SIR HENRY BRETT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 9

SIR HENRY BRETT.

A PERSONAL APPRECIATION. By P. O. Wheatley. Having had an intimate acquaintance with the late Sir Henry Brett extending over a period of 25 years, and having been closely associated, with him in the compiling of sailing ship records for the first and second volumes of his valuable book, “White Wings,” I am in a position to write of the wonderful personality and journalistic ability of one of the fathers of New Zealand newspapers. Memory takes me back to my young days in Auckland in the late nineties. I was then a compositor on the Sporting and Dramatic Review. The office of this weekly publication was then situated in Vulcan lane, a narrow outlet from Queen street, and only a matter of a hundred yards or so from the Auckland Star office. On sweltering days in summer I stood during the lunch hour in the shade of a verandah within view of the Star office front, entrance. Dav after day Sir Henry Brett, then Mr Brett, strolled down Shortland street at z a certain time. I stood there at a certain time day after day watching that tall, gentlemanly, stately; figure pass onwards, my nostrils taking in the perfume of the excellent cigar smoke that trailed behind him. Sir Henry was a lover of a good

cigar, and when I was fortunate enough to' make his acquaintance a few years later I received many a highly-flavoured cigar from his selected box in the sitting room of his glorious home on the shores of Lake Pupuke, Takapuna. Before the

steam tramway from Bayswater to lakapuna was opened Sir Henry travelled from his home over the Old Lake road to Devonport by his own motor car, and then on to the city by ferry steamer to the •work he loved so much. As he passed down the Lake road his commanding figure always received respectful recognition from his hosts of friends and acquaintances. As he crossed the harbour the kindly gentleman could be seen talking to groups of close acquaintances. The talk was generally connected with flowers and music. Outside ships and the sea, horticulture was perhaps Sir Henry’s greatest hobby in life. Chrysanthemums and roses, I think, were his favourite flowers, and what a glorious array these blooms made every year in the large gardens surroundin" his home at TakapuriH. Visitors to Takapuna never tired of feasting their eyes on the beautiful blooms.' Almost each morning Sir Henry gathered a collection of blooms from his beloved garden, and always carried these blooms to the city. It was a familiar sight to see him going, to the city each day with a wealth of blooms, and when the flowers disappeared with the "season 'Sir Henry always appeared to wait patiently for his plants again to blossom forth. It has been written that Sir Henry

commenced his journalistic career as a shipping reporter. This is a fact, but it should be borne in mind that in + he very early days of the colony a shippings reporter’s duty called for outstanding ability, stamina, and long hours. Sir Henry was called upon to work sometimes 20 hours out of 24. Before the time of cables and telegraphs, and when the only communication between England and the colony was by sailing ship, Sir Henry had to keep his eyes on the signal staff at Mount Victoria (Devonport'' for the sighting of a sail. Relating some of his earlv shipping reporting experiences, Sir Henry’s face beamed with smiles when he referred to one particular incident. This incident was connected with the arrival of a sailing ship one night from England. Although he had then been on duty for 20 hours, his duty to his paper was' not to be shirked, and he was rowed down the Auckland Harbour by a waterman. It was a rough night. A contemporary reporter had reached the ship before Sir Henry and had commandeered the file of English papers. When he refused to hand them over Sir Henry gave him a hard jolt, and the papers were then quickly handed over. “I was in my prime then.” said Sir Henry, “and I enjoyed a bout with fists now and again.” And although Sir Henry was what many newspaper people are apt to term a humble shipping reporter, he proved, like other reporters assigned to this branch of the life of a newspaper, that he could “‘deliver .< the goods” in any walk of the newspaper

.world. „ , It was towards the close of 1923 that Sir Henry commissioned me to compile the Otago records of the arrival of every sailing, ship at this port from England with passengers and cargo for a period of 50 years. It was a large order, and had to be completed by the end of No : vember, 1923. Recognising the historic value of the information he -required, I undertook the work -and completed the contract to the day, and received a handsome remuneration, the thanks, and commendation of Sir Henry. The contract involved a systematic perusal of over 16,000 copies of the Otago Daily Times in order to obtain all the particulars Sir Henry required. With the complete records of the arrival of sailing ships for a like period at all the other principal ports of New Zealand, obtained at considerable expense. Sir Henry was

able to pubisb the first volume of his invaluable book, “White Wings.” The production of this book was the real hobby of Sir Henry Brett’s later years, and he had the satisfaction of knowing that his long and arduous work in compiling it met with great success. Copies. of this work have reached every country in the world. It was Sir Henry’s intention to publish a second volume- of “White Wings,” and the pity is that he was not spared to complete this work Discussing the project with the writer in Ins home at Takapuna early in June last. Sir Henry said he had decided to publish a second volume, as he had received so many requests from people in many parts of the world. He again commissioned me to “dig up” old shipping records, and I was being able to supply him with a wealth of material, la his last letter to me, received on December last, together with a . Christmas greeting card, Sir. Henry mentioned that e was not enjoying, the best of health, but he hoped to be able, to send his second book to press early this year. It is to be hoped that Sir Henry has made some provision by which his book may be published. If was his hobby, and it would be a fitting memorial of the life of a gentleman of the land. - I back with pleasure to my long conversations with Sir llenry as we were

seated before the fire, on many occasions, in his cosy sitting room on a winter’s night. He was a true friend, a good judge of mankind, and was not slow to give credit where credit was due.