VEEL, JOSEPH VEEL COLBORNE (1831-95) was the son of an Anglican clergyman and was born in Gloucester. Educated at Kidderminster and at Magdalen College, Oxford, he graduated M.A. in 1856 and won the light-weight sculls. He came to Canterbury in 1860 with an introduction to J. E. FitzGerald, and spent some time farming 10 acres in Linwood and examining at Christ's College. In 1861 he began to contribute to The Press, of which he became associate editor on the resignation of G. S. Sale. Veel had fine literary taste and judgment and a good style, and he had a marked influence upon The Press during the 17 years in which he was associated with it. In 1868 he went to Westland, but soon returned to the editorship of The Press, which had been in the hands meanwhile of C. W. Purnell (q.v.). Veel was editor to 1878, when he retired and became secretary to the education board. In 1893 he was appointed principal of the normal school in Christchurch. He was a governor of Canterbury College (1875). He died on 29 Jul 1895. A daughter, Mary COLBORNE-VEEL (d. 1923) wrote a good deal of verse of good quality. She published one volume, The Fairest of the Angels (London, 1894). A Little Anthology of Mary Colborne-Veel, edited by Jessie Mackay, was published in 1924.

Cycl. N.Z., iii (p); N.Z. Chess Book, 1922; Alexander and Currie; Colborne-Veel, op. cit.; The Press, 23 Feb 1923; Lyttelton Times, 30 Jul 1895.

Reference: Volume 2, page 211

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