation of the Chairmanship, and of his seat, with great reluctance, and only on. his assurance that the state of his health renders it a matter of necessity. On thus closing, for a time, an official relation, extending over a period of nearly thirteen years, nine and a half of which he has been Chairman, the Board desires to place on record the high regard and esteem in which Mr Inglis is held by his colleagues ; its acknowledgment of the eminent ability and unremitting attention with whicli he has discharged the duties of Chairman, and its sense of the inestimable services he has rendered to the cause of education in Canterbury. It earnestly hopes that Mr Inglis' health will so improve as to allow of his resuming his place on the Board, his retirement from which it feels, and is confident will be felt throughout the district, as a great public loss." On August 8, Mr Inglis, in company with Mrs and Miss Inglis, left Lyttelton for London in the s.s. Coptic. His main object in going Home was to consult Professor Bell, of Edinburgh, a specialist in the treatment of the disease, jaundice, from which he was suffering. Tbe Coptic arrived at London on Sept. 26, and a day or two afterwards a cablegram was received here stating that Mr Inglis' health was much tlie same as when he left here. On Monday last, however, his son, Mr Charles Inglis, received a cablegram to the effect ' that he was in a very critical condition, and yesterday tl fcable flashed the mournful intelligence that he had died in London on Sunday last. He was 62 years of age at the time of his death. In addition to his position on the Board of Education, Mr Inglis was a member of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College. He was also a member of the Philosophical Institute, to whose transactions he contributed more than one paper of value. He was an active and very highly respected member of Trinity Congregational Church, of which he was Treasurer for no less than 15 years. His character was too well known, and too widely admired, for it to be necessary for us to make any comments here. His integrity, courtesy, and kindness of heart secured him literally " troops of friends," and his death will be no less widely than deeply deplored. JOHN MACFAELANE. Mr John Macfarlane died yesterday morning, at his residence, Coldstream, Eangiora, after a protracted period of illhealth. The deceased gentleman was, perhaps, one of the most successful of our colonists. He landed in Nelson in the year 1842, shortly after the settlement was formed, and saw some stirring times with the Maoris. He was in the "Wairau district at the time of the massacre there, the news of whicli he wns the first to carry into Nelson. After a short stay in that part of the country, he went over to Wellington, where he gained a profitable interest in a run. In the year 1850 he left Wellington for Canterbury, landing at Lyttelton three months before the settlement was formed. After a brief sojourn in the vicinity of what is now Christchurch, he moved to the Northern district, first settling at Loburn, and afterwards at Coldstream, where he resided until his death. He was the first settler to introduce sheep into that part of the Canterbury district, and he confined himself principally to sheep-farming and stock breading, an occupation which turned out profitable enough to enable him to become the proprietor of some of the finest sheep runs in the Island. He at all times took the deepest interest in stock" breeding and agricultural pursuits generally, and on the establishment of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association, some sixteen years ago, was elected President, an office which ho continued to hold until this season, when ho was obliged to refuse re-election > on account of ill-health. He was also a member of the Ashley County Council ! during the time it existed. During the last year or two his health began to fail, and about a month ago his illness assumed ' a serious character. In spite of medical skill, he gradually sank, and passed away '■ peacefully yesterday morning at the age of 67. The character of the deceased gentle- • man was of sterling description, his up- > right dealings and kindly disposition wini ning for him always the highest esteem of 1 everyone with whom he came in contact. The funeral is to take place at half -past ; 2on Saturday afternoon.