OBITUARY.

JOSEPH REID DODSON

Yesterday morningj in the person of Joseph Reid Dodson, there passed away at the good old age of 78 one of Nelson's oldest and most highly esteemed citizens. Although he had been ailing slightly for Borne time, it was not until Wednesday last that the disease from which he was suffering assumed a really serious form, but its course from that time was a rapid one, and it soon became apparent that the end was not far off Yesterday morning it came, and at seven o'clock he peacefully breathed his last. The deceased arrived in Nelson from Australia in May, 1854, in the brig Return, and a few days later he purchased the late Dr. Renwick's interest in the Nelson Brewery. He went back to Melbourne to arrange his business matters there, and returned to Nelson with his family in the brigantine Marchioness in September and took possession of the brewery, which has remained in his hands ever since. In 1858 he was elected a member of the Board of Works, and two years later he went to England with his family and remained there six years. In 1874, after having been a member of the Board of Works during the whole of the interval with the exception of the time he spent in the old country, he was, on the city of Nelson being constituted a municipality, elected its first Mayor, and was re elected eaoh successive year, with the exception of j one that he spent in England, until 1881, when he finally retired from the Council. In his capacity as Mayor he hospitably entertained two Governors of New Zealand, Sir James Fergusson and Sir Hercules Robinson, when on official visits to Nelson. j In 188± he sustained a severe 1033 in the I death of Mr George Hooper, who had been his partner in the business for 80 years, and for whom he entertained a very sincere regard. He then purohased his late partner's share in the business, which has since been carried on under the name of J. R. Dodson & Son. Shortly after his arrival here he was elected a member of the Vestry of Christ Church, with which, either as Vestryman or Churchwarden, he maintained an unbroken official connection, except during his occasional absences from the place, until the time of his death. Of a very kindly and genial nature, he has during Mb long residence in Nelson made a large number of friends by whom his loss will be keenly felt, and who will one and all very deeply sympathise with his mourning widow and family, while the citizens generally will feel that death has removed one who was always willing, until the infirmities oonse* quent upon old age began to make themselves felt, to do his utmost to advance the interests of the town in which he had made his home.