OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 14

OBITUARY.

MR GEORGE VESEY STEWART. TAURANGA, March 3. By the death of Mr George Vesey Stewart, of Katikati, which occurred to-day at Rotorua, one of the most conspicuous figures in the earlier history of the colony has disappeared. The deceased was the third son of the late Mr Mervyn Stewart, Matraky House, County Tyrone, Ireland, and was born on October 4, 1832. He resided with his parents in* North Ireland till he was 12 years of age, and after travelling the Continent, he ultimately settled on the mountains of Altmore. About 1874 he met in Belfast Mr H. Farnall, agent for the Auckland Provincial Government, and as a result Mr Stewart came to Auckland that year, and succeeded in making an agreement to bring settlers to New Zealand. Number 1 Katikati party came in the Oarisbrock Castle and Dover Castle, followed by No. 2 party in the Lady Jocelyn and HaJcione. A Parliamentary Paper of 1878 eontains interesting correspondence regarding this party. Mr Stewart returned to London in 1850, and brought out the first party of Tepuke settlers in the Lady Jocelyn. After unsuccessfully contesting the Tauranga electorate, .Mr Stewart was elected first Mayor of Tauranga, in 1882. After the passing of a Special Act of Parliament, Mr Stewart and the late Mr John Duncan, of Levin and Co., Wellington (who wasi a member of the Tepuke party), signed an agreement with the Government, en behalf of a local company, to construct a railway from Rotorua to Tauranga. After several negotiations locally, Mr Stewart proceeded to London in 1883 to form a company to undertake the construction of the line. This was done, and a provisional contract was made, but the undertaking fell through in consequence of the Tarawera eruption. Not till 1888 did the deceased return to New Zealand, and he then settled on a fnrm at Katikati, where he had resided over since, taking an active interest in all local matters. As chairman of the Katikati Road Board, ho held a record for New Zealand. At the time of his death he was still chairman, and was also a member of the Tauranga County Council, Harbour Board, and Charitable Aid Board. MR MAX COHN. The friends of Mr Max Cohn, general manager of P. Hayma-n and Co., will learn with regret of his sudden death on Friday at Christchurch. Mr Cohn resided in Diinedin for about 40 years, but during recent years had transferred his residence to Wellington. He was returning to Dim, edin at the time of his death, and had travelled from Picton in his motor car to Christchurch. He was in_his fifty-fourth, ear and was married to a daughter of the' Hon. C. Louisson, M.L.C. Mr Cohn had not enjoyed robust health for many years. The cause of death was heart failure.