Mr. John Evans Brown was a Member of the House of Representatives for the Ashley district from 1871 to 1879, and he sat as member for St. Albans from 1882 to 1884. He was also a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council during the Superintendency of Mr. Rolleston. Mr. Brown was a native of Lewiston, Pennsylvania, where he was born on the 16th of February, 1827. He crossed the Continent in 1849, going to California, where he engaged in surveying. After a few years he removed to Now South Wales, and there carried on a sheep and cattle business on an extensive scale. He was also United States consul in New South Wales for several years. In 1864 Mr. Brown came to New Zealand. Twenty years later he returned to America, where he died on the 9th of July, 1895. Mr. Brown was twice married; his first wife, to whom he was married in 1857 in New South Wales, was a sister of the Hon. J. T. Peacock and Mrs H. R. Webb of Christchurch. His second marriage was contracted with Mrs Martin, of Wellington, in 1883.