DEATH OF GEORGE VESEY STEWART.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15317, 4 March 1920, Page 5

DEATH OF GEORGE VESEY STEWART.

AN INTERESTING CAREER-

[United Press Association.]

Tauranga, March 3. By the death of George Vesey Stewart, of KatiKati, which occurred^to-day at Rotorua, one of the most conspicuous figures in the earlier history of the Colony disappears. He was the third son of Mervyn Stewart, Matraky House, County Tyrone, Ireland, and was born on October 4th, 1832. He resided with his parents in North Ireland till twelve years of age, and after travelling on the Continent, he ultimately settled in the mountains of Altmore. About 1874 he met in Belfast, 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 out settlers to New Zealand. Number 1 Katikati party came in the Carisbrook Castle and the Dover Castle, followed by number 2 party in the Lady Jocelyn and Halcione. • A Parliamentary paper of 18/8 contains interesting correspondence regarding this party. Mr. Stewart returned to London'in 1880 and brought out the first p_arty of Te Puke settlers in the Lady JoceTyn. After unsuccessfully contesting the Tauranga electorate,' Mr. Stewart, was elected the nrst Mayor of Tauranga, in 18*82. After the passing of a Special Act of Parliament, Mr. Stewart and the late Mr John Duncan, of Levin and Co Wellington (who was a member of the Te Puke party), signed an agreement with the Government on behalf of a local comiany, to construct a railway from Kotorua. to Tauranga, After several negotiations locally, Mr. Stewart proceeded to London in 1883 to form a company there to construct the line, mis was" done and a provisional contract made but the undertaking fell through in consequence of the Tarawera eruption Not till 1888 did the deceased return to New Zealand., and then he settled on his farm at Katikatj, -where he has resided ever since, taking an ! active interest In all local matters. As -•hairmanof the Katikati Road Board he held the record for New Zealand. At the time of his death he was still chairman, and also a member of Taxiranga County Council, Harbour Board, md Charitable Aid Board.