Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 6 January 1917, page 14


DEATH OF MR. J. M. PRATT.

His Public Career.

The news of the death of Mr. Joseph

Major Pratt, which occurred yesterday evening at East Melbourne at the age of 82 years will be received willi widespread feelings of regret, especially among old

colonists .

Mr. Pratt who was born near Charing Cross, London, in December 1834, arrived in Port Phillip in December 1852. He was a passenger on the barque Orestes and among the other passengers were the late Dean Vance and the late Mr. E. I. Zos. For some years after his arrival in Vic-toria Mr. Platt lived in the Inglewood dis-trict, and during his residence there he gained valuable experience as miner, store- keeper, auctioneer and accountant. Taking an interest in municipal affairs, he was a member of the Inglewood Borough Coun-cil and also filled the majoral chair.

In 1868 Mr. Pratt came to Melbourne, and joined the late Mr. James Campbell, M.L.C. in the firm of McCulloch, Camp-

bell and Co., which then became Camp- bell Pratt and the Co., the proprietors of Kirk's Bazaar, the well-known horse mar- ket. Mr. William McCulloch soon after- wards joined Messers. Clapp and Hoyt on the directorate of the Melbourne Omnibus Company, which was inaugurated early in 1869. The business of buying horses for the omuibuses was important, and Campbell, Pratt and Co. were the agents for the company. Mr. Pratt was the first auditor of the Omnibus Company, and he held that position until on the retirement of Mr. A. W. Robertson from the directorate, he joined the board. Owing to failing health Mr. Pratt retired from his position as di-rector about five years ago.

In Melbourne, as in the country, Mr. Pratt took an interest in municipal affairs, and in 1888 he was elected a city councillor for the Albert Ward. He was appointed alderman for the ward in 1901, and retired from the council in November, 1913.

In 1880 Mr. Pratt was elected to the Legislative Council as member for the North-Western Province, and he held the seat until 1907. At the elections in that year he did not seek re-election. Mr. Pratt occupied an honorary position in the Ministry of which Sir George Turner was premier. He was a frequent speaker on debates of importance, was a strong sup-porter of Federation,and a sound Liberal.

Mr. Pratt's name was well-known in the financial world. He was a director of the National Bank of Australasia. The Aus-tralian Widows' Fund Life Assurance So- ciety, and The Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company. He was a member of the council of the Old Colonists Associa-tion, and was also connected with a num-ber of charitable institutions.

Mr. Pratt leaves a widow, one son (Mr. J. Cleveland Pratt), and two daughters (Mrs. L. M Inglis and Mrs. L. Leonard Higgs). The funeral willl leave his late resi- dence, Thornbury, George-street, East Mel- bourne tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock for the Boroondara Cemetery, Kew.