Mr. John Hamilton, J.P., who represented North-East Ward in the Christchurch City Council, was born at Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1839, and educated at the Borough school. Mr. Hamilton was brought up as an engineer, and page 117 worked for Messrs. Moor and Sons. Glasgow, and, subsequently, for Messrs. Miller and Co. and others in the same city. He came to Lyttelton in 1863, in the ship “Captain Cook,” and settled at the port, following his calling as an engineer of steamers for six years. Mr. Hamilton next acquired the s.s. “Halcione,” which was mainly built out of the wreck of Her Majesty's ship “Orpheus,” and with which he traded to Akaroa and the bays round Banks Peninsula for seven years. At the end of that time Mr. Hamilton had the s.s. “Akaroa” built in Melbourne, and with this fine boat he carried on the same trade for eleven years, also conveying the mails. He sold out his interest in his steamers in 1886, but continued to reside in Lyttelton till 1890, when he removed to Christchurch. Mr. Hamilton has been official visitor of Lyttelton Gaol and Sunnyside Asylum for a number of years. He has been a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board since 1896, and was elected to a seat at the Christchurch City Council in 1897. He is a member of the Masonic Order, being initiated in Lodge Unanimity and is a member of Canterbury Lodge E.C.; he is also a member of the Kilwinning Royal Arch Chapter S.C. Mr. Hamilton was married in 1862 to a daughter of Mr. J. Campbell, of Glasgow.