DEATH OF MR J. GREEN. EX-M.H.R.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 36

DEATH OF MR J. GREEN. EX-M.H.R.

Mr J. Green, who met an accident through a tram colliding with his buggy on the 3rd inst., and who has been a patient in the Dunedin Hospital since that date, tied on Saturday morning. On the date df the accident Mr Green, with his brother Henry (who is a produce merchant, and for many years carried on business in King street), was driving into town through the North-East Valley, and when near tho "Valley Borough Chambers the vehicle was overtaken by an electric tramcar, and. being ■unable to get out of the way, was turned over, and the occupants were thrown on to the roadway. The driver of - the buggy ■when the collision occurred was endeavouring to get across the tramline, but failed to do so in time to avert the collision, which smashed the buggy considerably. Mr Green received injuries to his face and head, and sustained a severe shock, and was removed to the Hospital. His brother suffered some cuts and bruises about the head. Previous to .the accident Mr Green was in indifferent health, and owing to thie had leave of absence from attendance at meetings of the "Hospital Trustees, of which body he •was a member. v The news of his death will be received with general regret, as during his residence in this part of the colony he iia«\ rendered considerable public service on various public bodies. The deceased was born in the County of Middlesex, England. His father, besides carrying on the busines of a,, smith and farrier, had a dairy farm. There Mr Green acquired a taste for a country life and agricultural pursuits. After leaving school he followed his father's trade for four years, and then received employment in the Paddington workshops of the Great Western Railway Company. He came to Otago in the ship Dunedin, landing in January, 1856. Shortly atter arrival he received employment from Mr John Cargill on a farm at Tokomairiro, and for several years followed farming pursuits, and was afterwards engaged in horse and cattle dealing on his own account, till the gold discovery broke out, when he went to the diggings. After doing fairly well out of his claim at Gabriel's Gully, he went into the carrying business to the goldfields for a time, and was- afterwards storekeeping at Waitahtma. He then resumed the carrying business, and in 18b5 he retired from business and settled in the Waitati district, where he resided up to the date of the accident. In 1867 Mr Green was elected to represent North Harbour and Blueskin district in the Provincial Council, and in 1875 he became a member of the Provincial Government. On the abolition of the provinces he was elected a member of the Waikouaiti County Council, and in the followintr year was appointed chairman, a position he held for over 17 years. In 1878 he was elected for Port Chalmers in the House ot Representatives, and in IM2 li- wa* returned

for Waikouaiti, which district he represented during the whole of the ensuing Parliament. He was again elected in 1893 by a majority of over 500. With all the local bodies of his district Mr Green was intimately connected, and from 1868 he was continuously either president or vice-president of the Blueskin A. and P. Society. In 1878 he was elected a member of the Otago Education .Board, and retained a seat thereon till April, 1896, and was three times chairman of the board. He was elected the board's representative on the Board of Otago School Commissioners. He was also a member of the Hospital Board, Charitable Aid Board, Hospital Trustees, and Benevolent Trustees, lor many years he served as a Waste Land Commissioner for Otago. In all the public positions he filled Mr Green was a popular and faithful representative. It is worthy of note that of eight adults who came by the Dunedin four of them became members either of the Provincial Council or of the House of Representatives. At the time of his death Mr (ireen was 69 years of age. About a week previous to his death serious complications, including erysipelas, supervened. The deceased was a brother of Mr Isaac Green, formerly Mayor of North-East Valley, and was^.a widower.