Obituaries Australia

After a protracted illness, Mr. John Richardson, M.L.A. for Geelong East, died at 1 o'clock on Sunday morning. The deceased, who was born at Tunbridge Wells in June, 1809, was educated at Totteridge College. The Rev. Newman Hall and Captain Vine Hall, of the Great Eastern, were his schoolfellows. He served his time to a druggist, but finding the business distasteful, he went to sea as a midshipman in the East India Company's service. On his arrival in India he went into private service in a vessel trading between India and China. Subsequently he started for and arrived in this colony in 1849. He carried on business as a chemist in Geelong successfully for a number of years, but failing health induced him to take to farming pursuits.

In 1855 he became clerk to the South Barwon Borough Council, and kept that office-the borough having, with the adjoining district of Connewarre been formed info a shire-until his death. He was one of the first advocates for protection, and ever took a lively interest in local public affairs. In 1859 he was induced to come forward as a candidate for Geelong East, but was defeated by Mr. James Cowie and the late Dr. Thomson by 14 votes only. He again came forward two years after, and was returned at the head of the poll, the late Mr. Aspinall being his colleague. He has represented Geelong East ever since, and has been returned four times at the head of the poll and once second, when he was only 15 votes behind the first candidate. His funeral takes place at 3 o'clock tomorrow.