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THE PIONEERS PASS. -0--- 'Mr. John Road Hedditch. The death occurred at -Portlan1 during Friday night of Mr. John Read Hedditch. Deceased, who was -born at Bridgewater nearly 80 years ago, had for several years been a great sufferer from rheumatism. Some months back gangrene settledl In one of his. feet, and though there were no painful effects therefrom, it was stated to have been this com. plaint that was really the cause of death. He was a descendant of one of the earliest families of Australian pioneers, his father, who landed per sailing ship, "The Eden," in Ade. lailde from England in the year 1837 -now 90 years ago-feeling that for a hard-working man to be only gett ing 8/ a week at farming was poor in ducement to remain in the Old Land, and that in the interests of his famnily it behoved him to make for a new country. After staying for a while at Adelaide and Mount lBarker, in South Australia, the father decrided on going to Tasmania, but three years later he removed to the Portland neighborhood, and finally settled there. Mr. John Hedditch won! the first white child born on Messrs. Henty Bros.' Bridgewater run (some 10,000 acres), which they relinquish ed on learning from Major Mitchell of the rich Wannon country through which he had passed on his exploring tour from Sydney. The deceased, whose wife died four years ago, has left six sons and three daughters, and it may be mentioned as an !n teresting fact that in the present oc cupants of the old family home at Bridgewater are the fifth generation. Tfeceased's fathor, Mr. Richard Charlton Hedditch, had charte of the Church of England Grammar School at Portland about the year 1840. It was then under the charge of the Rev. James Wilson, Victoria's pioneer incumbent. Though Mr. Hedditch never interested himself ac tively in public affairs, he won the ut mnost respect andi confidence of all who know him for his integrity and kindly disposition, andl was always looked up to as a sincere and humblle christian. He was originally a mem ber of the Church of England, but for the last 50 years was an adherent of the Methodist church. The nlate gen tleman was born on October 4, 1847, and married Miss Mary Jane Holmes, also of Brildgewater, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Wm. Hun ter. Tho ages of the surviving niem bers of the family are as follows, and total 307 years:-Mrs. Mary Malseed, l)rik Drik, 83 years; Mrs. Broughton, Essendon, 70; Mr. W. F. Iedditch. Bridlgewater, 70; Mrs. McKenna, Tasmania, 08. "The Ride from the Wreck." An interesting though pathetic event in the late gentleman's early life was his ride to Portlandl to ac puzint them there of the wreck of the "Jane" in 1803. After having conveyed the alarming news, he was met on the return journey and in formed that in his absence hlis eldest brother had been drowned whilst asa '-lasting in the rescue of the survivors.

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