OBITUARY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1908, Page 8

OBITUARY.

CHARLES TOWNLEY BROWNE. The death of Mr. Charles- Townley Browne, which occurred at Wellington this morning, removes one who has been connected with the detection of crime since the earliest days of the colony. Old West Coasters and the public of Wellington in particular will remember, and with the kindliest feelings of appreciation, the man whose name was for years a household word where matters concerning crime and criminals wejre concerned. His going removes another link which binds early days of New Zealand with the present. Mr. Browne was the youngest son of 'Mr. W. Browne, barrister, of Dublin, and he was born in 1826, so that at the time of his death he was nearly 82 years of age. He went out to Victoria in 1852, and after spending some time on the goldnelds, he joined the Victorian detective police, in which capacity he distinguished himself in bringing to justice many -notorious bushrangers and other offenders. In 1866 he came to New Zealand and joined the police, and on the gold diggings of the West Coast he quickly established for himself a reputation as a tracker of criminals, wh;ch has lived right down to the present time. In 1880 he was made Chief Detective (the first appointment of the kind made in New Zenland), and came to Wellington in that capacity. Five years later he was appointed Inspector of Police in the Empire City, though he still retained command of the detective branch of the service; and did excellent work in that capacity. Early in 1890 he was notified of his transference to Auckland, but, owing to an attack of rheumatism, he was obliged to letiro on compensation on the 15th January of that year. Soon after his retirement he settled at Kilbirnie, and, taking an interest in municipal matters, he was elected to tho position of Mayor of Melrose, which he occupied for sometwo or three years. After the death of his wife in 1899 he sold most of his suburban property, and came into town, living with his niece, who is the wife of Chief Detective M'Grath. He was also a justice of the peace, and frequently sat on the Bench. Ho had no children, his only relations in New Zealand being Mrs. M'Grath and two nephews, Mr. H. V. Browne, draper, Blenheim, and Mr. J. V. Browne, of Auckland,

In the list of supplementary matriculation examination results, the name of Miss Kate E. Grabham wao misprinted ac Miss Graham,