SIR H. BRETT DEAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19549, 31 January 1927, Page 10

SIR H. BRETT DEAD.

VETERAN OF THE PRESS. END OF NOTABLE CAREER. FORMER MAYOR OF AUCKLAND. GREAT PATRON OF MUSIC, The death occurred in Rotorua on Saturday of Sir Henry Brett, managing director of the Auckland Star and Father of the New Zealand press. Sir Henry was visiting the thermal centre to recuperate from a cold, but was seized with illness on Thursday and the following day underwent an operation. Sir Henry arrived from England with the Albertland settlers in 1862. He had received a practical training as a printer and journalist in the office of his uncle, who was proprietor of the Hastings and St. Leonard's Gazette, in the South of England, and on his arrival in Auckland began work as a humble working compositor on one of the papers already established. He soon obtained an appointment to the literary staff of the Daily Southern Cross, now incorporated in the New Zealand Herald, and later transferred his services to the Herald itself. Upon both these papers his principal work was that of shipping reporter, and to the end of his days it was a joy to him to recite the exploits of those times, when there was no submarine cable and the news of the world was gathered by the shipping reporters whenever a sailing vessel reached port. Purchase of K'ev/spaper. It was while engaged in this occupation that an opportunity came to him—in partnership with the late Mr. George McCullagh Reed,- father of Mr. Justice Reed and of the Hon. Vernon Reed, M.L.C. —to secure the ownership of a paper already established in the city and to launch the Auckland Star as we know it to-day. It is a tradition in local journalism that the proprietors of the new venture were indebted for important assistance in the beginning of their enterprise to the large-heartedness of the late Mr. W. C. Wilson, then owner of the Herald, at whose office the Star, although a rival in the then limited field of Auckland journalism, was printed until its owners felt their feet and established a printing plant of their own. The ReedBrett proprietary of the Star stood until 1876, when Mr. Reed sold his interest to Mr. Brett, who remained the sole owner until the editor, Mr. T, W. Leys, was taken into partnership. The concern was later formed into a company.

Sir Henry Brett was one of the first directors of the United Press Association of New Zealand and held office for 40 years, retiring only in 1919. He and Sir George Fenwick were the last survivors of the original board of directors. Term as Mayor of City. Municipal life claimed Sir Henry at an early stage of his business career. At the beginning of the seventies he was a member of the Parnell Highway Board, and in July, 1874, be became its chairman, by virtue of that office holding a seat on the Auckland Harbour Board. At the City Council elections in September, 1874, a,nd again in 1876, he was elected a member of the council. In 1878 he became Mayor of the city, unopposed. Ex officio, ho was a member of the Board of Governors of the Auckland College and Grammar School, as it was then called, for the same period. He was also vice-president of the Home for Neglected and Destitute Children, and a member of the Domain Board. Earlier he had be°.n one of the city improvement commissioners. Sir Henry never aspired to Parliamentary life, but it is known that in the days of the Seddon Government he was offered a seat in the Legislative Council, and declined the honour. Before the days of the Public Library ho was president of its precursor, the Auckland Mechanics' and local sports and other locql institutions always had his hearty support. The title of Knight Bachelor came to him in the New Year honours of 1926. Encouragement of Music. For the past 30 or 40 years Sir Henry Brett was the chief patron of music in the city, and by his liberal donations did more than any other man to further the cause of music in Auckland. Among his benefactions was the presentation of an organ to the mining and industrial exhibition, held on the metropolitan grounds in 1898. This instrument, a very fine one, was afterwards installed in the old Choral Hail in Svmonds Street, and was finally presented to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, where it still stands. The erection of the Town Hall was the occasion of a still more liberal provision for music. In it was placed by Sir Henry Brett's liberality a grand organ, wiiich is understood to have cost the donor something like £6OOO. Again, when St. Peter's Anglican Church at Takapuna, of which Sir Henry had always been one of the c£ief supporters, was removed to its preset site, be presented it with one of the finest suburban church organs in the Auckland district. Possessed in his prime of a fine baritone voice, he was a pillar of St. Paul's choir in the early days, and of the Choral Society in its beginnings. In after years be became the main motive power behind the Choral Society, as the chairman of its committee for a very long period; Horticulture was another of his hobbies. At his home at Takapuna he has maintained for a lifetime one of the finest Sower-gardens to 'be found in New Zealand. Of the horticultural societies he has been a consistent patron and supporter, and his collections of blooms, sent tor exhibition only, have been annually a feature of their shows. Ladv" Brett survives Sir Henry Brett, together with two sons, Mr. Arthur P. Brett, of Auckland, and 51 r. Alfred Brett, of Takapuna,,and t-vo daughters, Mrs. W. J. Rainger of Auckland and Mrs. Walcolt Wood, of Chrsstcharci*. A son and a daughter predeceased. him There are 22 grandchildren and 11 great -grandchildren. The remains were" brought to Auckland from Roforaa yesterday alllerrsoon and- will be interred as O'Neill's Point Cemetery to-morrow afternoon, the funeral leaving :!y> residence at Takapuna at. three o'clock.