OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 215, 5 June 1919, Page 4

OBITUARY

. MR. JOHN 1 ILOTT. t The death of Mr. John Ilott, which occurred at his residence, 24 Biiller Street, yesterday evening, removes a familiar figure in Wellington. business circles. Mr. Ilott was tho son of Dr. John llott, a •well-known English 6urgeon, who subsequently settled in India. He was born in 1852, tind received his education at the loading college at Dublin in his day., His father hud retired to his estate, and when only nineteen Mr. llott had to relinquish hie university career to take over the management of the estate owing to his father's illness. Mr. John Ilott, who was a noted huntsman and shot in his younger days, relinquished farming after his father's death. Owing to. three severe' attacks of rheumatic fever he had for health reasons to leave for the colonies, and arrived in New Zealand on January 1, 1883. He sottled at Te Aroha, when the goldfietds township was at the height of its mining boom. Mr. Ilott took over the management and editorship of the "To Aroha News." Eventually, with Mr. Henry Brett, he took over the paper as managing partner. Mr. Ilott look a very active part in the developihent of the district, nnd 'wa6 a member both of the Te Aroha Hot Springs Domain Board and of the •Te Aroha Town Board, both of which he was largely instrumental in promoting. In 1890 ho left Te Aroha to take up tho position" of assistant-manager of tlio "New Zeatod /Times," resigning in 1891 to enter into business on liis own account as North Island mnnaging agent for some of Now Zealand's leading newspapers. Exceptional energy, enterprise, and integrity resulted in rapid growth of tho business, nnd in 1915 it was formed into a limited liability company, with Mr. J. Ilott as governing-director and his son, 111'. J. M. llott, who hud entered into partnership with him, ns man-aging-director. Although for some years Mr. Ilott had not taken i.n active part in the business, ho has kept in close touch with its affairs. The late Mr. llott served on tho directorates of several local companies until forced to resign Owing to ill-health. For years post it had been his aim to spend the major portion of his income in helping those causes in which he was interested. The Terrace Congregational Church loses a very prominent member. Mr. Ilott was elected a deacon twenty-five years ago, and bold office right throughout that period. Ho was most activo in T.M.C.A. work, and was one of tho first members of tho Board Of Management, served as chairman of the HouSo Committee, and was elected president of the association, resigning shortly afterwards owing to ill-health. He was most interested in foreign missionary effort, and himself paid rim salary of a worker, whom he looked upon as taking his place there. Ono of the first membera of tho Society tor the Prevention of Cruelty, to Animals, lie was a member of the committee from the outset, and held tho office of president for some time. In earlier vears he was an active member! of the New Zealand Journalists' Institute, and acted for some time as treasurer of the Wellington brunch of .this body. His life was marked by quiet, unostentatious dimity and good works. His keen sense of honour and his high principles marked his business life. All his life he was. an ardent worker in the cause of temperance. In 1652 Mr. Ilott married Miss Elizabeth Baldwin, daughter of Mr. W. H. Baldwin, a well-known Irish landowner. He leaves his widow, one son, .Mr. J. M. Ilott, and a grandson.