OBITUARY-

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 25 March 1912, Page 9

OBITUARY-

MR. GEORGE BROWN, J.P.: HUTT PIONEER. There passed away at 1 p.m. yesterday another of Wellington's pioneers, in tho person of Mr. George Brown, J. P., of Buller Street, who has been a resident of tho district lor the past seventy-two _ years. Ho was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1835, and sailed from the l.'lydo with his parents iu tho ship Blenheim, when five years of age, arriving hero on the eve of the same year. With his parents, he resided in the Hutt Valley, working on tho farm until May, 1853, when he went to join his brother, Mr. James Brown (also of Wellington), who a year previously had gone nway to try his luck on tho Victorian goldfields. The two brothers went through all tho trials and hardships of life on the goldfields for five years, both in Australia and Otago. Finally tho deceased returned (o the Upper Hutt district, and turned his energies to farming, in which occupation he continued up till about six years ago, when lie retired, and came to live in town. He always took an interest in public affairs, and represented the Mungaroa Riding on the Hutt County Council for twelve years, finally retiring on account of ill-health. His father, tho late Mr. James Brown, owned and built tho first hotel iu tlio Upper Hutt, "Tho Shepherd's Inn" (later known as Tho Criterion, but since dcmoU ishc-d). Deceased was a member of tho Hutt Licensing Committee, and took » keen intoreset generally in advancing tho district's welfare. Ho was a valued mem ber of tho S.P.C.A. up to the time of his death, and as n Justice of tho Peace ren. dered good scrvico to his district over a very long period. Liko his father, ho was one of the militiamen called out to meet the Maoris at Boulcott's Farm, Lower Hutt, upon tho historic occasion whon Bugler Allen, "the boy hero, died under such tragic circumstances, in givinif n timolv nlarm to tho settlers in tho vicinity. * Deceased, whoso widow survives him, leaves numerous relatives and a big host of friends in this district.