THE LATE MAJOR BROWN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVII, Issue 7304, 3 September 1901, Page 2

THE LATE MAJOR BROWN.

News of the tragic death of Major Brown, of New Plymouth, will be received with groat regreji by many in this district, for the deceased gentleman was more or less intimately connected with the history of the Taranaki province for tho last sixty years. A young man among the early pioneers, the soon gave evideneo of tho

fact that there was stout stuff in him. In 1851 he became the first Superintendent of the pro* vince of Taranaki, and showed in that capacity considerable administrative ability. About six years later, he established the Taranaki News, of whioh* paper he subsequently- beoame editor. He also represented the district in Parliament. During the war, Captain Brown, as he then was, ocoupied prominent positions, in all of which he acquitted himself well. After the war, he entered business, becoming partner in the firm of Brown and Duthie (the latter being Mr John Dutbie, of Wellington). Of late years the Major had not been intimately associated with publio matter?, Although, despite his great age (he wbb i 81) he was remarkably active, and on the day of his death had been acting as ! native interpreter in a Police Court case. The Major was of a genial nature, and bad a considerable fund of dry humour, and we can quite believe, as we are told, that the news of his tragic death enst a gloom over New Plymouth. Major Brown was a man who did his best for bis adopted oountry ; that he was adequately rewarded (or even fairly treated) is a moot point. But bis memory txrill long \>& veveved \>y t\&& people of the district in which the greater, portion of his life was spent. The day before his death the Major attended the funeral of the late Mr J. B. Lawson, an old friend, who met his death in a similar way. These .two horrible fatalities should surely show the Railway Department that there exists urgent need for the prompt carrying out of the proposed deviation of the line through. New Plymouth. This Devon street crossing has always been looked upon as a source of danger, although the railway people have taken every precaution to avoid accident. Tbe train passes across the busiest street' of tbe town, and it says much ,for the care of tbe authorities that, though there have been narrow escapes, the fatal accident of whioh Major Brown was tbe victim is the first recorded.