THE LATE MR J. C. WATTS-RUSSELL.

Another of our old Canterbury pilgrims has passed away, aivl vory dooply will his loss bo folfc by all who know his worfch and oxoellonoo, and by fchoso of his follow-oolonisfcs especially, who shared wifch him fcho fatigues and difficulties, togofchor with fcho romanfcio interosfc of tho early days of fcho Canterbury sotfclomonb. Nofc only in fchis provinoo, bufc throughout New Zoaland, there aro very many whoso griof will bo doop and sincore, when they hoar thafc John Oharlos Wafcts-Russoll diod yesterday morning, in Ohristohuroh, after a short, bufc painful illnosB ; and nofc less deep and sinoero will bo their sympathy with his widow, who has won in no ordinary dogroo the admiration and high regard of all who have ever known hor, by her fine character and noblo qualities J. (!). Watts-Russell was fcho youngest, son of tho firsfc family of Josso Wattn-Rusßoll, Esq,, of Ham Hall, Staffordshire, who, wo behove, though upwards of ninefcy, is still living. At an early ago, Mr Russell reoeived a commission in a oraok cavalry corps, tho 17fch Lanoors, and was quarterod in Ireland, whoro ho married some fcimo in fcho yoar 1850. It was jusfc afc tha 1 . dafco thafc fcho Canterbury Association was forming its firsfc body of land-purohasors, arid a land order for 500 aores having beon obtained, ho sold his commission as lieutenant; and came oufc fco Cantorbury among fcho firsfc body of colonists, boing afc fchafc timo aboufc twenty- fivo years of ago, Ho was a passonger in tho Sir Goorgo Seymour which left; Plymouth on fcho Bfch September, and cast; anohor in Lyttolton Harbour on the 17th Dooembor, 1850. He waa forfcunafco enough fco havo obfcainod by lofc an early ohoico, and his land wao judioiouoly ohoson beyond, bufc adjoining, fcho famous Ricoarfcon esfcato, belonging fco fchoso pioneers of colonization Messrs William and John Deans. Thoro ho founded anothor Ham

Ambiguam tellv/'e novd, celebrated in those early dayo for tho gonial and truly JHJnrjliflh hoapitalifcy disponaud by ifca kind owners," and for a refinement; of eooial intercourse joined with colonial simplicity, whioh makes fche Ham of thoao early days a froah spot; still in fcho memory of many an old Canterbury Bottler. In thin, and in many ofchor unostentatious ways, Watfca-Ruesoll wan a benefactor fco bio adopted oounfcry. Hia lifo, indeed, aa a colonial;, may teach us this lesson, fchafc ifc ia nofc only fcho politician, or fcho orator, or fcho journalinfc, nofc only tho magiafcrafco, or fche judge, or fcho 'clergyman who oonfers benefits on hia fellow-colonists ; ho also deserves woll of fchom who, in fcho moro privato walks of lifo, shows forth, as fcho Bubjeefc of fchis brim" memoir did, tho light of unswerving integvifcy," prevents men from forgetting, in tho rnidfifc oi tho eager race for wealth, fcho pattern of o, high minded English gentleman, and, untainted by the contagious example of ao-oalled "oolonial "ways and doalinga, wears sfcill " fcbo whifco (lowor of a blameless life." Those who havo only known him a littlo will bear witnosa to his urbanity, hia courfcony, hia uniform kindness of manner; thoao wbo know him better will testify thafc thoao external' qualities procooded from nomofching whioh lay doopor™ from imGoljfs.shne.99, from generosity, from a C'onuino and almost obildliko 'simplicity, from a fc:;uo feindnoso of heart;. If wo may venture to lift fcho veil which, in hia manly christian reaorve, ho kept clone drawn himsolf, wo may go farther and oay that all fchia gonfclenoas and cwcofcncao, all fchia Safcogrifcy and blumeloflflness cf conduct, nil this gouorosifcy and unselfishnoßO of oharactor, woro fcraceablo fco a dooper flourca ofcill, W'afclrj' Bunnell was an unfeignodly religioun man, an thoao who knew him beat ran tostiiy. Ao icurfch or proof of thia, wo nfocnld noii emit- fco cay, that contentment and p:v l ,ionoo woro w<;/ marked foaturoa in hiti (iharaofcer.

Mr BuHaoll aorvod tho country woll and faithfully in the capacity of a Justice of the L^o'aoo, and ao a momber of tho legislative

Council for moro than ono session. As ono who omployod a largo capital in farming, and in tho brooding of stock, ho also did good servioo. Ho was ono of fcho firsfc of fcho Cantorbury land purchasers, who, undor fcho advioo of Mr Gtodley, and following tho oxamplo of fcho Porfc Pliilippians, as fchoy used to bo callod, became a run-holder, having formod a station in the Malvern Hills in fcho oourso of tho yoar 1851 or 1852. Towards fcho ond of fcho yoar 1855, ho returnod fco England wifch his wifo, bub not to stay vory long | fchoy came baok in fcho ■Westminster afc fcho ond of 1858. After spending anofchor poriod of nearly oighfc years amongst; us, thoy again lefb for England in 18615, and returnod onoo moro in 1871, having sponfc a oonsidorablo portion of tho interval in Franco. Sinco his lasfc refcurn, Mr Rubboll has takon no part whatever in publio alf airs, and is perhaps scarcely known by namo fco hundreds, or posnibly thousands of fchoso who aro now reaping fcho fruits of fcho capital and labour, fcho pluck and endurance, of suoh mon as Watts- Russell.

His illness was short and sevoro, his doafch unexpected ; ho died as ho had lived, with fortitudo and calmness. A. fow hours beforo his ond, ho received fcho Holy Communion afc tlio hands of fcho Primate, joining in tho servioo with a firm aud cUiar voice. He loaves us, beloved and lamented by many, vory many, frionds, and wo may oonfldonfcfy say, without, a single onomy.