OBITUARY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10319, 31 January 1927, Page 5

OBITUARY

DEATH OF Sill HENRY BRETT. “FATHER OF N.Z. PRESS.” A REMARKABLE CAREER. ROTORUA, Jan. 29. Sir Henry Brett passed away this afternoon at five thirty at King George V. Hospital. His end was painless.—P.A. AUCKLAND, Jan. 30. The- announcement of the death of Sir Henry Brett, managing-director of the Auckland Star and “bather of ciie New Zealand Press,” was made jy the Star in a late edition last night. j.iie Star said: “Sir Henry was born in St. Leonards-on-the-Sea, Sussex, England, in 1843 and, at. the ge of 19, came to New. Zealand with cue Albertland settlers in the ship Hanover. He had a brilliant career s a shipping reporter on The Southra Cross and the New Zealand Her.i and, in 1870, purchased an interest in the Star, which had been started a few months before. For fifty-seven years he was connected with that journal and built it up to .ts present position as one of the premier evening newspapers in the jJominiou. Apart from his business activities, he filled many important public positions, including that of Mayor of the cty. His two great nobbics were music and horticulture, n both of which spheres he exercised marked influence in Auckland and, in fact, in New Zealand. Auckland received several marks of his generosity, the main one being, tbe .presentation to the city of the grand organ in the Town Hall, the. largest a New Zealand. Both music and horticulture experienced Jiis generosity and, at the time of his death, he occupied several positions at the head of various organisations connected with those two interests. Recently, he suffered from a severe •old, but had recovered and had gone to Rotorua to recuperate. He was progressing satisfactorily until Thursday, when he was seized with severe gastric trouble and was ordered into hospital. A small operation was performed on Friday and he gradually sank, passing peacefully away tins evening at half past five o’clock. He had a remarkable career in many respects and, right up to the last, retained his faculties in full vigor, tak\g the keenest interest not only in journalism but in his hobbies and also in cricket, an outdoor sport for which he did so much during his long mcl busy life. “Sir Henry is survived by Lady Brett, two sons and two daughters. There are twenty-one grand children >nd eleven great grand children.” — P.A.