OBITUARY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1931, Page 2

OBITUARY

WALTER V. BRETT. The death of Mr Walter F. Brett, Engineer to the Inangahua County Council, took place at Reel ton H ospital on Saturday after a short illness. On Thursday he entered the Reefton Hospital for an operation, and on Saturday about midday he brightened considerably, but later, collapsed and died suddenly. Deceased was the only son of the late Mr \\*. G. C. Brett, barrister, Calcutta, and was horn in Calcutta, India in June 1862. He was educated at Brighton College, England, and arrived in New Zealand at Bort Chalmers by the British Queen in 1883. Later, lie went to Hokitika, and did his first professional work at Boss United Mines, and was for some years associated with the Humphrey Gully Sluie ng Co., both before ami after its a'-quisition by the Consolidated Gold Fields of New Zealand.

On itho commencement of work by the Midland Railway Coy., lie joined their staff and was with that concern until it was taken over by the New Zealand Government. .Shortly after the Brunner disaster in 189(5, Mr Brett was one of the first to enter the mine atld wliii afterward? engaged by the New Zealand Government. In do a survey of that property for the Brunner Mines Commission that enquired .into the disaster.

On the taking over of the various mines by the Consolidated Gold Fields of New Zealand, Mr Brett became their surveyor, under the first General

Manager, Mr Philip L. Foster, Mr Brett’s first work being the survey of the Progress Mines water race and the big aerial tramway. He remained with them about seven years joining the inangahua County Council nrCounty Engineer, on the death of Mi E. B Garvin, and was with the County Council as their Engineer to tin time of his death.

He carried out most of the big min nig surveys of the field for the pas thirty years and possessed an intimat knowledge of the various reef system of ,tho field, and his death is a hi loss to the mining industry. He 1 survived by a widow (Mary Wickes two daughters, Mesdames Gore-Portc (Reefton), and Sydney It. Oliver o Okato, and two sons, Messrs WilfrrL. Brett of the Bank of New Zealand Christchurch, and Mailer M. Bret (Bhickwater Mines). Deceased was ;

member of several sporting bodies being a steward and committeeman o the Reefton Jockey Club-