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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Ex-Mayors

Ex-Mayors.

Mr. John James Grandi, formerly Mayor of Timaru, was born in Middlesex, England, in 1852. He was educated in London, and came to Lyttelton with his parents by the ship “British Empire” in 1864. In December of that year, he was apprenticed to a firm of coach-builders — Messrs Henry Wagstaff and Co., of Christchurch—and claims the distinction of being the first bound apprentice in Canterbury. After completing his indentures, he was for about twelve months with Messrs. Cobb and Co., and subsequently with Messrs. Barrett, Hudson and Moore, in whose service he continued for seven years. Coming to Timaru in 1879 under engagement to Mr. John Barrett, coachbuilder, he remained till that gentleman's retirement in 1890, when Mr. Grandi purchased the business. He was for many years a member of the Borough Council, and was elected mayor in 1896. He was a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, High School Board, and Licensing Committee, and has been provincial master in the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. Mr. Grandi is married, and has ten children.

Mr. Jacob Hill, who was Mayor of Timaru for the years 1893–4–5, and a Justice of the Peace, was born at Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England, in 1832, served his apprenticeship to the engineering trade, and worked as a fitter for the Earl of Dudley. He landed at Lyttelton in 1859 from the ship “Zealandia.” Settling in Timaru, Mr. Hill was engaged in the timber trade for five years and during that period cut timber for most of the prominent buildings of Timaru at that time, including the first school and post office. On the Government taking over the landing service at the page 972 port of Timaru, he was appointed managing engineer, and supervised the work till Messrs. Crawford and Green became contractors. Three years later he, together with Messrs. Simpson and Graham, obtained a three years' contract, and during that time the George Street landing service was organised. This, however, was cut off from the sea by the construction of the railway between it and the shore. Having purchased the plant for £1250, Mr. Hill erected the service on the sea-side of the railway, an undertaking which had been pronounced impracticable. He worked this service for some years with great success, and was only prevented from continuing it by the construction of the breakwater. Mr. Hill next commenced business as a grocer on his property in King Street, and carried on a considerable trade. As a public man, few have been better known in South Canterbury. For many years he was a member of the Timaru Borough Council and Mayor in the years 1893–4–5; was a member, and for seven years chairman, of the Timaru school committee, a member of the Timaru Harbour Board for four years, for three years a member of the Hospital and Charitable. Aid Board. As a Freemason, Mr. Hill was a Past Master of the Caledonian Lodge, Timaru, and he had been a Forester since the foundation of a lodge in Timaru, having passed the principal chairs; he was secretary to the lodge for five years, and was the recipient of a valuable presentation and testimonial for the interest he had taken in the welfare of the order. Mr. Hill was married in England, and had three sons and five daughters, and has been dead for some time.

The late Mr. J. Hill and Miss Hill.

The late Mr. J. Hill and Miss Hill.

Timaru Breakwater: 1898.

Timaru Breakwater: 1898.

Mr. John Jackson, who was Mayor of Timaru for four years in succession, is elsewhere referred to as a man of business.

Mr. Moss Jonas, sometime Mayor of Timaru, was born at Brighton, England, in April, 1839, and began to work on river steamboats in London at the age of thirteen. In February, 1860, he came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Cashmere,” and spent a few years in Christchurch. He settled in Timaru in 1868, and began a furniture and crockery business, to which he afterwards added auctioneering. Mr. Jonas sold out on two occasions, but finally resumed his business after a tour of five years in. Canada, America, and other parts of the world. At the Melbourne Exhibition of 1888, he was one of the commissioners representing the New Zealand Government. Besides being Mayor of Timaru, Mr. Jonas served on the Borough Council for seventeen years, and was a member of the Harbour Board for sixteen years. He has always taken an interest in local societies and orders, and has been prominent in assisting in the formation of important local concerns. Mr. Jonas was married, in May, 1871, to a daughter of the late Mr. Philip Symondson, of London, and has five sons and three daughters.