DEATH OF MR J.C. BROWN.

Evening Star, Issue 8434, 7 February 1891, Page 2

DEATH OF MR J.C. BROWN.

We regret to have to inform our readers that Mr James Clark Brown, who represented Tuapeka in the House of Representa- 1 tives for oyer twenty years, died at St. Glair last evening. The deceased gentleman was born at Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, in December, 1830, and was therefore sixty-' one years of age at the time of his demise. He was the son of Mr Alexander Brown, an officer in the Royal Navy, who served under Sir William Fitzroy, and who was heir to a magnificent estate called Brumahall. The subject of this notice waß educated at a private school in Devenport, five miles from Macclesfield. At the age of seventeen he was apprenticed to the mercantile business—a following which he was engaged in for some years, when he emigrated to Victoria, arriving there in 1552. He took up with mining pursuits for several years, when his friends in England sent out to him a capital little steamer, called the Macclesfield, to tftide between Sydney and Tasmania—a concern which Mr Brown managed for a few years in a very practical manner, and at no loss to himself. He arrived in New Zealand in 1861, and immediately started in business, opening stores at Wetherstones, Queenstown, and Gabriel Gully, which put him in the position of being one of the largest merchants of the early days. He was one of the first members to represent the goldfields in the Otago Provincial Council, and sat continuously for the district of Tuapeka from ISCS until the abolition of the provinces in 1876. He struggled hard against the abolition, and worked hand in hand with the late Mr James Macandrew in opposition to it. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1869 to represent the then district of Bruce, and from that time until 1876 he had the double honor of holding a seat in the Provincial Council and a seat in the House. When Tuapeka was made a separate electoral district he was returned for that electorate, which he continued to represent until the election last year, when, in consequence of the readjustment of districts, he was defeated by Mr Valentine. Mr Brown always largely interested himself in local matters, especially in mining, and it was entirely owing to his personal exertion that the Lawrence Railway was constructed. He was also a justice of the peace for the colony, and was at all times a most liberal contributor to all charities in his district. In 1879 Mr Brown was married to the widow of Dr Ebenezer Halley, member of the Royal College of Physicians. During the election contest Mr Brown's health was very poor. A serious illness prevented him from entering the field as early as his opponent : but through the unwearying attention of his wife he recovered, and during the campaign he worked most arduously tor his return. Early last month he had a relapse, and, in the hope that the sea air of St. Clair might benefit him, he came down, with Mrs Brown, and took up his residence at Mr Broadway's Hotel. The best medbal advice was procured for him, but he gradually grew weaker, and a day or two ago his doctor gave up all hope of his recovery. Yesterday he was unconscious all the day, and in the evening he quietly passed away. He leaves a widow, but no family.