DEATH OF MAJOR RICHARDSON.
Sir John Larkins Cheese Richardson died on Friday last at the Imperial Hotel, Dunedin. "The Major," as he was universally called, was amongst the foremost men in our little New Zealand world and with him passes away the best type of "an old settler." From the Dunedin papers we learn that he was attended in his latter moments by his daughter and grand daughter, Mrs and Miss George Maitland, while his son, Mr George Richardson, and Mr J. B. Bradshaw were also in constant attendance. Sir John is supposed to have succumbed to the effects of a combination of disorders affecting the kidneys, heart, and lungs. Four medical gentlemen met together in consultation upon the case of the patient on Wednesday and Thursday, and it is understood that from the first they considered the condition of Sir John to be of unusual gravity, if not not an absolutely hopeless one. It is generally known that state of health had been a source of very considerable anxiety to the late gentleman himself, as well as to his friends, for several years past. He under went an examination in Wellington during the same session in which the late Sir David Monro was strongly recommended to retire from his Parliamentary duties. Sir John was then advised that he was suffering from some heart affection, the cause of which was not precisely ascertained. This was followed by occasional fits of languor and depression, sometimes amounting to partial prostration, but the patient's energy of character invariably "pulled him together" during the Parliamentary recess; and he was alway ready to take part in any public, social, or Church work out of session, when he could be of service to others. During the last Parliamentary session but one, Sir John had at times to absent himself from the Speaker's chair in the Legislative Council, and in the recent session he was compelled to retire during a very considerable portion of the Parliamentary term. While in Hawke's Bay, on sick leave, it will be remembered our Napier correspondent telegraphed that Sir John had been seized with an alarming illness. From this he partially recoverd, and came down to Dunedin after the close of the session, with the intention of going over to Tasmania for change of scene and air as soon as his health had been sufficiently restored. This object he was never destined to attain. By his death, Sir John leaves one son (Mr George Richardson), who has been for several years engaged as a planter in the Fiji, and two daughters — Mrs George Maitland already referred to, and Mrs Gordon Rice, formerly of the Molyneux, and latterly of Hawke's Bay.
A public and military funeral is to be given to the remains of the deceased to-morrow. The 'Morning Herald' furnishes the following excellent biography of the late Sir John Richardson: —
Sir John Larkins Cheese Eichardson has filled so prominent a place in the history of Otago and New Zealand during a period closely approaching a quarter of a century, and has held so deservedly high a rank in public estimation, that we feel bound to attempt a brief review of his connection with the country of his adoption. Of his early career the materials at our disposal are too scant to enable us to fill up a necessary blank in the present imperfect sketch. He was born in the Bengal Presidency, in August 1810. Destined at an early age for the military profession, and looking to India as his future sphere of action, young John Richardson was, when about 15 or 16 years of age, sent to Addiscombe College, near Croydon. At the close of his career their, he entered the E.I. Co.'s service as a military cadet, and eventually attained the rank of Major in the Bengal Horse Artillery, one of the crack regiments in the Company's service. He was with the forces under Sir George Pollock, K.C.B., in Cabul in 1842, and received the Ferozeshur medal, having been present at the battle of Ferozeshur on December 20th and 2lst. He was wounded at the taking of the hill fort off Istalif, in Afghanistan. On returning from Cabul he received an appointment on the general staff, and was placed in charge of the Ferozepore Magazine, and was subsequently appointed to the charge of the laboratory school and percussion cap manufactory. In India, Major Richardson had the misfortune to lose his wife shortly after her accouchement, and there were circumstances attending her death of a peculiarly distressing character. A fortnight after her last child was born, the regiment to which the Major belonged was ordered away. Mrs Richardson, in her then state of health, was unable to accompany her husband, and the sad intelligence of her death only reached him when on the march. Retiring from active service, after 22 years spent in India, he returned to England on halfpay, and came out to Otago for the first time in the Slane Castle, in the year 1852, having as fellow voyager Mr J. P. Maitland. He subsequently made a tour through New Zealand, and upon his return to England, Major Richardson's impressions of the Colon1y were embodied in a little volume, entitled "Three Months in New Zealand." In the year 1855 he resolved to make Otago his home, and, with his family, arrived here in the old Strathmore, having as fellow passengers the late Dr Hulme, the late Mr W. D. Murison, and the Messrs Howorth. It has always been stated that the "Major" was the life and soul of the little party, full of pranks and jovial heartiness, abounding in wit and anecdote, and withal imbued by a large amount of veneration and deep-souled piety. Shortly after his arrival in Otago, Major Richardson selected his future residence in the neighborhood of the Puerua river, in the Molyneux district. His strong leanings towards a life of activity made the quiet seclusion of a backwoods settlement somewhat distasteful. Ere long he found his way to the Provincial Council, of which he was elected Speaker, and we believe he held that office at the time of Mr Macandrew's retirement from the Superintendency in 1860. Major Richardson, Mr T. B. Gillies, and the late Mr W. F. Tarlton, were the most prominent actors in the stirring events of that epoch; and while imputations were freely scattered about in all directions, those who were among the best abused spoke of Major Richardson as manifesting high chivalry of purpose, uninfluenced by any of the motives so freely attributed to others. Consequently upon Mr Macacdrew's retirement, Major Richardson became Superintendent, and held office in that capacity until the year 1863. Holding at the same time a seat in the House of Representatives for one of the Otago constituencies, the office of Deputy Superintendent was filled during the Major's absence by Mr J. Hyde Harris. In the contest for Superintendency which occurred in 1863, Mr Harris was elected by a considerable majority over his opponents, the subject of our sketch. There was at the time, especially among the newly-arrived Victorians, a feeling prevalent that consequently upon the discovery of our goldfields, we needed a vigorous administrator at the head of our Provincial affairs, if the development of the mining industry was to be the means of enhancing our wealth and population. Major Richardson took his defeat in good part, and again became a member and Speaker of the Provincial Council, often adding considerable spirit to the proceedings by his lively and entertaining combats with Mr Vogel, then regarding as an embryotic but exceedingly troublesome statesman. If we recollect aright, Major Richardson was not a member of the new House of Representatives, although he continued to take part in Provincial polities. It will be remembered that the Whitaker-Fox Administration which had taken office in 1863 resigned out of huff with Sir Geo. Grey and Mr Weld was called upon to form a Government in the month of October, 1864. He chose as his colleagues Mr Fitzherbert (Treasurer), Major Richardson (Postmaster-General), Major Atkinson (Defence Minister), and afterwards Mr J. C. Richmond as Coloniol Secretary. Mr Weld selected as his cardinal feature of policy the principle of self-reliance in Native affairs, and in that was heartily supported by Major Richardson, who, after Mr Weld's departure from the Colony, took occasion more than once to give expression to the common spirit of admiration, if not of personal devotion, in which all of Mr Weld's colleagues regarded their chief. Major Richardson was not, we think, a member of the House when sworn in as Postmaster-General of the Weld Administration. A vacancy was made for him at New Plymouth which constituency he continued to represent so long as he retained a seat in the Lower House. Mr Weld and his colleagues retired from office in the session of 1865, owing to a practical defeat upon the Stamp Duties question, and the Provincial animosities which were engendered over a proposed method of distribution of the additional revenue sought to be raised. Mr Stafford succeeded Mr Weld; but his colleagues were so distasteful to the House, that a resolution proposed by Mr Moorhouse, to the effect that the Ministry, as then constituted, did not possess the confidence of the House, was carried by a large majority. Some of Mr Stafford's colleagues thereupon retired, and their places were filled by Messrs Fitzherbert, Richardson, and Richmond, all of whom were drawn from the ex-Weld Administration. Major Richardson was extremely reluctant to take office; but he finally consented to join Mr Stafford, on the understanding that he was not to be required to hold a portfolio. He nevertheless rendered the Colony a most invaluable service in examining, analysing, and unravelling the long outstanding accounts between the Colony and Great Britain, which had been a bugbear and source of never-ending difficulty to every succeeding Government. The exhaustive report and tables compiled by Major Richardson proved how conscientiously his work was performed. The success achieved later on by Mr Fitzherbert, when in London, in bringing about a satisfactory adjustment of the accounts between the Imperial and Colonial Governments was admittedly, in great measure, due to the excellence and completeness of the materials supplied by his colleague. Anxious for a less stirring scene of action, Major Richardson was, at his own request, transferred to the Legislative Council, where for a session, and during the discussion of the financial measures of the Government, including the Public Debts Act of 1867, he conducted with marked ability all Ministerial business. He had the occasional help of Mr Domett, Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands, and later on that of Mr J. Hyde Harris, who joined Mr Stafford's Government as Solicitor-General. And here we may notice, as indictive of the entire absence of pusillanimity on the part of the subject of our sketch, that it was, we believe, mainly owing to his friendly offices when visiting Otago as Minister in attendance upon Governor Sir George Grey in the early part of 1867, seats in the Council and in the Cabinet were offered to and accepted by his old opponent, Mr Harris. During the Parliamentary recess 1867-8, Mr Bartley, on account of advancing years and somewhat infirm health, resigned the Speakership of the Legislative Council. The gift was in the hands of the Crown, and Major Richardson, with the entire approbation of everybody who had watched the suave dignity with which he had presided over the deliberations of the Provincial Council, was appointed to the vacant post of honour. Comparisons are odious, according to the old saw; but we feel assured that no member of the Council can ever recall a hasty or ill-considered decision, or a harsh, petulant, or undignified word, having fallen from the lips of the late Speaker. At times, the feeling of the old war-horse came over him, and with that the desire to be again in the stirring scenes of political activity. Hence his return for a brief session to the Otago Provincial Council. As a politician, he was a pronounced Provincialist, and liberal to a degree in his views, especially upon the Land question. At one time of his life, not, indeed, far in the background he was the bete noir of the pastoral tenants; but the larger portion of the electors have, in the long run, come round to the Major's views. As a Provincialist, it was considered in some quarters that his attitude after the passing of the Abolition Act was scarcely deferential to the Legislative Council, and some words ascribed to him at a banquet given at Balclutha were seized upon as unbefitted the occupant of the Speaker's chair. The explanations subsequently offered, we need scarcely say were accepted by the Council as satisfactory; but there is little doubt that in the public mind no such explanations were called for. His utterances in Otago, when accompanying Sir George Grey during the campainu of 1875, were such as to render the late gentleman eminently popular, and it will be remembered that on the eve of the General Elections in the commencement of 1876, he was asked (and for some time was disposed to consider the question) to become a candidate for Dunedin City. We have always been inclined to think that in taking a seat in the Provincial Council, when his doing so was the subject of some animadversion, his object was to help the Provincialists, with whom he had always fought. And a similar reason occurs to us, as in some measure accounting for the blind devotion with which he has in heart followed the fortunes of Sir George Grey, the great father of Provincialism in New Zealand. As is well known, the honour of knighthood was conferred upon the subject of our sketch some three years ago. The honour sat lightly on his shoulders, and down to the end he was perhaps as well known as the "Old Major" as by the more dignified appellation.
Outside of the political circle, the late gentleman was a most invaluable citizen. As an old soldier, we are indebted to him for our youthful Volunteer Force, known as the Richardson Cadets. In token of his love of culture aud education, he endowed the Richardson Scholarship. He was the Chancellor of our Otago University, chosen in succession to the late Dr Burns: and the exhaustive address - which fortunately is still preserved in letter-press — delivered upon tbe occasion of the opening of the University, shows how largely he had the welfare of that institution at heart. In female education he took an especial interest — not only in his capacity as Chancellor, but in many different ways. One of his most popular lectures was upon Distinguished Women. As a leturer and platform speaker, Sir John Richardson was always sure of a welcome. Every occasional visit to Dunedin was followed by applications for a lecture - applications always complied with when compliance was possible, regardless of all denominational distinction on the part of the applicants. In a "collection speech "at any public or Church meeting, he was particularly happy — always in good humour himself, and generally successful in making others good humouredly part with their money. as a Churchman, he had held broad and tolerant views. Upon him devolved the task of moving Bishop Jenner's rejection by the Synod in 1869 or 1870. At all times since, he has been a hearty worker in the interests of the Church, sparing no pains, munificent in his gifts, and thinking no office or labour beneath him. His spirit of toleration led him to espouse the cause of the Catholics in educational matters, but his position precluded him from rendering the Catholic body any material support.
In private life, Sir John Richardson was esteemed a valued friend by men and women, by old and young, by all indeed who were honoured with his intimacy. He brought a bright sunshine into whatever company he happened to be. The language of malice never defiled his lips; and down to the very last, the exuberance of hearty good-will, which was one of his unmistakeable possessions, tended to show that he thoroughly subscribed to Dr Johnston's axiom: That it is worth £100 a year to be able to look on the bright side of life.
Sir John Richardson was a man of many parts; and the blank now left in the muster-roll of our prominent men will reinain for a long time uninscribed with the name of a fitting worthy successor. Of the works of Longfellow he was especially fond, and the lines so often quoted by Sir John, seem now to have a peculiar significance of their own —
"Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime;
And departing, leave behind us, Footprints on the sands of time." -Bruce Herald, 10/12/1878.
THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE SIR JOHN RICHARDSON.
The funeral of the late Sir John Larkins Cheese Richardson, M.L.C., took place yesterday afternoon, and was accompanied with military honours and the marks of respect which usually attend the interment of the remains of an honoured public man. The ceremony was a public one, the programme having been arranged by His Worship the Mayor of Dunedin and a committee representing the various local bodies. At 2 o'clock the Volunteers, acting under general orders, mustered in the Custom-house Square. About 250 Volunteers paraded; and of these 200 constituted tbe firing party. The Cadets were present in full force, there being about 220 present, so that the full force was a little under 500 strong. The corps present were: — Dunedin Artillery, under Lieutenant Muir; City Guards, Lieutenant McGregor; North Dunedin, Captain Reeves; South District, Captain Samson; Wakari Rifles, Captain C. Held; Dunedin Naval Brigade, Captain Smith and Lieutenant Jacobs. The Port Chalmers Naval, East and West Taieri Rifles, Bruce, Clutha, Portobello, Waikouaiti, and Christchurch Companies were also represented. The Cadet corps were: — City Guards, 25; Artillery, 30; Normal School, 48; North School, 54; Waikouaiti, 30; and Dunedin Naval, 40. The head-quarters band were also present. The whole force was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Stavely, who was assisted by Major Wales and Staff-Sergeants Stevens, Paxton, and Harrison. About 30 members of the police force, under Sargeant-Major Bevan, were also present. Shortly after 2 o'clock the bell of the town clock was tolled at regular intervals, and this was continued until the procession had left. The shops all along the line of march were closed, and every mark of deference was paid to the memory of the deceased. Some time before the procession left the Supreme Courthouse, in which the body had been laid, the streets in the vicinity were crowded, but the utmost decorum was observed. After the Volunteers had been mustered in the square, they were marched into Water street and brought up in line facing the northern side of the old Provincial Government Building. The Artillery gun carriage, which was drawn by four horses, was stationed near the steps of the building, and the citizens who attended to take part in the proceedings occupied the lower end of Water street and the cross streets. A little before three o'clock the Volunteers were ordered to present arms, and the coffin containing the remains of the late Sir John Richardson was borne from the Courthouse by six members of the Dunedin Naval .Brigade, and placed on the gun carriage. The lid of the coffin was covered with wreaths of white flowers, and on it were also placed the sword and uniform of the late Major Richardson, whilo over all the Union Jack was spread. The Volunteers, with arms reversed, then headed the procession, which moved slowly towards the Northern Cemetery, the band playing the impressively solemn Dead march, which is inseparable from a British soldier's funeral. In accordance with the military custom, the senior officers were the pall-bearers, viz.— Major Walen, Captain Goldie, Captain C. S. Reeves and Captain Andrew. The chief mourners, who followed on foot, were Messrs Geo. Richardson, G. H. Maitland and his two sons, Alfred Rich, J. P. Maitland, J. B. Bradshaw, F. S. Pilluns, W. G. Rich, J. Cargill, the Rev. Wm. Bannerman, and Drs Batchelor and J. G. Smith. Next to the chief mourners came the Chancellor and Council of the University, and the other representatives of local bodies and institutions in the order of the programme, as follows: — Professors and students of the Otago University, Ministers of Religion, Education Board, Rector and Masters of the High School, School Teachers, and Citizens. None of the Friendly Societies were officially represented. Most of those who joined in the procession were in carriages, of which there were sixteen, or on horseback. Amongst the gentlemen present were — The Hon. H. S. Chapman (Chancellor of the University), the Rev. Dr Stuart, Bishop Moran, Rev. Father Larkin, the Hon Mathew Holmes, the Hon. Captain Fraser, the Hon. W. H. Reynolds, the Hon. Col. Brett (Canterbury), Dr H. M. Coughtrey, Borrows, Fergusson, McLute, and Brown; His Worship the Mayor, (R. H. Leary, Esq.), Crs Walter, Fish, Thomson, Doughty, McKinnon, Isaac, and Roberts; Revs. Will, Johnston, Fitchett, Byng, Ward, Waters, Davis, Copland, Sutherland, Lichtenstein (Jewish Rabbi), and R. L. Stanford; Professors Shaud, Hutton, Sale, Black, and Rev. Professor Salmond; Dr McDonald (Rector of the High School), Messrs D. Brent, Wilson, Smith, Densham, Fitzgerald, A. Montgomery, Barratt, Stewart, Ferguson, McKay, Jas. Reid, J. Green (M.H.K.), J. H. Harris, J. W. Thomson, H. Bastings (M.H.R.), G. K. Turton, A. Holmes, A. Mansford, E. C. Strode, J. M. Massey, H. Houghton, H. McLean, T. S. Graham, R. A. Lawson, A. Barr, — Hepburn (sen.), A. Hepburn, A. R. Hay, W. D. Stewart, W. M. Hodgkins, R. B. Martin, J. Baxter, J. Ashcroft, G. M. Reed, W. Dalrymple, George Bell, W. P. Street, F. Fulton, John Cargill, J. Armstrong, A. Rennie, James Smith, A. Livingston (sen.), John Marshall, — Hogg, T. K. Weldon, F. A. Mallard, Geo. McLean, A. Burt, A. Lubecki, D. Petrie, — Denniston, D. Campbell, H. Tewsley, J. Hackworth, and C. McK. Gordon.
At about 4 o'clock the procession reached the cemetery gates, and the Volunteers, in advance, were drawn up in line on each side of the roadway, and stood with arms reversed facing the coffin and the followers as they passed into the cemetery. The procession was here met by the Ven. Archdeacon Edwards, who lead to the grave, repeating the words of the burial service. The coffin was removed from the carriage to the grave, and lowered into it by men from the Naval Brigade; and upon the Ven. Archdeacon concluding the service, three volleys were fired by two hundred men. Numbers of friends crowded around the grave for a farewell glance; and the remains of a muchloved man, and greatly esteemed citizen and colonist, were committed to the grave. -Otago Daily Times, 12/12/1878.
Sir John's house at Puerua, Willowmeade, is still standing and is a Category 1 listed building.
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